Self-assembled vectors derived from Aster tataricus L.f. mitigate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an irreversible and progressive interstitial lung disease, for which no definitive cure exists so far. Although pirfenidone and nintedanib had been approved for IPF treatment, prolonged usage of these medications was often associated with adverse gastrointestinal and neurological side effects. There is still an urgent demand to develop highly effective anti-pulmonary fibrosis drugs with reduced toxicity profiles. Aster tataricus L.f. (Aster), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used over a thousand years, contains a diverse array of bioactive compounds, including terpenoids, flavonoids, peptides, sterols, anthraquinones, phenylpropanoids, and coumarins. Our previous research demonstrated that intervaginal space injection (ISI) can enhance drug delivery to the lungs, improve bioavailability, and minimize systemic side effects. It is particularly suitable for particulate drug delivery. Furthermore, we have developed a novel freeze-thawing technique that facilitates the rapid formation of super self-assemblies from natural herbs. In the present study, we prepared super self-assemblies (ATSSA) and extracellular vesicles (EV) from the decoction of Aster. The results from the IPF mouse model revealed that the therapeutic efficacy of ATSSA and EV was comparable to or exceeded that of nintedanib, offering a promising avenue for the development of novel therapeutic agents for IPF.