Therapeutic Mechanisms of Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction in Severe Acute Pancreatitis-Associated Lung Injury: Modulation of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Objectives: To investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction (SHXXD) in treating severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury (PALI) by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Materials and Methods: Active components and potential targets of SHXXD were identified through the TCMSP database. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. In vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of SHXXD in CAE- and LPS-induced mouse models and cellular experiments. NF-κB pathway activation and inflammatory cytokine expression were analyzed by Western blot and Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR). Results: Fifty-two active components of SHXXD were identified, including quercetin, baicalin, emodin, and berberine. Based on molecular docking results, these components were found to bind strongly with key inflammatory proteins such as TNF, IL6, IL1B, and MMP9. In vivo experiments showed significant reductions in serum amylase and lipase levels and inhibited NF-κB pathway activation and inflammatory cytokine expression. Conclusions: SHXXD exerts therapeutic effects in treating severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway, making it a potential alternative treatment for PALI. Its active components, including quercetin and baicalin, reduce inflammation.