Petroleum extract of Farfarae Flos alleviates nasal symptoms by regulating the Th1-Th2 cytokine balance in a mouse model of Allergic Rhinitis.

Farfarae Flos is a traditional Chinese medicine that has long been used to treat allergies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of a petroleum extract of Farfarae Flos (PEFF) in a mouse model of allergic rhinitis (AR) and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of action. An animal model of AR was established by sensitization and challenge of BALB/c mice with ovalbumin (OVA). PEFF was administered intranasally and AR nasal symptoms were assessed on a semi-quantitative scale according to the frequencies of nose rubbing and sneezing and the degree of rhinorrhea. The mechanism of action of PEFF was evaluated by histological analysis of nasal mucosa architecture and inflammatory status; ELISA-based quantification of serum OVA-specific IgE, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) concentrations; and immunohistochemical and western blot analysis of T-bet and GATA3 protein expression in nasal mucosa and spleen tissues. The results showed intranasal administration of PEFF alleviated AR symptom scores and reduced both the infiltration of inflammatory cells and tissue damage in the nasal mucosa. PEFF significantly decreased serum concentrations of OVA-specific IgE (P<0.01) and IL-4 (P<0.05) and significantly increased IFN-γ (P<0.01). PEFF also upregulated the expression of T-bet protein (P<0.05) but downregulated GATA3 protein (P<0.05) in nasal mucosa and spleen tissues. In conclusion, PEFF effectively reduces AR nasal symptoms and serum IgE levels in a mouse model and may act by correcting the imbalance between Th1 and Th2 responses.

Uncovering the anticancer mechanism of petroleum extracts of Farfarae Flos against Lewis lung cancer by metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis.

Lung cancer shows the highest incidence rate in the world. Thus, it has become increasingly important to find therapeutic drugs to treat lung cancer. Farfarae Flos (FF) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat pulmonary diseases such as cough, bronchitis and asthmatic disorders. In this study, the anti-proliferation effects of petroleum extracts of FF (PEFF) on Lewis lung cancer cells and the corresponding mechanisms were studied using cell metabolomics. Fifteen differential metabolites in the cell extracts and the corresponding medium related to the anti-proliferation effect of PEFF were identified, which were probably involved in pyruvate metabolism and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. For the cellular uptake compounds in PEFF, six metabolites derived from two prototype compounds were also tentatively identified by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap high-resolution MS. Network pharmacology analysis demonstrated that the anti-proliferation mechanism of PEFF was also probably related to the target genes, including, Aurora-A, glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1), glutathione S-transferase P 1 (GSTP1), progesterone receptor and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and further associated with the proteoglycans and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Cell metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis provided a holistic method to investigate the anti-proliferation mechanisms of PEFF. However, further studies were still needed to validate the potential target genes, pathways and active compounds in PEFF.