Synergistic Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Pomegranate Peel-Hawthorn Combinations in Ulcerative Colitis: Network Pharmacology Prediction and Experimental Validation.

ABSTRACT: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by complex pathogenesis involving dysregulated immunity and gut microbiota imbalance, demanding innovative therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the synergistic therapeutic potential of pomegranate peel-hawthorn combinations and their active constituents (ellagic acid and maslinic acid) through an integrative approach combining network pharmacology, in vitro/in vivo experiments, and gut microbiota analysis. Network pharmacology identified 61 shared therapeutic targets (p < 0.05 for pathway enrichment) and revealed complementary mechanisms: pomegranate peel primarily modulated AGE-RAGE/PI3K-Akt pathways, while hawthorn targeted IL-17/NF-κB signaling. Experimental validation demonstrated potent syn

SUBMITTER: Zhang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12025673 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature