Yinlai decoction alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced pneumonia by changing the immune status of juvenile rats: A study based on network pharmacology

Abstract Objective Pediatric pneumonia is a common respiratory disease and Yinlai Decoction (YLD) is a commonly used treatment in China. We explored the anti-inflammatory mechanism of action of this traditional Chinese medicine for pneumonia. Methods We studied, by experimentation, the mechanism of action of YLD in treating pneumonia according to network pharmacology. By comparing YLD with dexamethasone (DXMS), we investigated the efficacy of YLD in treating pneumonia induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in juvenile rats. Results In an aqueous extract of YLD, 22 chemical compounds were identified, among which 10 were related to inflammation, involving 78 target genes and 16 signaling pathways. Among them, 45 core target proteins were related to biologic processes and functions, such as response to stimuli, biologic regulation, cell communication and protein binding. Animal experiments showed that YLD relieved pulmonary inflammation and demonstrated no significant damage to the liver, spleen or kidneys of rats. YLD could regulate expression of inflammatory cytokines in serum and inflammation-related proteins in lung tissues to some extent, but its effect is less significant than that of DXMS. Conclusions YLD protected juvenile rats against LPS-induced pneumonia, and showed fewer side effects in comparison with DXMS. YLD could be efficacious treatment for pediatric respiratory infections and even pneumonia.