Shaoyao Gancao Decoction ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis via inhibition of TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Zhao Y, Gao K, Zhao Y, Feng C, Liu H
Medicinal Plants
Two herbs sitting in traditional medicine cabinets for nearly two thousand years just had their anti-inflammatory chemistry mapped down to the molecular level — and the compounds match targets that modern drugs also hit.
Scientists tested an ancient Chinese herbal tea recipe combining peony root and licorice root on rats with arthritis and on human joint cells in a dish. They found four specific plant chemicals — from both herbs — that calm down the immune system's 'alarm signals' that cause joint swelling and pain. The team confirmed these compounds physically latch onto the proteins that trigger inflammation, explaining why the remedy has worked in traditional medicine for centuries.
Key Findings
UHPLC-MS/MS analysis identified 59 chemical compounds in the formula; 4 (paeoniflorin, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid) were detected directly in rat synovial tissue, linking specific molecules to the site of inflammation.
SGD treatment in CIA rats reduced arthritis index scores, decreased hind paw swelling, and increased pain thresholds (mechanical withdrawal threshold and pain pressure threshold), with reduced inflammatory markers TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and COX-2 in serum.
Molecular docking and thermal shift assays confirmed that all four active plant compounds bind directly to IKK, IκBα, and NF-κB p65 — three proteins central to the inflammatory TNF-α/NF-κB signaling cascade.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A traditional Chinese herbal formula made from peony root and licorice root significantly reduced joint inflammation and pain in an arthritis rat model. Researchers identified four plant compounds responsible for the effect and showed how they block a key inflammatory signaling pathway.
Abstract Preview
Shaoyao (root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) Gancao (root and rhizome of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) Decoction (SGD) originated from Shanghan Lun during the Eastern Han Dynasty. As a classical pres...
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The peony or paeony is any flowering plant in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. Peonies are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America. Scientists differ on the number of species that can be distinguished, ranging from 25 to 40, although the current consensus des...