Network medicine-based analysis of the hepatoprotective effects of Amomum villosum Lour. on alcoholic liver disease in rats

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by high morbidity and mortality, and mainly results from prolonged and excessive alcohol use. Amomum villosum Lour. (A. villosum), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has hepatoprotective properties. However, its ability to combat alcohol-induced liver injury has not been fully explored. The objective of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of A. villosum in a rat model of alcohol-induced liver disease, thereby establishing a scientific foundation for the potential preventive use of A. villosum in ALD. We established a Chinese liquor (Baijiu)-induced liver injury model in rats. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, in combination with biochemical tests, was used to evaluate the protective effects of A. villosum on the liver. The integration of network medicine analysis with experimental validation was used to explore the hepatoprotective effects and potential mechanisms of A. villosum in rats. Our findings showed that A. villosum ameliorated alcohol-induced changes in body weight, liver index, hepatic steatosis, inflammation, blood lipid metabolism, and liver function in rats. Network proximity analysis was employed to identify 18 potentially active ingredients of A. villosum for ALD treatment. These potentially active ingredients in the blood were further identified using mass spectrometry (MS). Our results showed that A. villosum plays a hepatoprotective role by modulating the protein levels of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), anti-nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1 (NR3C1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). In conclusion, the results of the current study suggested that A. villosum potentially exerts hepatoprotective effects on ALD in rats, possibly through regulating the protein levels of ESR1, NR3C1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha.