Patrinia scabiosaefolia L. Modulates the Intestinal Microecology to Treat DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis: UHPLC-OE-MS/MS, Network Pharmacology, and Experimental Validation

<i>Patrinia scabiosaefolia</i> L. (<i>P. scabiosaefolia</i>), a traditional food and medicinal plant, is used to treat internal inflammation. This study investigated the mechanisms by which <i>P. scabiosaefolia</i> improves ulcerative colitis (UC) via combined UHPLC-OE-MS/MS, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. A total of 72 compounds were detected in the <i>P. scabiosaefolia</i> extraction, with 15 key components (ranking by degree value) selected for further analysis. GO enrichment analysis suggested that PS may alleviate UC-related renal dysfunction by modulating immune responses, inflammation, and cell signaling pathways. Based on protein-protein interaction results, five core targets of <i>P. scabiosaefolia</i> in UC (ranking by degree value) were identified, and molecular docking revealed strong binding free affinity (<-7 kcal/mol) of active components (Vulgarin and 4-(Diphenylphosphino)benzoic acid) with TNF, AKT1, CASP3, BCL2, and MMP9. In animal experiments, <i>P. scabiosaefolia</i>-treated mice showed significant reductions in IL-6, TNF-α, LPS, and D-Lactate levels (<i>p</i> < 0.05); improved colon histopathological damage; and significantly increased the mRNA expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Claudin, OCC) in colon tissue (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Furthermore, <i>P. scabiosaefolia</i>-treated mice exhibited a significant increase in beneficial gut bacteria (<i>Enterococcus</i> and <i>Lactobacillus</i>) (<i>p</i> < 0.05), effectively restoring the gut imbalance caused by DSS. In conclusion, <i>P. scabiosaefolia</i> can treat UC through the modulation of the intestinal microecology.