Combination Therapy of Fuke Yijun Liquor and Tuina Alleviates Vaginal Inflammation in Vulvovaginal Candidiasis Mice Through PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α Signaling

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine demonstrates significant therapeutic efficacy in treating vaginitis, yet single compound formulations exhibit prolonged action cycles with unclear mechanisms.This study investigated the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of Fuke Yijun Liquor and Tuina (FKYJL+ TN) on Candida albicans-induced vulvovaginal diseases using Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) mouse models.Methods: VVC models were established through subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate combined with vaginal inoculation of C. albicans suspension.All treatments were administered for 7 d.Using gram staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe C. albicans morphology in vaginal secretions and histopathological changes in vaginal tissues of mice.Quantify the levels of lymphocytes, inflammatory factors (such as interleukin -1, interleukin -6, tumor necrosis factor-) and oxidative stress in mice, as well as the phosphorylation expressions of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT).Results: This study demonstrates that the combined application of FKYJL+ TN inhibits microbial proliferation in the vaginal tract, suppresses C. albicans hyphal elongation, im-proves vaginal epithelial tissue architecture, mitigates inflammatory responses in VVC mice.Importantly, Molecular experimental revealed reduced mRNA expression of PI3K, AKT and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1), along with decreased phosphorylation levels of their corresponding proteins.Conclusion: FKYJL+ TN ameliorates vaginal mucosal damage in VVC mice by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 pathway, regulating oxidative stress response, suppressing C. albicans growth and inflammatory factor release.This study elucidates the mechanism of FKYJL+ TN in vaginal injury repair, providing data support for further exploration of traditional Chinese medicine interventions to improve clinical outcomes in gynecological diseases.