Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus Alleviates <scp>LPS</scp> ‐Induced Acute Lung Injury by Inhibiting Inflammation and Inflammasome Activation

Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus (CSF), an ornamental and edible fruit belonging to the genus <i>Citrus</i> in the <i>Rutaceae</i> family, has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-obesity effects. However, its impact on the progression of acute lung injury (ALI) remains unclear. In this study, CSF significantly alleviated LPS-induced pulmonary edema in ALI mice and improved oxidative stress markers, as evidenced by reduced serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. It also decreased macrophage and neutrophil counts as well as protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and inhibited inflammatory responses-specifically, it reduced the protein and gene expression of IL1β, IL6, and TNF-α in lung tissues, downregulated the mRNA levels of chemokines, and suppressed LPS-induced activation of NF-κB signaling. Moreover, CSF significantly reduced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The components of CSF exhibit high binding activity and stability to NF-κB p65 or NLRP3, along with low binding free energy, within their respective binding pockets. This study reveals that CSF alleviates LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting NF-κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome activation-mediated inflammatory response, thereby providing a scientific basis for the utilization of CSF resources.