Protective effects of <em>Ficus hirta</em> Vahl. intestinal epithelial cells injury through the microRNA-195/HNMT pathway <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>

This study elucidates the intestinal epithelial protective effects of EFhV, the ethanol extract of <em>Ficus hirta </em>Vahl,<em> </em>a popular edible plant. <em>In vitro </em>experiments demonstrated that EFhV enhances proliferation/migration of IEC-6 and HCoEpiC cells, reverses drug-induced growth inhibition (e.g., DFMO, clindamycin hydrochloride), and alleviates cell cycle arrest (G0/G1 phase). Mechanistically, EFhV downregulates microRNA-195, which targets histamine <em>N</em>-methyltransferase (HNMT), thereby restoring HNMT expression at both mRNA and protein levels. <em>In vivo</em> experiments confirmed EFhV's efficacy in mitigating intestinal epithelial damage in fasting and antibiotic rat models, normalizing miR-195/HNMT dysregulation. These findings reveal the miR-195/HNMT axis as a key pathway through which EFhV promotes intestinal repair and homeostasis, supporting its potential as a dietary intervention for gut barrier protection and digestive disorder management.