Hedyotis diffusa Willd inhibits inflammation and oxidative stress to protect against chronic prostatitis via the NRF2/ARE signaling pathway

Junfu Mo; Kang Xia; Chaokui Wu

doi:10.1002/tox.24298

Hedyotis diffusa Willd inhibits inflammation and oxidative stress to protect against chronic prostatitis via the NRF2/ARE signaling pathway

Environ Toxicol. 2024 May 13. doi: 10.1002/tox.24298. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Junfu Mo¹, Kang Xia¹, Chaokui Wu¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Urology, Chongqing Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China.

PMID: 38738704
DOI: 10.1002/tox.24298

Abstract

Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common and serious disease with unclear pathogenesis and recurrent symptoms. Hedyotis diffusa Willd (HDW) has been recognized for its potential in managing various chronic inflammatory diseases. This research aimed to interrogate the mechanism of HDW in treating CP/CPPS. Complete Freund Adjuvant (CFA) and LPS were utilized to establish the rat and cell models of CP/CPPS. Results showed that HDW decreased levels of inflammation-related factors in CP rat prostate tissue and LPS-elicited RWPE-1 cell injury model. Moreover, HDW administration impaired oxidative stress in the prostate and RWPE-1 cells. In addition, HDW treatment activated the NRF2/ARE signaling in rat prostate tissue and cell models. Interestingly, NRF2/ARE pathway inhibitor ML385 reversed the inhibition effects of cell apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress triggered by HDW. In summary, HDW alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress by activating NRF2/ARE signaling in CP/CPPS rat model and human prostate epithelial cell injury model.

Keywords: Hedyotis diffusa Willd; NRF2/ARE pathway; chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome; inflammation; oxidative stress.