# Botanical formulation HX110B ameliorates PPE-induced emphysema in mice via regulation of PPAR/RXR signaling pathway

## TL;DR

A botanical formulation called HX110B helps treat emphysema in mice by reducing inflammation and activating a key signaling pathway.

## Contribution

HX110B is shown to ameliorate PPE-induced emphysema via PPAR/RXR signaling, offering a novel therapeutic approach for COPD.

## Key findings

- HX110B improved alveolar wall and air space damage in emphysema mouse models.
- HX110B reduced pro-inflammatory mediators and increased lung protective factors.
- HX110B activates the PPAR-RXR signaling pathway in vitro.

## Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory lung disease, causes approximately 3 million deaths each year; however, its pathological mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we examined whether HX110B, a mixture of Taraxacum officinale, Dioscorea batatas, and Schizonepeta tenuifolia extracts, could suppress porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE)-induced emphysema in mice and its mechanism of action. The therapeutic efficacy of HX110B was tested using a PPE-induced emphysema mouse model and human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. In vivo data showed that the alveolar wall and air space expansion damaged by PPE were improved by HX110B administration. HX110B also effectively suppresses the expression levels of pro-inflammatory mediators including IL-6, IL-1β, MIP-2, and iNOS, while stimulating the expression of lung protective factors such as IL-10, CC16, SP-D, and sRAGE. Moreover, HX110B improved the impaired OXPHOS subunit gene expression. In vitro analysis revealed that HX110B exerted its effects by activating the PPAR-RXR signaling pathways. Overall, our data demonstrated that HX110B could be a promising therapeutic option for COPD treatment.