# Traditional Chinese herbal tea Psychotria rubra suppresses inflammatory response caused by respiratory tract infections via STAT3/IL-6/TNF

## TL;DR

This study shows that Psychotria rubra herbal tea reduces inflammation from respiratory infections by affecting specific biological pathways.

## Contribution

The study identifies the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Psychotria rubra herbal tea via the STAT3/IL-6/TNF-α pathway using network pharmacology and experiments.

## Key findings

- PRHT contains 128 active compounds, including alkaloids, amino acids, and flavonoids.
- PRHT inhibits inflammatory cytokine release by modulating the STAT3/IL-6/TNF-α pathway.
- Molecular docking confirms strong interactions between PRHT components and key targets like STAT3 and IL-6.

## Abstract

Psychotria rubra Herbal Tea (PRHT) is a traditional Chinese folk medicine used to treat in-flammation induced by respiratory infections. Its specific mechanisms of action, however, remain unclear. The study combined ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), network pharmacology, and in vitro cell experiments to systematically analyze the chemical composition and validate the biological activity of PRHT. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and molecular docking were used to identify key targets and mechanisms. PRHT was found to contain 128 active compounds, including alkaloids, amino acids and their derivatives, and flavonoids. Key targets such as STAT3, IL-6, and TP53 were identified through PPI network analysis. PRHT exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects by modulating the STAT3/IL-6/TNF-α signaling pathway. Experimental results demonstrated that PRHT inhibited the release of inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking confirmed strong interactions between PRHT components and core targets. The study reveals that PRHT exerts anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the STAT3/IL-6/TNF-α signaling pathway, contributing to inflammation balance and tis-sue repair. These findings provide scientific evidence for the development of PRHT as a functional anti-inflammatory agent and offer new insights into treatment strategies for respiratory infections.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-04452-z.