Targeting Macrophage Ferroptosis: A Mechanism of Lanxangia tsaoko methanol extract Inhibits VEGF to Attenuates ulcerative colitis

Background Lanxangia tsaoko is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine that is both food and medicine and has a long history in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Recent studies have found that the methanol extract of Lanxangia tsaoko (LOM) exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These properties align with the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ulcerative colitis(UC), suggesting that LOM may offer a promising therapeutic avenue for UC treatment.This study aimed to identify a low-toxicity, daily edible extract of traditional Chinese medicine as a candidate drug for the prevention and treatment of UC, and to clarify the mechanism of drug treatment for the disease. Methods This study utilized UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, RNA-seq, and scRNA-seq analyses to determine the potential targets and mechanisms of LOM in the treatment of UC. Animal experiments, cell experiments and various molecular biology techniques were employed to evaluate the effects of LOM on UC symptoms, inflammation and ferroptosis, and to verify the related targets and pathways. Results WGCNA and immune infiltration analysis RNA-seq data identified five hub genes targeted by LOM. scRNA-seq analysis confirmed that the hub gene is mainly expressed in macrophages and affects endothelial cells to participate in disease progression through TLR4/NF-KB/VEGF. Conclusions LOM affects endothelial cells in alleviating the symptoms of UC by regulating the key and signaling pathways of macrophage hub genes. Based on the characteristic that Lanxangia tsaoko is both edible and medicinal, it has a very high potential for the prevention and treatment of UC, providing a scientific basis for its clinical application and subsequent development.