Mus musculus Transcriptome or Gene expression
Diarrhoea is a prevalent condition that negatively impacts human health by impairing nutrient absorption. Botanical extracts have emerged as an attractive approach to treating diarrhoea and other intestinal disorders safely and effectively. Magnolia officinalis, a traditional Chinese medicine used to alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms, contains bioactive compounds magnolol and honokiol with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of magnolol and honokiol on LPS-induced intestinal injury in mice, using a molecular docking strategy combined with network pharmacology and transcriptomics. The molecular docking results identified three targets, C-Myb, AKT, and IL-18, with good binding affinity, indicating their potential as therapeutic targets for inflammation treatment. The study also found that magnolol and honokiol effectively reduced symptoms of enteritis, such as diarrhoea and weight loss, and suppressed serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, magnolol and honokiol improved antioxidant activity and intestinal morphological features, restored the balance of the gut microbiome, and regulated gene expression involved in the PI3K-AKT and TNF signalling pathways. Overall, this study provides evidence for the efficacy of magnolol and honokiol in alleviating diarrhoea and exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties in LPS-induced mice.