Ameliorative Effect of Morinda Officinalis Oligosaccharides on LPS‐Induced Acute Lung Injury

Abstract

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a disease characterized by extensive lung damage and rampant inflammation, with a high mortality rate and no effective treatments available. Morinda officinalis oligosaccharide (MOOs), derived from the root of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Morinda officinalis, known for its immune‐boosting properties, presents a novel therapeutic possibility. To date, the impact of MOOs on ALI has not been explored. We discovered that MOOs significantly mitigated the pathological damage and decreased the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in LPS‐induced ALI in mice. Complementary in vitro studies further demonstrated that MOOs effectively attenuated the M1 polarization induced by LPS. Network pharmacology analysis identified HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1, and NF‐κB as key overlapping targets within a protein‐protein interaction (PPI) network. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses elucidated the biological processes and signaling pathways implicated in MOOs' therapeutic action on ALI. Subsequently, molecular docking affirmed the binding of MOOs to the active sites of these identified targets. Collectively, these findings suggest that MOOs confer protection against ALI through a multi‐target, multi‐pathway mechanism, offering a promising new therapeutic strategy to mitigate this severe pulmonary condition.