Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of inosine, an active component of Kangfuxin

Abstract

Kangfuxin has been widely recognized for its use in treating ulcerative conditions and mucositis, primarily due to its anti-inflammatory properties, which promote cell proliferation, granulation tissue growth, and angiogenesis. However, the exact mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed high-throughput mass spectrometry to identify 11 compounds in Kangfuxin, including uracil, hypoxanthine, xanthine, inosine, glutamic acid, glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, and lysine. Notably, the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties of inosine, one of these compounds, have not been well characterized. To address this gap, we induced fever in vivo using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and conducted various experiments, including the analysis of endogenous mediators, inflammatory factors, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), Western blotting, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Our findings indicate that inosine significantly reduces LPS-induced fever, inhibits the expression of inflammatory factors, and alleviates the inflammatory response. These results suggest that inosine may serve as a potential therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases.