ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1578815
This article is part of the Research TopicInsights in Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery: 2024View all 15 articles
Modified Zexie Decoction Improves Phlegm-Dampness Type Stage I Hypertension by Regulating the Gut-Immune-Kidney Axis
Provisionally accepted
- 1Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- 2Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- 3the second affiliated hospital of Jiaxing University, jiaxing, China
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In recent years, the crosstalk between gut microbiota and the host has gained significant attention in the pathogenesis of hypertension, with immune regulation identified as a crucial pathway linking gut microbiota to renal function. Phlegmdampness type hypertension is a common syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by metabolic abnormalities, immune dysregulation, and renal impairment. Given the global urgency to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies for hypertension, TCM with its multi-component, multi-target, and multipathway actions offers a promising alternative. Modified Zexie Decoction (MZXD) is a herbal formula derived from the classical Zexie Decoction, known for its antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate whether MZXD could improve phlegm-dampness type Stage I hypertension by regulating the gut-immune-kidney axis. In this study, 30 patients with phlegm-dampness type Stage I hypertension were treated with MZXD for 42 days, and changes in blood pressure, blood parameters, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured before and after treatment. The results demonstrated that MZXD significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, increased the levels of SCFAs (acetate, propionate, and butyrate), and enhanced gut microbiota diversity, aligning it closer to that of healthy individuals. Additionally, MZXD modulated immune markers, improved renal function, and reduced proteinuria.This study systematically validated, for the first time, the therapeutic effects of MZXD on phlegm-dampness type Stage I hypertension through the regulation of the gut-immune-kidney axis, highlighting its potential as a novel treatment approach.Future studies should further explore its clinical application value.
Keywords: ： MZXD, Immune； Phlegm-Dampness Type Stage I Hypertension Abbreviations ： BMI, body mass index, BUN, blood urea nitrogen, Cr, creatinine, C4, Complement factor 4, C3, complement factor 3, DCs, dendritic cells, DBP, diastolic blood pressure
Received: 18 Feb 2025; Accepted: 30 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hu, Jia, Su, Gu, Cheng and Jiang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Ninghua Jiang, the second affiliated hospital of Jiaxing University, jiaxing, China
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