Combined therapy integrates Chinese herb Astragalus and methotrexate to address drug resistance in autoimmune diseases

The school of Chinese medicine, researcher at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong University (HKUMED) has found that the traditional Chinese drug with Western medicine methotrexet (MTX), which may be effectively reduced in the Austors Astrams, with Western medicine methotraxate (MTX). Disease.

Their research provides a possible solution to address Drug resistance And side effects caused by long -term drug. Research findings were published in two magazines, Acta pharmacologic synica And this Leukocyte biology journalWhere he was depicted as cover stories.

Autoimmune diseases are difficult to manage over the long term. These conditions occur when the immune system of patients accidentally attacks its healthy cells of the body, resulting in damage to various tissues and organs.

Patients often require continuous medication to control symptoms. Although MTX is usually prescribed as the first row treatment and is effective in reducing inflammation, prolonged use essentially leads to drug resistance, and high doses can result in severe side effects, such as liver toxicity.

In the comprehensive analysis of 1,640 traditional Chinese medical formulas used in the last 40 years for the treatment of five general autoimmune diseases, HKUMED research team, headed by Professor Lynn Jiang and Professor Shane Jiangang, in HKUMED from the school of Chinese medicine, found the most prescribed the time of the Astragalas membrane.

Using a self-developed mouse model and Clinical data From patients, the team first became the displaying that Astragalus membrane can stop “T follicle helper cells (TFH cells)”, “a type of immune cell known to attack healthy tissues in rheumatic diseases.

Interesting, while MTX is widely used in clinical settings, the study found that it does not effectively press TFH cells and can even cause an increase in their number.

In contrast, Astragalas Membraneous has shown a notable ability to effectively regulate TFH cell activity, which highlights its significant therapeutic ability in the management of autoimmune diseases.

In addition, the research team was the first to successfully separate a bioactive compound called Calicosin from Astragalus Membranessus, which can effectively stop TFH cell reactions in both humans and mice.

He also found that Calicosin is the first inhibitor to disrupt the BATF, a core protein that controls the discrimination of TFH cells. Since BATF is almost the same in humans and mice -99% structural similarities-these conclusions lay an important foundation for cross-species medical applications.

Calycosin can properly prevent the function of batf, allowing TFh cell activation and reduce autointibody production. Importantly, Calycosin addresses the therapeutic limitations of MTX.

When used in combination, Calicosin and MTX displays important coral effects, increasing the results of treatment. Even during the chronic phase of inflammation in mice with the disease of experimental sjögren, the joint medical affected target provides significant protection to the organs.

Professor Lynn Jiang, Assistant Professor of the School of Chinese Medicine, said, “The combination of calicosin from the astragalas membrane with MTX allows us to effectively reduce drug poisoning by increasing medical effectiveness. This approach reduces the required doses of MTX, which works for treatment.

“The research team recently filed an international patent for the use of Calicosin in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, which marks a milestone in the modernization of traditional Chinese medical research.”

This research has great capacity for clinical translation and is expected to exceed drug resistance due to long -term MTX drug. In the near future, this therapy can be extended to patients with others Autoimmune diseaseProviding evidence-based assistance for modernization of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine.

In addition, the research team has developed the “humanized mouse model of Sjögren disease”, which accurately reuse immunity in patients.

Using this model, he valued the efficacy Joint medicine In humanized mice with Sjögren’s disease, provide strong evidence to support future clinical trials.

The findings were presented in the 2025 European Alliance of Association for Rumetology (EULUR) Annual Congress and published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases,