Authors
Yanan Liu, Xinyao Zhou, Yuanqi Duan, Qilin Shi, Yajie Liu, Zhengyu Hu, Man Li, Jinfeng Sun, Mei Jin, Tieqiang Zong, Wei Zhou, Gao Li
Published in
Plants (Basel, Switzerland). Volume 15. Issue 19. Oct 06, 2026. Epub Oct 06, 2026.
Abstract
Rhododendron dauricum L. flowers are highly valued as ornamental plants in northern Chinese horticulture, yet while its leaves are well-known for their antitussive and anti-asthmatic effects, the flowers themselves remain an underutilized resource. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are intimately intertwined pathological processes that mutually reinforce each other in a self-perpetuating cycle, and current clinical treatments for diseases related to oxidative stress and inflammation have become a significant focus of research. This study investigated the chemical composition and bioactivities of R. dauricum flower extract using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro assays. A total of 57 compounds were tentatively annotated in EFRD, with Morin, Quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside and Procyanidin B2 as candidate compounds prioritized through network analysis. Network prediction revealed key targets (STAT3, JUN, ESR1, CXCL8, PTGS2) and pathways (MAPK, AGE-RAGE, PPAR). In vitro, assays demonstrated that EFRD exhibited dose-dependent scavenging of DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide radicals, as well as a dose-dependent suppression of LPS-induced NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 release in RAW 264.7 macrophages, with IC50 values of 16.52, 29.91 and 72.09 μg/mL, respectively, indicating the most potent inhibition of NO. These findings demonstrate that R. dauricum flowers possess dual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, providing a scientific basis for expanding their medicinal use.
PMID:
42884916
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 16 Oct 2026.
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