The extract of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix-Cnidii Fructus effectively soothes vulvovaginal candidiasis by activating certain autophagy in vaginal epithelial cells.
The researchers generated a mouse model of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) to investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanism of the extract of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix-Cnidii Fructus (ESCC). Assessment of vaginal fungal burden and inflammatory cytokine levels were carried out. Additionally, the researchers systematically examined the autophagy-related protein expression and RNA transcriptional profiles. The effects of C. albicans on autophagy responses were also observed using human epithelial A431 cells.
In the ESCC treatment group, vaginal symptoms in the mice returned to normal levels, along with significant reduction in vaginal fungal count. In addition, the expression of certain proteins involved in autophagy (LC3B, ATG5, and p62/SQSTM1) was increased both in vivo and in vitro, which implied that the ESCC restored the autophagy that was previously suppressed by C. albicans. Through network pharmacology and enrichment analyses, the study identified the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway as an instrumental mechanism. Further assays confirmed that ESCC promoted autophagic flux by inhibiting this pathway. Thus, ESCC provided relief from VVC symptoms by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy in vaginal epithelial cells, supporting its potential as a naturally occurring therapeutic.
