Amelioration of acute lung injury by Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived extracellular vesicles - through repair of the vascular barrier and modulation of lung microbiota

Sep 29, 2026

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Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe respiratory condition driven by diffuse lung damage, vascular barrier dysfunction, and inflammatory responses. Current therapies such as corticosteroids can cause adverse effects, motivating development of safer alternatives. Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived extracellular vesicles (SMEVs) show anti-inflammatory and barrier-protective potential, but their mechanisms require clarification. This study tests SMEVs extracted and characterized for biosafety and therapeutic effects in cellular and LPS-induced mouse models, evaluating vascular repair and lung microbiota modulation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages20

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Abstract

Background

Methods

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Introduction

Huang et al. Chinese Medicine (2026) 21:6 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01203-0](https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01203-0) Chinese Medicine RESEARCH Open Access Amelioration of acute lung injury by Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived extracellular vesicles: through repair of the vascular barrier and modulation of lung microbiota Jiawang Huang1, Zhiying Feng1, Jingmin Fu1, Junju Zou1, Qin Xiang1, Xiu Liu1, Ling Li2* and Rong Yu1* Abstract Background Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe respiratory disease characterized by diffuse lung injury, vascular barrier dysfunction, and inflammatory responses. Its current treatments such as corticosteroids often involve adverse effects, highlighting the need for alternative therapies. Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived extracellular vesicles (SMEVs) have shown a potential therapeutic value for ALI due to their anti-inflammatory and barrier-protective properties, but the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Methods SMEVs were extracted and purified through differential centrifugation coupled with sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) . Biosafety assessment was then conducted in zebrafish embryos, mouse organs, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) . Subsequently, the treatment efficacy of SMEV on LPS-induced HUVEC inflammation was evaluated in vitro. LPS-induced ALI mice were then treated with SMEVs to further evaluate the posttreatment lung histopathology, vascular barrier markers, and microbial composition using metagenomics in vivo. Results SMEVs exhibited a typical bilayer structure (average size: 177.7 nm) and excellent biosafety properties. In vitro, SMEVs effectively reduced LPS-induced inflammation (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and promoted wound healing in HUVEC, while in vivo, SMEVs ameliorated pulmonary edema and inflammation, and restored the VE-cadherin expression. Metagenomic analysis revealed that SMEVs were capable of regulating lung microbiota and reducing the pathogenic bacterial (e. g., g-Listeria, g-Streptococcus) and microbial diversity and richness after LPS stimulation. Conclusion SMEVs can ameliorate ALI by repairing the vascular barrier and modulating lung microbiota, offering a novel therapeutic strategy for this disease. Future research may focus on the SMEV-microbiota-immune interaction targeting ALI treatment. Keywords Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived extracellular vesicles, Acute lung injury, pulmonary vascular barrier, lung microbiota *Correspondence: Ling Li[liling1049@hnucm.edu.cn](liling1049@hnucm.edu.cn)[ ](liling1049@hnucm.edu.cn)RongYu[yurong196905@163.com](yurong196905@163.com) Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s) 2026. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ()[. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ()[http://creativeco](http://creativeco)[mmons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/](mmo

FAQs

Why are alternative therapies needed for acute lung injury (ALI)?

ALI involves diffuse lung damage, vascular barrier dysfunction, and inflammatory responses. Existing treatments such as corticosteroids can cause adverse effects, prompting the search for alternative approaches.

How were Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived extracellular vesicles (SMEVs) prepared and evaluated?

SMEVs were extracted and purified using differential centrifugation with sucrose density gradient centrifugation, then characterized by TEM and NTA. Biosafety was assessed in zebrafish embryos, mouse organs, and HUVEC, followed by efficacy testing in LPS-induced models.

What mechanisms did the study propose for SMEVs in ALI treatment?

SMEVs ameliorate ALI by repairing the vascular barrier and modulating lung microbiota. They reduce inflammatory cytokines, restore VE-cadherin expression, and influence microbial composition after LPS stimulation.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda