Ecliptasaponin A ameliorates dry eye via anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects through inhibition of the MAPK/P53 pathway
ZHAO Meina
GAO Kai
TAO Xingru
JIN Fuxing
ZHANG Wei
GUO Chao
XU Dong
WANG Jingwen
Abstract：Objective To explore the pharmacological effect and preliminary mechanism of ecliptasaponin A(EA)on dry eye(DE)model mice.Methods A mouse model of DE was established,and the pharmacological effect of EA on DE was verified through fluorescein sodium staining,phenol red thread test and HE staining.ELISA was used to measure indicators such as interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and tumor necrosis factor-α in mice.In addition,the improvement effect of EA on corneal inflammation and cell apoptosis after DE in mice was evaluated through reactive oxygen species,F4/80 and TUNEL immunofluorescence staining.Western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation levels of proteins related to mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)pathway and P53 pathway.Results The various detection indicators in the control group showed no significant abnormalities.Compared with the DE model group,the treatment groups with different doses of EA had increased tear secretion(P＜0.01),decreased corneal injury score(P＜0.01),improved corneal pathological damage(P＜0.01),decreased expression levels of inflammatory factors(P＜0.01),and significantly lower protein levels of p-TAK1,TAK1,p-P38,P38,p-P53,and P53(P＜0.01).Conc1usion EA may exert a protective effect in DE by inhibiting the MAPK pathway and the P53 pathway,thereby alleviating inflammatory and apoptotic responses.This provides experimental evidence for the clinical application of EA.
Keywords：dry eyeecliptasaponin Aanti-inflammatoryanti-apoptoticMAPKP53P38TAK1
Publication Date：2026-07-31
Online Publishing Date：2026-08-26(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 1044-1050 )