HKU develops herb-drug combo to tackle autoimmune drug resistance

Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have developed a groundbreaking treatment that combines the traditional Chinese herb huang qi (Astragalus membranaceus) with the widely used Western drug methotrexate (MTX) to combat drug resistance in autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissues, leading to chronic inflammation and organ damage. MTX is a first-line treatment for many of these conditions, but its long-term use often results in reduced effectiveness and serious side effects, including liver damage.

The HKUMed research team extracted a key compound called calycosin from huang qi and discovered that it effectively suppresses T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, which are known to drive autoimmune responses. Calycosin works by targeting BATF, a critical protein that regulates Tfh cell activity.

“Combining calycosin from Astragalus membranaceus with MTX allows us to effectively reduce drug toxicity while enhancing therapeutic effectiveness,” said Lin Xiang, assistant professor at the School of Chinese Medicine of HKUMed.

“This approach significantly lowers the required dosage of MTX without compromising its efficacy, thereby improving the overall safety of treatment,” he added.

The team has filed an international patent for the use of calycosin in treating autoimmune diseases — a major milestone in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine research.

The HKUMed highlighted that the therapy holds strong potential for clinical trials and could benefit patients with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders.

It also paves the way for further scientific validation of traditional Chinese medicine.

The research findings were published in two leading international journals, Acta Pharmacologica Sinica and Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 

(Cheng Wong)