Abstract

Background and purpose This study aimed to systematically analyze the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating neonatal pneumonia (NP), identify core active components and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms, thereby providing reliable support for the clinical application of TCM in NP. Methods A meta-analysis of seven clinical studies was conducted to identify effective TCM formulas. Network pharmacology approaches were applied to screen active ingredients, predict common targets, construct protein–protein interaction networks, and perform functional enrichment and molecular docking analyses. In vitro experiments using an LPS-induced BEAS-2B cell model were further performed to verify the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of the key component. Results A meta-analysis confirmed significant clinical efficacy of the TCM bath composed of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt., Radix Bupleuri, Mentha haplocalyx Briq., and Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. Six hub genes including MAPK1 were screened, and enrichment analysis indicated involvement in inflammatory and immune pathways. Molecular docking revealed relatively strong binding affinity between MAPK1 and naringenin, the key active component. In vitro experiments demonstrated that both naringenin and MAPK1 knockdown significantly enhanced cell viability and suppressed the production of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α. Furthermore, a mild synergistic effect was observed following combined treatment with naringenin and MAPK1 knockdown, compared with either intervention alone. Conclusion Naringenin exerts therapeutic effects on NP partly by targeting MAPK1 and regulating inflammatory signaling pathways. Our systematic study provides novel theoretical and experimental evidence for the clinical application of TCM in NP.