Exploring the Anti-fibrotic Effects of Safflower in Systemic Sclerosis Based on Metabolomics and Gut Microbiota Analyses

This project investigates the anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of a traditional aqueous extract of safflower in a bleomycin-induced murine model of systemic sclerosis (SSc). The study aims to explore the potential mechanisms underlying safflower-mediated modulation of fibrosis by integrating gut microbiota profiling and fecal metabolomics analysis.Mice were treated with bleomycin to induce systemic sclerosis-like phenotypes, followed by oral administration of safflower extract for 28 days. Fibrotic and inflammatory changes in skin, lung, and colon tissues were evaluated using histopathological staining, collagen quantification, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Gut microbiota composition was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and fecal metabolic profiles were analyzed using untargeted UHPLC-QTOF-MS-based metabolomics.The generated datasets provide comprehensive microbial and metabolic profiles associated with fibrotic progression and therapeutic intervention, enabling further exploration of host-microbiota-metabolite interactions in systemic sclerosis and supporting data reuse in pharmacological and translational research.