Germacrone ameliorates acute lung injury induced by intestinal ischemia-reperfusion by regulating macrophage M1 polarization and mitochondrial defects

• Germacrone attenuates intestinal ischemia-reperfusion-induced acute lung injury by reducing lung damage, fibrosis, and inflammation. • Ger suppresses M1 macrophage polarization and decreases pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, COX2) in the I/R-ALI model. • Ger improves mitochondrial function by modulating the SIRT1-HIF1α-Nrf2 signaling pathway, reducing apoptosis in MLE-12 cells. • The findings suggest Ger as a potential therapeutic agent for I/R-ALI, targeting macrophage polarization and mitochondrial dysfunction.