In this study, we found that pyrogallol protected against H1N1 virus‐mediated ALI, resulting from activation of both Nrf2 and PPAR‐γ, which acted synergistically to enhance HO‐1 production; this further exerted inhibitory effects on RIG‐I–NF‐κB signaling and the enhanced transcriptional activity of ISGF3 via the activating effect of RIG‐I on STAT1/2, contributing to the inhibition of the proinflammatory reactions and cell death (Figure 7). Here, STAT2 is linked to acute respiratory distress syndrome.