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He S, Chen H, Yi Y, Hou D, Fu X, Xie J, Zhang J, Liu C, Ru X, Wang J. A novel bioinformatics strategy to uncover the active ingredients and molecular mechanisms of Bai Shao in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1406188. [PMID: 39005933 PMCID: PMC11239447 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1406188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: As a new discipline, network pharmacology has been widely used to disclose the material basis and mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine in recent years. However, numerous researches indicated that the material basis of TCMs identified based on network pharmacology was the mixtures of beneficial and harmful substances rather than the real material basis. In this work, taking the anti-NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) effect of Bai Shao (BS) as a case, we attempted to propose a novel bioinformatics strategy to uncover the material basis and mechanism of TCMs in a precise manner. Methods: In our previous studies, we have done a lot work to explore TCM-induced hepatoprotection. Here, by integrating our previous studies, we developed a novel computational pharmacology method to identify hepatoprotective ingredients from TCMs. Then the developed method was used to discover the material basis and mechanism of Bai Shao against Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by combining with the techniques of molecular network, microarray data analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. Finally, literature verification method was utilized to validate the findings. Results: A total of 12 ingredients were found to be associated with the anti-NAFLD effect of BS, including monoterpene glucosides, flavonoids, triterpenes, and phenolic acids. Further analysis found that IL1-β, IL6, and JUN would be the key targets. Interestingly, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analysis showed that there indeed existed strong and stable binding affinity between the active ingredients and the key targets. In addition, a total of 23 NAFLD-related KEGG pathways were enriched. The major biological processes involved by these pathways including inflammation, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, and glucose metabolism. Of note, there was a great deal of evidence available in the literature to support the findings mentioned above, indicating that our method was reliable. Discussion: In summary, the contributions of this work can be summarized as two aspects as follows. Firstly, we systematically elucidated the material basis and mechanism of BS against NAFLD from multiple perspectives. These findings further enhanced the theoretical foundation of BS on NAFLD. Secondly, a novel computational pharmacology research strategy was proposed, which would assist network pharmacology to uncover the scientific connotation TCMs in a more precise manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaibing He
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Hantao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Yanfeng Yi
- Department of Life Sciences and Health, School of Science and Engineering, Huzhou College, Huzhou, China
| | - Diandong Hou
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Xuyan Fu
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Jinlu Xie
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- XinJiang Institute of Chinese Materia Medica and Ethnodrug, Urumqi, China
| | - Chongbin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Xiaochen Ru
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical University, Ningbo, China
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Bai Y, Ning N, Zhao J, Chen G, Du Y, Huang S, Jiang X, Feng X, Feng Y, Nan Y, Yuan L. Explore the mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus and Poria cocos drug pair in improving immunity based on network pharmacology. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e38531. [PMID: 38905394 PMCID: PMC11191921 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000038531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the key targets and molecular mechanisms of the drug pair Astragalus membranaceus and Poria cocos (HFDP) in the treatment of immunity. We utilized network pharmacology, molecular docking, and immune infiltration techniques in conjunction with data from the GEO database. Previous clinical studies have shown that HFDP has a positive impact on immune function. We first identified the active ingredients and targets of HFDP from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database and the Swiss Target Prediction database, respectively. Next, we retrieved the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to immunity from the GEO databases. The intersection targets of the drugs and diseases were then analyzed using the STRING database for protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, and the core targets were determined through topological analysis. Finally, the intersection genes were further analyzed using the DAVID database for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses. Subsequently, by analyzing the expression and prognostic survival of 12 core targets, 5 core target genes were identified, and molecular docking between the hub genes and immunity was performed. Finally, we used the CIBERSORT algorithm to analyze the immune infiltration of immunity genes In this study, 34 effective ingredients of HFDP, 530 target genes, and 568 differential genes were identified. GO and KEGG analysis showed that the intersection genes of HFDP targets and immunity-related genes were mainly related to complement and coagulation cascades, cytokine receptors, and retinol metabolism pathways. The molecular docking results showed that the 5 core genes had obvious affinity for the active ingredients of HFDP, which could be used as potential targets to improve the immunity of HFDP. Our findings suggest that HFDP is characterized by "multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways" in regulating immunity. It may play an essential role in regulating immunity by regulating the expression and polymorphism of the central target genes ESR1, JUN, CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and SERPINE1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Bai
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
- Ningxia Chinese Medicine Research Center, Yinchuan, China
| | - Na Ning
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Jianjun Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Guoqing Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Yuhua Du
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Shicong Huang
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Xilong Jiang
- Ningxia Chinese Medicine Research Center, Yinchuan, China
| | - Xuelan Feng
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Yuanyuan Feng
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Yi Nan
- Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Ling Yuan
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
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3
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Mattioli LB, Frosini M, Corazza I, Fiorino S, Zippi M, Micucci M, Budriesi R. Long COVID-19 gastrointestinal related disorders and traditional Chinese medicine: A network target-based approach. Phytother Res 2024; 38:2323-2346. [PMID: 38421118 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The significant number of individuals impacted by the pandemic makes prolonged symptoms after COVID-19 a matter of considerable concern. These are numerous and affect multiple organ systems. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), prolonged gastrointestinal issues are a crucial part of post-COVID-19 syndrome. The resulting disruption of homeostasis underscores the need for a therapeutic approach based on compounds that can simultaneously affect more than one target/node. The present review aimed to check for nutraceuticals possessing multiple molecular mechanisms helpful in relieving Long COVID-19-specific gastrointestinal symptoms. Specific plants used in Keywords Chinese Medicine (TCM) expected to be included in the WHO Global Medical Compendium were selected based on the following criteria: (1) they are widely used in the Western world as natural remedies and complementary medicine adjuvants; (2) their import and trade are regulated by specific laws that ensure quality and safety (3) have the potential to be beneficial in alleviating intestinal issues associated with Long COVID-19. Searches were performed in PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, and ResearchGate up to 2023. Cinnamomum cassia, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Magnolia officinalis, Poria cocos, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Scutellaria baicalensis, and Zingiber officinalis were identified as the most promising for their potential impact on inflammation and oxidative stress. Based on the molecular mechanisms of the phytocomplexes and isolated compounds of the considered plants, their clinical use may lead to benefits in gastrointestinal diseases associated with Long COVID-19, thanks to a multiorgan and multitarget approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Beatrice Mattioli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Food Chemistry and Nutraceutical Lab, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Frosini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Ivan Corazza
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sirio Fiorino
- Internal Medicine Unit, Azienda USL, Budrio Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maddalena Zippi
- Unit of Gastroenterology & Digestive Endoscopy, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Micucci
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, Italy
| | - Roberta Budriesi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Food Chemistry and Nutraceutical Lab, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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4
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Cheng F, Zhang J, Yang P, Chen Z, Fu Y, Mi J, Xie X, Liu S, Sheng Y. Exploring the neuroprotection of the combination of astragaloside A, chlorogenic acid and scutellarin in treating chronic cerebral ischemia via network analysis and experimental validation. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29162. [PMID: 38655299 PMCID: PMC11036006 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) primarily causes cognitive dysfunction and other neurological impairments, yet there remains a lack of ideal therapeutic medications. The preparation combination of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge and Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand.-Mazz have been utilized to ameliorate neurological dysfunction following cerebral ischemia, but material basis of its synergy remains unclear. The principal active ingredients and their optimal proportions in this combination have been identified through the oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) cell model, including astragaloside A, chlorogenic acid and scutellarin (ACS), and its efficacy in enhancing the survival of OGD PC12 cells surpasses that of the combination preparation. Nevertheless, mechanism of ACS against CCI remains elusive. In this study, 63 potential targets of ACS against CCI injury were obtained by network pharmacology, among which AKT1, CASP3 and TNF are the core targets. Subsequent analysis utilizing KEGG and GO suggested that PI3K/AKT pathway may play a crucial role for ACS in ameliorating CCI injury. Then, a right unilateral common carotid artery occlusion (rUCCAO) mouse model and an OGD PC12 cell model were established to replicate the pathological processes of CCI in vivo and in vitro. These models were utilized to explore the anti-CCI effects of ACS and its regulatory mechanisms, particularly focusing on PI3K/AKT pathway. The results showed that ACS facilitated the restoration of cerebral blood flow in CCI mice, enhanced the function of the central cholinergic nervous system, protected against ischemic nerve cell and mitochondrial damage, and improved cognitive function and other neurological impairments. Additionally, ACS upregulated the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-GSK3β and Bcl-2, and diminished the expression of Cyto-c, cleaved Caspase-3 and Bax significantly. However, the PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) partially reversed the downregulation of Bax, Cyto-c and cleaved Caspase-3 expression as well as the upregulation of p-AKT/AKT, p-GSK3β/GSK3β, and Bcl-2/Bax ratios. These findings suggest that ACS against neuronal damage in cerebral ischemia may be closely related to the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway. These results declared first time ACS may become an ideal candidate drug against CCI due to its neuroprotective effects, which are mediated by the activated PI3K/AKT pathway mitigates mitochondrial damage and prevents cell apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Pan Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Zufei Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Yinghao Fu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Jiajia Mi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Xingliang Xie
- The Second Class Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutics, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Sha Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
| | - Yanmei Sheng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
- The Second Class Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutics, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500, China
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5
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Zhu L, Liang R, Guo Y, Cai Y, Song F, Hu Y, Liu Y, Ge M, Zheng G. Incorporating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Identify Bioactive Compounds and Potential Mechanisms of Digitalis in Treating Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:15590-15602. [PMID: 38585091 PMCID: PMC10993403 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors for which there is no effective treatment. There are an increasing number of studies on herbal medicine for treating malignant tumors, and the classic botanical medicine Digitalis and its active ingredients for treating heart failure and arrhythmias have been revealed to have significant antitumor efficacy against a wide range of malignant tumors. However, the main components of Digitalis and the molecular mechanisms of its anti-ATC effects have not been extensively studied. Here, we screened the main components and core targets of Digitalis and verified the relationship between the active components and targets through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation. These experiments showed that the active ingredients of Digitalis inhibit ATC cell activity and lead to ATC cell death through the apoptotic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhu
- Suzhou
Medical College of Soochow University, 215123 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department
of Head and Neck Surgery, the Fifth Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou
Medical University, Lishui Central Hospital, 323020 Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruimin Liang
- Otolaryngology
& Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and
Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated
People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical
College, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yawen Guo
- Otolaryngology
& Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and
Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated
People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical
College, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yefeng Cai
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department
of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated
Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 325015 Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Fahuan Song
- Otolaryngology
& Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and
Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated
People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical
College, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiqun Hu
- Otolaryngology
& Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and
Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated
People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical
College, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yunye Liu
- Otolaryngology
& Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and
Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated
People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical
College, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Minghua Ge
- Suzhou
Medical College of Soochow University, 215123 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Otolaryngology
& Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and
Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated
People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical
College, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guowan Zheng
- Otolaryngology
& Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and
Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated
People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical
College, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key
Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical
Research Center for Cancer of Zhejiang Province, 310014 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Bai X, Wang S, Li N, Xu M, Chen JL, Qian YP, Wang TH. Role of Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription in the protection of cerebral ischemia and associated molecular network mechanism. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14475. [PMID: 38433560 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
To explore the of Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription in the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CIR) and associated molecular network mechanism. Venny diagram, gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI), hub genes mining, molecular docking, combined with animal experiments and Nissl stain were performed to determine the molecular network mechanism of Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription for CIR treatment. Fifty three intersecting genes between Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription and cerebral ischemia reperfusion were acquired from Venny analysis. GO analysis showed that the main biological process (BP) was response to lipopolysaccharide, and the main cell localization (CC) process was membrane raft, while the most important molecular function (MF) process is Cytokine receptor binding. Moreover, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications is the most important signaling pathway in KEGG pathway. Through molecular docking, it was found that Astragalus membranaceus was docked with MAPK14, IL4, FOS, IL6, and JUN; pueraria membranaceus was directly docked with JUN and IL4; Acorus acorus was linked to JUN and MAPK14; Ganoderma ganoderma and human were involved in JUN docking, and Ligusticum chuanqi and pueraria could not be docked with MAPK14, respectively. The results of animal experiments showed that Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription significantly improved behavioral performance and reduced the number of neuronal deaths in rats subjected to CIR, and molecular mechanisms are associated with FOS, IL-6, IL4, JUN, and MAPK14, of there, IL-6, as a vital candidator, which has been confirmed by immunostaining detection. Together, Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription has positive therapeutic effect on CIR, and the underlying mechanism is involved MAPK14, FOS, IL4, and JUN network, while IL-6 may be as a vital target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Bai
- Department of Encephalopathy, Affiliated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Shen Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Na Li
- Animal Center, Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Min Xu
- Department of Anatomy, College of basic medicine, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Ji-Lin Chen
- Animal Center, Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yan-Ping Qian
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Ting-Hua Wang
- Animal Center, Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
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Liu J, Rong Q, Zhang C, Tariq A, Li L, Wu Y, Sun F. The Mechanism of Mori Folium and Eucommiae Cortex against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression Integrating Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulations, and Experimental Validation. Metabolites 2023; 13:1151. [PMID: 37999247 PMCID: PMC10673040 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13111151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been reported that Mori Folium (MF) and Eucommiae Cortex (EC) exhibit pharmacological effects in the treatment of immunosuppression. However, the mechanism of MF and EC against immunosuppression remains unclear. This study aims to explore the mechanism of action of MF and EC for the treatment of immunosuppression through network pharmacology, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and animal experiments. As a result, 11 critical components, 9 hub targets, and related signaling pathways in the treatment of immunosuppression were obtained based on network pharmacology. The molecular docking suggested that 11 critical components exhibited great binding affinity to 9 hub targets of immunosuppression. The molecular dynamics simulations results showed that (-)-tabernemontanine-AR, beta-sitosterol-AR and Dehydrodieugenol-HSP90AA1 complexes are stably bound. Additionally, in the animal experiments, the treated group results compared to the control group suggest that MF and EC have a significant effect on the treatment of immunosuppression. Therefore, MF and EC treatment for immunosuppression may take effects in a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway manner. The results herein may provide novel insights into the treatment of immunosuppression in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinde Liu
- Animal-Derived Food Safety Innovation Team, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (J.L.); (Q.R.); (C.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Qiao Rong
- Animal-Derived Food Safety Innovation Team, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (J.L.); (Q.R.); (C.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Chunxiao Zhang
- Animal-Derived Food Safety Innovation Team, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (J.L.); (Q.R.); (C.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Ali Tariq
- College of Veterinary Sciences, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Peshawar 17131, Pakistan;
| | - Lin Li
- Animal-Derived Food Safety Innovation Team, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (J.L.); (Q.R.); (C.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Yongning Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100017, China
| | - Feifei Sun
- Animal-Derived Food Safety Innovation Team, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (J.L.); (Q.R.); (C.Z.); (L.L.)
- NHC Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100017, China
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8
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Zhao H, Duan G, Ni P, Yan C, Li Y, Wang J. RNPredATC: A Deep Residual Learning-Based Model With Applications to the Prediction of Drug-ATC Code Association. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 20:2712-2723. [PMID: 34110998 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2021.3088256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system, designated by the World Health Organization Collaborating Center (WHOCC), has been widely used in drug screening, repositioning, and similarity research. The ATC classification system assigns different codes to drugs according to the organ or system on which they act and/or their therapeutic and chemical characteristics. Correctly identifying the potential ATC codes for drugs can accelerate drug development and reduce the cost of experiments. Several classifiers have been proposed in this regard. However, they lack of ability to learn basic features from sparsely known drug-ATC code associations. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel computational methods to precisely predict potential drug-ATC code associations in multiple levels of the ATC classification system based on known associations between drugs and ATC codes. In this paper, we provide a novel end-to-end model, so-called RNPredATC, to predict potential drug-ATC code associations in five ATC classification levels. RNPredATC can extract dense feature vectors from sparsely known drug-ATC code associations and reduce the impact from the degradation problem by a novel deep residual learning. We extensively compare our method with some state-of-the-art methods, including NetPredATC, SPACE, and some multi-label-based methods. Our experimental results show that RNPredATC achieves better performances in five-fold and ten-fold cross validations. Furthermore, the visualization analysis of hidden layers and case studies of predicted associations at the fifth ATC classification level confirm that RNPredATC can effectively identify the potential ATC codes of drugs.
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Chen HY, Li Q, Zhou PP, Yang TX, Liu SW, Zhang TF, Cui Z, Lyu JJ, Wang YG. Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Treatment: Data Mining and Systematic Pharmacology Study. Chin J Integr Med 2023; 29:838-846. [PMID: 35997858 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-022-3538-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify specific Chinese medicines (CMs) that may benefit patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and explore the action mechanism. METHODS Domestic and foreign literature on the treatment of GERD with CMs was searched and selected from China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and PubMed from October 1, 2011 to October 1, 2021. Data from all eligible articles were extracted to establish the database of CMs for GERD. Apriori algorithm of data mining techniques was used to analyze the rules of herbs selection and core Chinese medicine formulas were identified. A system pharmacology approach was used to explore the action mechanism of these medicines. RESULTS A total of 278 prescriptions for GERD were analyzed, including 192 CMs. Results of Apriori algorithm indicated that Evodiae Fructus and Coptidis Rhizoma were the highest confidence combination. A total of 32 active ingredients and 66 targets were screened for the treatment of GERD. Enrichment analysis showed that the mechanisms of action mainly involved pathways in cancer, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, advanced glycation end product (AGE), the receptor for AGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, bladder cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. CONCLUSION Evodiae Fructus and Coptidis Rhizoma are the core drugs in the treatment of GERD and the potential mechanism of action of these medicines includes potential target and pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Yu Chen
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Qi Li
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Ping-Ping Zhou
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Tian-Xiao Yang
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Shao-Wei Liu
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Teng-Fei Zhang
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Zhen Cui
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Jing-Jing Lyu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China
| | - Yan-Gang Wang
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Third Affiliated Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China.
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Wang Y, Wang X, Jiang K, Yang K, Ling J. Network pharmacology and experimental studies for deciphering the molecular targets and mechanisms of Chaihu Shugan powder in the treatment of functional dyspepsia. Technol Health Care 2023; 31:449-462. [PMID: 37038797 DOI: 10.3233/thc-236039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chaihu Shugan powder (CSP) is a prevalent prescription product used in the treatment functional dyspepsia (FD) in China. However, the underlying pharmacological mechanisms involved in the treatment of FD remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To explore the key components of CSP and their molecular targets and mechanisms in the treatment of FD. METHODS Active compounds for CSP were identified from the TCMSP and SymMap databases, and the relevant targets were predicted. FD-related targets were obtained from the CTD database. In addition, using the protein-protein interactions (PPI) analysis, the common targets were obtained. Furthermore, the compound-target networks were created with Cytoscape. Finally, molecular docking was performed to identify the core targets and validate them experimentally. RESULTS In total, 78 active compounds and 671 related targets of CSP were obtained. PPI network analysis identified 15 key FD-related compound targets. Molecular docking revealed that sitosterol and hyndarin exhibited good binding activities with AKT1 and IL6, respectively. Animal experiments have shown that CSP effectively increased the protein levels of AKT1 and reduced the serum levels of IL-6 in FD rats. CONCLUSION This study provides a theoretical evidence for the analysis of the molecular targets and mechanisms of the action of CSP in FD.
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Zhu J, Luo Y, Tong H, Zhong L, Gong Q, Wang Y, Yang M, Song Q. “Drying effect” of fructus aurantii components and the mechanism of action based on network pharmacology and in vitro pharmacodynamic validation. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1114010. [PMID: 36969872 PMCID: PMC10031011 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1114010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Fructus aurantii (FA) is the dried, unripe fruit of the plant Citrus aurantium L. and its cultivated varieties. We investigated the drying effect of FA components and how this drying affect is achieved.Methods: We employed systems pharmacology to predict the components and targets of FA that produce its drying effect. These predictions were verified by computer simulation and animal experiments. In the latter, we measured the bodyweight, water consumption, urine output, fecal water content, rate of salivary secretion, and cross-sectional area of the long axis of the submandibular gland of mice. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure expression of aquaporin (AQP)5 in the submandibular gland, AQP2 in the kidney, and AQP3 in the colon. ELISA kits were used to measure the horizontal variation of cyclic adenosine monsophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and interferon-γ.Results: Sixty-seven potentially active components of FA were screened out. FA could produce a drying effect after regulating 214 targets through 66 active components. A total of 870 gene ontology (GO) terms and 153 signaling pathways were identified. The hypoxia inducible factor-1 signaling pathway, phosphoinositide 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT) signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, and Ras signaling pathway may have important roles in the drying effect of FA. Four components of FA were identified: sinensetin, tangeretin, 5-demethylnobiletin and chrysin. These four components could increase the serum level of interferon-γ and ratio of cyclic adenosine monophosphate:cyclic guanosine monophosphate in mice, and affect their water consumption, urine output, fecal water content and rate of salivary secretion.Conclusion: Four components of FA (tangeretin, sinensetin, chrysin, 5-Demethylmobiletin) were closely related to the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (JAK-STAT3), PI3K-AKT, and the other signaling pathways. They can regulate the protein expression of JAK2, STAT3, PI3K, lymphocyte cell-specific protein-tyrosine kinase, vascular endothelial growth factor A, and protein kinase B1, affect water metabolism in the body and, finally, result in a drying effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhu
- Pharmacy College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Zhu, ; Lingyun Zhong,
| | - Yi Luo
- Pharmacy College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Hengli Tong
- Pharmacy College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Lingyun Zhong
- Pharmacy College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Zhu, ; Lingyun Zhong,
| | - Qianfeng Gong
- Pharmacy College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Yaqi Wang
- Pharmacy College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Pharmacy College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Qing Song
- Ultrasound Diagnosis Department of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Nanchang, China
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12
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Li Y, Li S, Gu M, Liu G, Li Y, Ji Z, Li K, Wang Y, Zhai H, Wang Y. Application of network composite module analysis and verification to explore the bidirectional immunomodulatory effect of Zukamu granules on Th1 / Th2 cytokines in lung injury. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 299:115674. [PMID: 36064149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Zukamu granules (ZKMG), as the preferred drug for the treatment of colds in Uygur medical theory, has been used for 1500 years. It is also widely used in China and included in the National Essential Drugs List (2018 edition). It has unique anti-inflammatory, antitussive and analgesic effects. AIM OF THE STUDY Aiming at the research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with the characteristics of overall regulation of body diseases and the immune regulation mechanism with the concept of integrity, this paper put forward the integrated application of network composite module analysis and animal experiment verification to study the immune regulation mechanism of TCM. MATERIALS AND METHODS The active components and targets of ZKMG were predicted, and network module analysis was performed to explore their potential immunomodulatory mechanisms. Then acute lung injury (ALI) mice and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) rats were used as pathological models to observe the effects of ZKMG on the pathological conditions of infected ALI and IPF rats, determine the contents of Th1, Th2 characteristic cytokines and immunoglobulins, and study the intervention of GATA3/STAT6 signal pathway. RESULTS The results of network composite module analysis showed that ZKMG contained 173 pharmacodynamic components and 249 potential targets, and four key modules were obtained. The immunomodulatory effects of ZKMG were related to T cell receptor signaling pathway. The validation results of bioeffects that ZKMG could carry out bidirectional immune regulation on Th1/Th2 cytokines in the stage of ALI and IPF, so as to play the role of regulating immune homeostasis and organ protection. CONCLUSIONS The network composite module analysis and verification method is an exploration to study the immune regulation mechanism of TCM by combining the network module prediction analysis with animal experiments, which provides a reference for subsequent research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Li
- Standardization Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dispensing, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Siyu Li
- Standardization Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dispensing, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Min Gu
- Standardization Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dispensing, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Guoxiu Liu
- Standardization Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dispensing, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Yanan Li
- Standardization Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dispensing, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Zhihong Ji
- New Cicon Pharmaceutical Co. LTD., Urumchi, 830001, China
| | - Keao Li
- New Cicon Pharmaceutical Co. LTD., Urumchi, 830001, China.
| | - Yanping Wang
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Huaqiang Zhai
- Standardization Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dispensing, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China; Institute of Traditional Uygur Medicine, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830011, China.
| | - Yongyan Wang
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
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Shao Y, Chen J, Hu Y, Wu Y, Zeng H, Lin S, Lai Q, Fan X, Zhou X, Zheng M, Gao B, Sun J. Investigating the effects and mechanisms of Erchen Decoction in the treatment of colorectal cancer by network pharmacology and experimental validation. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1000639. [PMID: 36313338 PMCID: PMC9606229 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1000639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Erchen Decoction (ECD), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, exerts metabolism-regulatory, immunoregulation, and anti-tumor effects. However, the action and pharmacological mechanism of ECD remain largely unclear. In the present study, we explored the effects and mechanisms of ECD in the treatment of CRC using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and systematic experimental validation.Methods: The active components of ECD were obtained from the TCMSP database and the potential targets of them were annotated by the STRING database. The CRC-related targets were identified from different databases (OMIM, DisGeNet, GeneCards, and DrugBank). The interactive targets of ECD and CRC were screened and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed. Then, the hub interactive targets were calculated and visualized from the PPI network using the Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed. In addition, the molecular docking was performed. Finally, systematic in vitro, in vivo and molecular biology experiments were performed to further explore the anti-tumor effects and underlying mechanisms of ECD in CRC.Results: A total of 116 active components and 246 targets of ECD were predicted based on the component-target network analysis. 2406 CRC-related targets were obtained from different databases and 140 intersective targets were identified between ECD and CRC. 12 hub molecules (STAT3, JUN, MAPK3, TP53, MAPK1, RELA, FOS, ESR1, IL6, MAPK14, MYC, and CDKN1A) were finally screened from PPI network. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses demonstrated that the biological discrepancy was mainly focused on the tumorigenesis-, immune-, and mechanism-related pathways. Based on the experimental validation, ECD could suppress the proliferation of CRC cells by inhibiting cell cycle and promoting cell apoptosis. In addition, ECD could inhibit tumor growth in mice. Finally, the results of molecular biology experiments suggested ECD could regulate the transcriptional levels of several hub molecules during the development of CRC, including MAPKs, PPARs, TP53, and STATs.Conclusion: This study revealed the potential pharmacodynamic material basis and underlying molecular mechanisms of ECD in the treatment of CRC, providing a novel insight for us to find more effective anti-CRC drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Shao
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingxian Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujie Hu
- College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuan Wu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hualin Zeng
- College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shuying Lin
- College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qiying Lai
- College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Fan
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueliang Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Minhua Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Sun, ; Bizhen Gao, ; Minhua Zheng,
| | - Bizhen Gao
- College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Sun, ; Bizhen Gao, ; Minhua Zheng,
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Sun, ; Bizhen Gao, ; Minhua Zheng,
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A Novel Based-Network Strategy to Identify Phytochemicals from Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Danshen) for Treating Alzheimer's Disease. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27144463. [PMID: 35889336 PMCID: PMC9317794 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27144463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disease that strikes millions worldwide. Herein, we demonstrate a new approach based on network target to identify anti-AD compounds from Danshen. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to establish the DS-AD network, which mainly involved apoptosis of neuron cells. Then network scoring was confirmed via Connectivity Map analysis. M308 (Danshenxinkun D) was an anti-AD candidate with a high score (p < 0.01). Furthermore, we conducted ex vivo experiments with H2O2-treated PC12 cells to verify the neuroprotective effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza-containing plasma (SMP), and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and RT-qPCR were performed to demonstrate the anti-AD activity of M308 from SMP. Results revealed that SMP could enhance cell viability and level of acetylcholine. AO/EB staining and Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) analysis showed that SMP significantly suppressed apoptosis, which may be due to anti-oxidative stress activity. Moreover, the effects of M308 and SMP on expressions of PSEN1, DRD2, and APP mRNA were consistent, and M308 can significantly reverse the expression of PSEN1 and DRD2 mRNA in H2O2-treated PC12 cells. The strategy based on the network could be employed to identify anti-AD compounds from Chinese herbs. Notably, M308 stands out as a promising anti-AD candidate for development.
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Chen F, Liu Q. Demystifying phytoconstituent-derived nanomedicines in their immunoregulatory and therapeutic roles in inflammatory diseases. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 186:114317. [PMID: 35533788 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In the past decades, phytoconstituents have appeared as critical mediators for immune regulations among various diseases, both in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. These bioactive molecules, showing a broad range of biological functions, would hold tremendous promise for developing new therapeutics. The discovery of phytoconstituents' capability of functionally regulating immune cells and associating cytokines, suppressing systemic inflammation, and remodeling immunity have rapidly promoted the idea of their employment as anti-inflammatory agents. In this review, we discuss various roles of phyto-derived medicines in the field of inflammatory diseases, including chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and acute inflammatory disease such as COVID-19. Nevertheless, traditional phyto-derived medicines often concurred with their clinical administration limitations, such as their lack of cell specificity, inefficient cytoplasmic delivery, and rapid clearance by the immune system. As alternatives, phyto-derived nano-approaches may provide significant benefits. Both unmodified and engineered nanocarriers present the potential to serve as phytoconstituent delivery systems to improve therapeutic physio-chemical properties and pharmacokinetic profiles. Thus, the development of phytoconstituents' nano-delivery designs, their new and perspective approaches for therapeutical applications are elaborated herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengqian Chen
- Translational Research Program, Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Shock Trauma Anesthesiology Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Cancer Research Building II, Suite 216, 1550 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21231, United States.
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Liang H, Li Y, Wang F, Zhao J, Yang X, Wu D, Zhang C, Liu Y, Huang J, Su M, He Z, Liu Y, Wang J, Tang D. Combining Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Study the Action and Mechanism of Water extract of Asparagus Against Colorectal Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:862966. [PMID: 35774597 PMCID: PMC9237230 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.862966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Asparagus (ASP) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with nourishing, moistening, fire-clearing, cough-suppressing, and intestinal effects. In addition, it exerts anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, immunity-enhancing, and anti-tumor pharmacological effect. The anti-tumor effect of ASP has been studied in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, its action and pharmacological mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) are unclear. The present study aimed to identify the potential targets of ASP for CRC treatment using network pharmacology and explore its possible therapeutic mechanisms using in vitro and in vivo experiments. The active compounds and potential targets of ASP were obtained from the TCMSP database, followed by CRC-related target genes identification using GeneCards and OMIM databases, which were matched with the potential targets of ASP. Based on the matching results, potential targets and signaling pathways were identified by protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology (GO) functions, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Finally, in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to further validate the anti-cancer effects of ASP on CRC. Network pharmacology analysis identified nine active components from ASP from the database based on oral bioavailability and drug similarity index, and 157 potential targets related to ASP were predicted. The PPI network identified tumor protein 53 (TP53), Fos proto-oncogene, AP-1 transcription factor subunit (FOS), and AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1) as key targets. GO analysis showed that ASP might act through response to wounding, membrane raft, and transcription factor binding. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that ASP may affect CRC through the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase PI3K/AKT/mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) signaling pathway. In vitro, ASP inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCT116 and LOVO cells, and caused G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis in CRC cells. In vivo, ASP significantly inhibited the growth of CRC transplanted tumors in nude mice. Furthermore, pathway analysis confirmed that ASP could exert its therapeutic effects on CRC by regulating cell proliferation and survival through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. This study is the first to report the potential role of ASP in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiling Liang
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Yanju Li
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Feiqing Wang
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Medical College of Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianing Zhao
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Xu Yang
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Chike Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yanqing Liu
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Min Su
- National and Guizhou Joint Engineering Laboratory for Cell Engineering and Biomedicine Technique, Guizhou Province Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Adult Stem Cell Translational Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhixu He
- National and Guizhou Joint Engineering Laboratory for Cell Engineering and Biomedicine Technique, Guizhou Province Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Adult Stem Cell Translational Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- National and Guizhou Joint Engineering Laboratory for Cell Engineering and Biomedicine Technique, Guizhou Province Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Adult Stem Cell Translational Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Liu, ; Jishi Wang, ; Dongxin Tang,
| | - Jishi Wang
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Liu, ; Jishi Wang, ; Dongxin Tang,
| | - Dongxin Tang
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Liu, ; Jishi Wang, ; Dongxin Tang,
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Noor F, Tahir ul Qamar M, Ashfaq UA, Albutti A, Alwashmi ASS, Aljasir MA. Network Pharmacology Approach for Medicinal Plants: Review and Assessment. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:572. [PMID: 35631398 PMCID: PMC9143318 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products have played a critical role in medicine due to their ability to bind and modulate cellular targets involved in disease. Medicinal plants hold a variety of bioactive scaffolds for the treatment of multiple disorders. The less adverse effects, affordability, and easy accessibility highlight their potential in traditional remedies. Identifying pharmacological targets from active ingredients of medicinal plants has become a hot topic for biomedical research to generate innovative therapies. By developing an unprecedented opportunity for the systematic investigation of traditional medicines, network pharmacology is evolving as a systematic paradigm and becoming a frontier research field of drug discovery and development. The advancement of network pharmacology has opened up new avenues for understanding the complex bioactive components found in various medicinal plants. This study is attributed to a comprehensive summary of network pharmacology based on current research, highlighting various active ingredients, related techniques/tools/databases, and drug discovery and development applications. Moreover, this study would serve as a protocol for discovering novel compounds to explore the full range of biological potential of traditionally used plants. We have attempted to cover this vast topic in the review form. We hope it will serve as a significant pioneer for researchers working with medicinal plants by employing network pharmacology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Noor
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Aqel Albutti
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ameen S. S. Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia; (A.S.S.A.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Mohammad Abdullah Aljasir
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia; (A.S.S.A.); (M.A.A.)
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The Protective Effects of Sour Orange ( Citrus aurantium L.) Polymethoxyflavones on Mice Irradiation-Induced Intestinal Injury. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27061934. [PMID: 35335298 PMCID: PMC8948989 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.) is one of the biological sources of polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), which are often used to deal with gastrointestinal diseases. The intestine is highly sensitive to irradiation damage. However, limited certain cures have been released for irradiation-induced gastrointestinal injury, and the potentials of sour orange PMFs as radio-resistance agents have not been fully discussed yet. The present study aims to (1) investigate the PMF components in 12 sour orange cultivars, (2) determine the protective effects of PMFs on irradiation-induced intestinal injury by treating mice that received 12 Gy abdominal irradiation with different doses of PMFs and observing the changes in organ indexes and pathological sections and (3) test cytotoxicity of PMFs by CCK-8 method. The results showed that sour orange PMFs appeared to have high intraspecies similarity. Besides, PMFs protected mice from irradiation-induced injury by alleviating body weight loss, reliving organ index changing and maintaining the intestinal structure. Finally, IC50 concentrations to cell line CCD 841 CoN of PMFs and nobiletin were calculated as 42.23 μg/mL and 51.58 μg/mL, respectively. Our study uncovered PMF contents in 12 sour orange materials and determined the protective effects on irradiation-induced intestinal injuries, providing guidance for the utilization of sour orange resources.
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Xu JF, Xia J, Wan Y, Yang Y, Wu JJ, Peng C, Ao H. Vasorelaxant Activities and its Underlying Mechanisms of Magnolia Volatile Oil on Rat Thoracic Aorta Based on Network Pharmacology. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:812716. [PMID: 35308213 PMCID: PMC8926352 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.812716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Magnolia volatile oil (MVO) is a mixture mainly containing eudesmol and its isomers. This study was to investigate the vasorelaxant effects and the underlying mechanism of MVO in rat thoracic aortas. Method: The present study combined gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and network pharmacology analysis with in vitro experiments to clarify the mechanisms of MVO against vessel contraction. A compound–target network, compound–target–disease network, protein–protein interaction network, compound–target–pathway network, gene ontology, and pathway enrichment for hypertension were applied to identify the potential active compounds, drug targets, and pathways. Additionally, the thoracic aortic rings with or without endothelium were prepared to explore the underlying mechanisms. The roles of the PI3K-Akt-NO pathways, neuroreceptors, K+ channels, and Ca2+ channels on the vasorelaxant effects of MVO were evaluated through the rat thoracic aortic rings. Results: A total of 29 compounds were found in MVO, which were identified by GC-MS, of which 21 compounds with a content of more than 0.1% were selected for further analysis. The network pharmacology research predicted that beta-caryophyllene, palmitic acid, and (+)-β-selinene might act as the effective ingredients of MVO for the treatment of hypertension. Several hot targets, mainly involving TNF, CHRM1, ACE, IL10, PTGS2, REN, and F2, and pivotal pathways, such as the neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, the calcium signaling pathway, and the PI3K-Akt signaling, were responsible for the vasorelaxant effect of MVO. As expected, MVO exerted a vasorelaxant effect on the aortic rings pre-contracted by KCl and phenylephrine in an endothelium-dependent and non-endothelium-dependent manner. Importantly, a pre-incubation with indomethacin (Indo), N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, methylene blue, wortmannin, and atropine sulfate as well as 4-aminopyridione diminished MVO-induced vasorelaxation, suggesting that the activation of the PI3K-Akt-NO pathway and KV channel were involved in the vasorelaxant effect of MVO, which was consistent with the results of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and the Genomes. Additionally, MVO could significantly inhibit Ca2+ influx resulting in the contraction of aortic rings, revealing that the inhibition of the calcium signaling pathway exactly participated in the vasorelaxant activity of MVO as predicted by network pharmacology. Conclusion: MVO might be a potent treatment of diseases with vascular dysfunction like hypertension. The underlying mechanisms were related to the PI3K-Akt-NO pathway, KV pathway, as well as Ca2+ channel, which were predicted by the network pharmacology and verified by the experiments in vitro. This study based on network pharmacology provided experimental support for the clinical application of MVO in the treatment of hypertension and afforded a novel research method to explore the activity and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Feng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jia Xia
- Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Wan
- Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Cheng Peng, ; Hui Ao,
| | - Hui Ao
- Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Cheng Peng, ; Hui Ao,
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Study on the Multitarget Mechanism and Active Compounds of Essential Oil from Artemisia argyi Treating Pressure Injuries Based on Network Pharmacology. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:1019289. [PMID: 35096100 PMCID: PMC8791709 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1019289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In order to comprehensively explore multitarget mechanism and key active compounds of Artemisia argyi essential oil (AAEO) in the treatment of pressure injuries (PIs), we analyzed the biological functions and pathways involved in the intersection targets of AAEO and PIs based on network pharmacology, and the affinity of AAEO active compounds and core targets was verified by molecular docking finally. In our study, we first screened 54 effective components according to the relative content and biological activity. In total, 103 targets related to active compounds of AAEO and 2760 targets associated with PIs were obtained, respectively, and 50 key targets were overlapped by Venny 2.1.0. The construction of key targets-compounds network was achieved by the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. GO analysis from Matespace shows that GO results are mainly enriched in biological processes, including adrenergic receptor activity, neurotransmitter clearance, and neurotransmitter metabolic process. KEGG analysis by the David and Kobas website shows that the key targets can achieve the treatment on PIs through a pathway in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, human immunodeficiency virus 1 infection, MAPK signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, etc. In addition, molecular docking results from the CB-Dock server indicated that active compounds of AAEO had good activity docking with the first 10 key targets. In conclusion, the potential targets and regulatory molecular mechanisms of AAEO in the treatment of PIs were analyzed by network pharmacology and molecular docking. AAEO can cure PIs through the synergistic effect of multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway, providing a theoretical basis and new direction for further study.
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Exploring the Mechanism of Panax notoginseng Saponins against Alzheimer's Disease by Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2021:5730812. [PMID: 35003304 PMCID: PMC8739172 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5730812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) have been used for neurodegenerative disorders such as cerebral ischemia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although increasing evidences show the neuron protective effects of PNS, the vital compounds and their functional targets remain elusive. To explore the potential functional ingredients of PNS for the AD treatment and their molecular mechanisms, an in vitro neuron injured model induced by Aβ was investigated, and the potential mechanism was predicted by network pharmacology approach and validated by molecular biology methods. Methods Network pharmacology approach was used to reveal the relationship between ingredient-target disease and function-pathway of PNS on the treatment of AD. The active ingredients of PNS were collected from TCMSP, PubChem database, and literature mining in PubMed database. DrugBank and GeneCards database were used to predict potential targets for AD. The STRING database was performed to reveal enrichment of these target proteins, protein-protein interactions, and related pathways. Networks were visualized by utilizing Cytoscape software. The enrichment analysis was performed by the DAVID database. Finally, neuroprotective effect and predictive mechanism of PNS were investigated in an in vitro AD model established by Aβ25–35-treated PC12 cells. Results An ingredient-target disease and function-pathway network demonstrated that 38 active ingredients were derived from PNS modulated 364 common targets shared by PNS and AD. GO and KEGG analysis, further clustering analysis, showed that mTOR signaling targets were associated with the neuroprotective effects of PNS. In Aβ-treated PC12 cells, PNS treatment improved neuroprotective effect, including mTOR inhibition and autophagy activation. Conclusions Collectively, the protective effects of PNS on AD-neuron injury are related to the inhibition of mTOR and autophagy activation.
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Detection of Herbal Combinations and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Clinical Prescriptions for Coronary Heart Disease Using Data Mining and Network Pharmacology. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:9234984. [PMID: 34725557 PMCID: PMC8557045 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9234984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Though widely used in the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD), the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is still unclear because of its complex prescription rules. This study prospectively collected 715 prescriptions of TCM for the treatment of CHD. The characteristics of TCM in prescriptions were described and analyzed, and the rules of prescriptions were analyzed by using association rules. Frequency statistics showed that the high-frequency herbs with a frequency of more than 60% were Gan-cao, Huang-qi, Dang-gui, Chuan-xiong, Yan-hu-suo, and San-qi. The high-frequency herb combinations were summarized by using association rules. By using the method of the “Top N groups” to excavate the empirical prescriptions, the basic prescriptions for treating CHD were summarized. We named the intersection herbs of the basic prescriptions and the high frequency herbs as the core herbal prescription. To explore the possible mechanisms underlying the anti-CHD effect of the core herbal prescription, the bioactive components of core herbal prescription and their targets were screened out by using network pharmacology. Molecular docking was performed between the bioactive components and core targets. A total of 28 potential active ingredients and 5 core targets were identified for the treatment of CHD with core herbal prescription. The enrichment analysis results indicated that the mechanism of action mainly involved neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and calcium signaling pathway. The commonly used herbal pairs for CHD with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome were Huang-qi and Dang-gui. The mechanism of action of common herbal pairs was also studied by network pharmacology. This study summarized the prescription rule of TCM in the treatment of CHD and may provide a new idea for the treatment of CHD.
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Liu S, Zhu JJ, Li JC. The interpretation of human body in traditional Chinese medicine and its influence on the characteristics of TCM theory. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:2559-2565. [PMID: 34117702 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history of serving the Chinese people's health since its birth, including playing an important role in treating and preventing COVID-19 in 2020. The fact that TCM has been used in China for thousands of years shows the value and reason why it must exist. Although TCM has been or is being questioned, there is no doubt about its importance in terms of efficacy. This article focuses on how TCM understands the human body in comparison with anatomy knowledge in western medicine and discusses the development and advances of TCM in terms of the body view and the theory innovation. The purpose is to let foreign scholars get better understanding of TCM from this perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Jie Zhu
- Gastroenterology Department, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji-Cheng Li
- Medical Research Center, Yuebei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
- Institute of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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An W, Huang Y, Chen S, Teng T, Shi Y, Sun Z, Xu Y. Mechanisms of Rhizoma Coptidis against type 2 diabetes mellitus explored by network pharmacology combined with molecular docking and experimental validation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20849. [PMID: 34675276 PMCID: PMC8531350 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00293-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This study systematically explored the underlying mechanism of Rhizoma Coptidis against type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by using network pharmacology and molecular docking and experimental validation. We retrieved and screened active compounds of Rhizoma Coptidis and corresponding T2DM-related targets across multiple databases. PPI networks of the genes were constructed using STRING, and the core targets were screened via topological analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed by using DAVID. Finally, molecular docking and experimental studies were performed after bioinformatic analysis for verification. There were 14 active compounds and 19 core targets of Rhizoma Coptidis-T2DM, of which quercetin was identified as the main compound and IL6, VEGFA and TNF were the most significant core targets. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that Rhizoma Coptidis ameliorated T2DM by regulating multiple biological processes and pathways. Docking studies indicated that IL6, VEGFA and TNF could stably bind with all active compounds of Rhizoma Coptidis. The results of our experiments revealed that Rhizoma Coptidis could inhibit the expression of IL6 and TNFα and enhance islet cell viability. This study suggests anti-inflammatory therapeutic effects of Rhizoma Coptidis on T2DM, thereby providing a scientific basis and new insight for further research on the antidiabetic effect of Rhizoma Coptidis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenrong An
- First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Yanqin Huang
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Shouqiang Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1 Jingba Road, Jinan, 250001, China
| | - Tao Teng
- Department of Endocrinology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1 Jingba Road, Jinan, 250001, China
| | - Yingning Shi
- First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Zhenhai Sun
- First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Yunsheng Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1 Jingba Road, Jinan, 250001, China.
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Li Y, Gong Y, Zhang X, Wang J, Cheng Y, Liu F, Shi X, Xu W, Dong L. Exploring the synergistic mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction on the Wnt signaling pathway using an integrated strategy of network pharmacology and RNA-seq. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 278:114283. [PMID: 34098017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Gegen Qinlian Decoction (GQD) (including: Puerariae lobatae (Willd.) Ohwi, radix; (short for Gengen) Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., root and rhizome (short for Gancao), honeyed; Coptis chinensis Franch., rhizome (short for Huanglian); Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, radix, boiled (short for S. baicalensis) has been widely used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). To explore compatibility mechanism of GQD could be of advantage to investigate the complex principle of TCM, which might be conducive to the exploration of the modernization of TCM. AIM OF REVIEW In this study, a strategy based on system pharmacology was constructed to uncover the multi-target regulation and compatibility mechanism of GQD on the Wnt signaling pathways. MATERIAL AND METHODS The pharmacological network of GQD was constructed by TCMSP, DAVID, Uniprote database. The cell growth inhibitory effects of puerarin (PUE), wogonin (WOG), berberine (BER), and glycyrrhetinic acid (GLY) on SW480 cells were assessed using CCK-8 assay. The multi-target regulation and compatibility mechanism of combination PUE with GLY were examined by RNA-seq, HPLC-QQQ/MS, qRT- PCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS Network pharmacology analysis indicated that PUE, WOG, BER and GLY were the active components in GQD and had a synergistic effect on the targets of the Wnt signaling pathway. Additionally, pharmacological experiments revealed that WOG, BER, and GLY inhibited activity of colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines SW480 cells, and that PUE only exhibited effective antitumour activity when combined with GLY. CTNNB1, CCND1 and SMAD4 were identified as synergistic targets inhibited by PUE-GLY. Moreover, PUE-GLY could influence the Wnt signaling pathway by upregulating GSK3B and downregulating CTNNB1 synergistically. It also showed that GLY could effectively increase the intracellular content of PUE based on HPLC-QQQ/MS analysis, and this process was achieved by influencing the targets of the membrane's pathway, such as cell adhesion molecules, focal adhesion, and tight junctions. CONCLUSION GLY was revealed a multi-target mechanism, which could downregulate CTNNB1 as the active component and intervene in membrane proteins (CDH1, CADM1, ITGB2, ICAM1, ITGA1) as 'guide' in the formulae. Moreover, the mechanism of synergistic antitumour action of PUE (the active component of Monarch drug) and GLY (the active component of Guide drug) on the Wnt signaling pathway was explored systematically. It was a promising breakthrough for elucidating the scientific connotation of the compatibility of TCM formulae and provide a valuable and practicable methodology for clarifying the mechanisms of TCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yiting Gong
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yaru Cheng
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Fen Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xiujia Shi
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Wenjuan Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Ling Dong
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
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Zhang X, You L, Zhang X, Wang F, Wang Y, Zhou J, Liu C, Qu F. Neurobehavioral alternations of the female offspring born to polycystic ovary syndrome model rats administered by Chinese herbal medicine. Chin Med 2021; 16:97. [PMID: 34600579 PMCID: PMC8487466 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-021-00512-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has significant effects that improve the reproductive functions of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the intergenerational effects of CHM on offspring and the underlying mechanism of CHM remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects and the underlying mechanism of CHM, specifically the Bu-Shen-Tian-Jing formula (BSTJF), on model rats with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the neurobehavioral alterations of female offspring born to PCOS rats administered BSTJF. Methods High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) and network pharmacology analysis were performed to identify the active ingredients and potential targets of BSTJF. Moreover, PCOS model rats were used to validate the role of BSTJF in reproduction and progeny neural development and to confirm the network pharmacological targets. Results A total of 91 constituents were characterized from BSTJF. The 20 most significant KEGG pathways and the high-frequency genes of these pathways were predicted to be putative targets of these molecules. The rat experiment showed that the downregulation of FOS protein expression in the ovarian granulosa cells of the PCOS group was reversed by BSTJF. The target residence time of the 5-week-old female offspring of the BSTJF group was higher than that of the PCOS group in the water maze experiment. Compared to the PCOS group, the changes in dendritic spine density, ultrastructure of neurons and synapses, and Gabrb1 and Grin2b protein expression levels in the hippocampus of female offspring were partially reversed in the BSTJF group. Conclusions BSTJF can effectively improve ovarian follicle development in PCOS rats and has positive effects on pubertal neurobehavioral alterations in the female offspring of these rats by reversing dendritic spine density, the ultrastructure of neurons and synapses, and the Gabrb1 and Grin2b protein expression levels in the hippocampus. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-021-00512-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zhang
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Lifang You
- First People's Hospital of Yuhang District, Hangzhou, 311103, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Pharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Pharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jue Zhou
- College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Chang Liu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang, Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Fan Qu
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, 310006, China.
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Immune Mechanism, Gene Module, and Molecular Subtype Identification of Astragalus Membranaceus in the Treatment of Dilated Cardiomyopathy: An Integrated Bioinformatics Study. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:2252832. [PMID: 34567206 PMCID: PMC8457948 DOI: 10.1155/2021/2252832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Astragalus membranaceus has complex components as a natural drug and has multilevel, multitarget, and multichannel effects on dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, the immune mechanism, gene module, and molecular subtype of astragalus membranaceus in the treatment of DCM are still not revealed. Microarray information of GSE84796 was downloaded from the GEO database, including RNA sequencing data of seven normal cardiac tissues and ten DCM cardiac tissues. A total of 4029 DCM differentially expressed genes were obtained, including 1855 upregulated genes and 2174 downregulated genes. GO/KEGG/GSEA analysis suggested that the activation of T cells and B cells was the primary cause of DCM. WGCNA was used to obtain blue module genes. The blue module genes are primarily ADCY7, BANK1, CD1E, CD19, CD38, CD300LF, CLEC4E, FLT3, GPR18, HCAR3, IRF4, LAMP3, MRC1, SYK, and TLR8, which successfully divided DCM into three molecular subtypes. Based on the CIBERSORT algorithm, the immune infiltration profile of DCM was analyzed. Many immune cell subtypes, including the abovementioned immune cells, showed different levels of increased infiltration in the myocardial tissue of DCM. However, this infiltration pattern was not obviously correlated with clinical characteristics, such as age, EF, and sex. Based on network pharmacology and ClueGO, 20 active components of Astragalus membranaceus and 40 components of DMCTGS were obtained from TCMSP. Through analysis of the immune regulatory network, we found that Astragalus membranaceus effectively regulates the activation of immune cells, such as B cells and T cells, cytokine secretion, and other processes and can intervene in DCM at multiple components, targets, and levels. The above mechanisms were verified by molecular docking results, which confirmed that AKT1, VEGFA, MMP9, and RELA are promising potential targets of DCM.
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Deciphering the Therapeutic Mechanisms of Wuzi Ershen Decoction in Treating Oligoasthenozoospermia through the Network Pharmacology Approach. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:5591844. [PMID: 34394386 PMCID: PMC8363445 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5591844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Background Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples around the world, and male factors are accounted for 40–50%. Oligoasthenozoospermia is the most common reason for male infertility. Unfortunately, effective drug therapy is still lacking except for assisted reproductive technology (ART). Previous researchers found that Wuzi Ershen decoction (WZESD) can increase sperm count, enhance sperm vitality, and improve semen quality. However, the pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. Methods In this study, we screened compounds and predicted the targets of WZESD based on the TCMSP and BATMAN-TCM database combined with literature searching in the PubMed database. We obtained proteins related to oligoasthenozoospermia through GeneCards and submitted them to STRING to obtain the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Potential targets of WZESD were mapped to the network, and the hub targets were screened by topology. We used online platform Metascape and Enrichr for GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. AutoDock Vina was utilized for further verification of the binding mode between compounds and targets. Results Totally, 276 bioactive compounds were obtained and targeted 681 proteins. 446 oligoasthenozoospermia disease-specific proteins were acquired, and further bioinformatics analysis found that they were mainly involved in the formation of gametes, meiosis, and sperm differentiation. Protein interaction network analysis revealed that target proteins of WZESD were associated with oligoasthenozoospermia disease-specific proteins. The 79 targets of disease-specific proteins, which were anchored by WZESD, mainly participate in the cellular response to the organic cyclic compound, regulation of the apoptotic process, nitricoxide biosynthetic and metabolic process, oxidative stress, and protein phosphorylation regulation, which are the causes for oligoasthenozoospermia. Molecular docking simulation further validated that bioactive compounds originated from WZESD with targeted proteins showed high binding efficiency. Conclusions This study uncovers the therapeutic mechanisms of WZESD for oligoasthenozoospermia treatment from the perspective of network pharmacology and may provide a valuable reference for further experimental research studies and clinical applications.
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Data Mining, Network Pharmacology, and Molecular Docking Explore the Effects of Core Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescriptions in Patients with Rectal Cancer and Qi and Blood Deficiency Syndrome. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:1353674. [PMID: 34394377 PMCID: PMC8360715 DOI: 10.1155/2021/1353674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background “Zheng” (syndrome) is the basic unit and the basis of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment. In clinical practice, we have been able to improve the survival time and quality of life for patients with rectal cancer through the treatment of “FuZhengXiaoJi” (strengthening the Qi and reducing accumulation). Purpose In this study, we elucidated the core prescriptions for patients with rectal cancer and Qi and blood deficiency syndrome, and we explored the potential mechanisms of the prescriptions using an integrated strategy that coupled data mining with network pharmacology. Methods A Bron–Kerbosch (BK) algorithm was applied to find the core prescriptions. The active ingredients, targets, activated signaling pathways, and biological functions of core prescriptions were analyzed using network pharmacology and directly associated proteins were docked using molecular docking technology to elucidate the multicomponent, multitarget, and inter-related components associated with TCM systematically. Results Data mining identified 3 core prescriptions, and most of the herbs consisted of “FuZhengXiaoJi” Fang. Network pharmacology identified 15 high-degree active ingredients among the 3 core prescriptions and 16 high-degree hub genes linked with both rectal cancer and the 3 core prescriptions. Additional Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses of these 16 targets showed that the most significant pathways were MAPK, interleukin-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathways. From the 16 genes, TGFB1, IL1B, IL10, IL6, PTGS2, and PPARG closely interacted with the tumor microenvironment, and PPARG, MYC, and ERBB2 were closely linked to survival. In molecular docking, quercetin, kaempferol, and lauric acid showed good binding energy to each target. Conclusion Data mining, network pharmacology, and molecular docking may help identify core prescriptions, high-degree ingredients, and high-degree hub genes to apply to diseases and treatments. Furthermore, these studies may help discover hub genes that affect the tumor microenvironment and survival. The combination of these tools may help elucidate the relationship between herbs acting on “Zheng” (syndrome) and diseases, thus expanding the understanding of TCM mechanisms.
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Wang J, Chen X, Bai W, Wang Z, Xiao W, Zhu J. Study on Mechanism of Ginkgo biloba L. Leaves for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases Based on Network Pharmacology. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:1881-1894. [PMID: 33988813 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03315-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Ginkgo biloba L. leaves (GBLs), as widely used plant extract sources, significantly improve cognitive, learning and memory function in patients with dementia. However, few studies have been conducted on the specific mechanism of Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). In this study, network pharmacology was employed to elucidate potential mechanism of GBLs in the treatment of NDs. Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) was used to obtain the chemical components in accordance with the screening principles of oral availability and drug-like property. Potential targets of GBLs were integrated with disease targets, and intersection targets were exactly the potential action targets of GBLs for treating NDs; these key targets were enriched and analyzed by the protein protein interaction (PPI) analysis and molecular docking verification. Key genes were ultimately used to find the biological pathway and explain the therapeutic mechanism by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Twenty-seven active components of GBLs may affect biological processes such as oxidative reactions and activate transcription factor activities. These components may also affect 120 metabolic pathways, such as the PI3K/AKT pathway, by regulating 147 targets, including AKT1, ALB, HSP90AA1, PTGS2, MMP9, EGFR and APP. By using the software iGEMDOCK, the main target proteins were found to bind well to the main active components of GBLs. GBLs have the characteristics of multi-component and multi-target synergistic effect on the treatment of NDs, which preliminarily predicted its possible molecular mechanism of action, and provided the basis for the follow-up study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116034, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Chemistry and Applications of Plant Resources, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116034, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical New-tech for Chinese Medicine, Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xialin Chen
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical New-tech for Chinese Medicine, Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Weirong Bai
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical New-tech for Chinese Medicine, Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenzhong Wang
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical New-tech for Chinese Medicine, Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Xiao
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. .,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical New-tech for Chinese Medicine, Lianyungang, 222000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jingbo Zhu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116034, Liaoning, People's Republic of China. .,Institute of Chemistry and Applications of Plant Resources, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116034, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
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Zhou W, Lai X, Wang X, Yao X, Wang W, Li S. Network pharmacology to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Xuebijing in the treatment of sepsis. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 85:153543. [PMID: 33799226 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xuebijing (XBJ) is a traditional Chinese patent medicine for sepsis. However, the mechanism of action (MoA) of XBJ on sepsis remain unclear. PURPOSE Elucidate the MoA of XBJ for treating sepsis based on network pharmacology. STUDY DESIGN Integrate computational prediction, experimental validation and literature reported clinical results analysis based on network pharmacology. METHODS Computationally, representative compounds of XBJ were characterized by LC-MS/MS and the target profiles of each compound were identified using network-based method. Compounds from XBJ were compared with FDA approved drugs or experimental agents for sepsis by hierarchical clustering of target profile. Key biological functional modules of XBJ for treating sepsis were identified by enrichment analysis. Differential expressed analysis for each biological functional module was conducted from sepsis related public omics datasets. Herb-biological functional module network was constructed to reveal part of the traditional combinatorial rules of herbs for modules. Experimentally, the action of XBJ compounds on genes in biological functional module was validated by detecting quantitative transcriptional profiling and sepsis animal model. Clinically, combined with the clinical results recorded in literature, computational and experimental results were used to interpret the anti-inflammatory effect of XBJ for treating sepsis. RESULTS The target profiles of compound cover most of the compound's related biomolecules reported in literature, which can characterize the comprehensive function of compound. XBJ has similar pharmacological effect as FDA approved drugs or experimental agents. Four key biological functional modules including inflammation, immune, cell apoptosis and coagulation of XBJ for treating sepsis were identified. Cell line experimental results show that part of ingredients in XBJ regulate the expression of genes in inflammation modules as predicted. Animal experiments show that compounds from XBJ could reduce the expression level of IL-1β. Combined with literature reported clinical results, XBJ was found to exert anti-inflammatory effect through regulating the NF-kappa B signaling pathway. CONCLUSION The network pharmacology framework integrating computational prediction, experimental validation and literature reported clinical results analysis provides a novel approach for analyzing MoA of XBJ for treating sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuai Zhou
- Institute for TCM-X, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics Division, BNRist, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Xinxing Lai
- Institute for TCM-X, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics Division, BNRist, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China; Institute for Brain Disorders, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Institute for TCM-X, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics Division, BNRist, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqing Yao
- Tianjin Chase Sun Pharmaceutical Co. LTD, Tianjin, China
| | - Weihua Wang
- Center of Pharmaceutical Technology, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Shao Li
- Institute for TCM-X, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics Division, BNRist, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China.
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Network Pharmacology and Metabolomics Studies on Antimigraine Mechanisms of Da Chuan Xiong Fang (DCXF). EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:6665137. [PMID: 33995549 PMCID: PMC8081595 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6665137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background Da Chuan Xiong Fang (DCXF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula used to treat migraines. Previously, we uncovered partial mechanisms involved in the therapeutic actions of DCXF on migraines. Methods In this study, we further elucidated its antimigraine mechanisms in vivo by using an integrated strategy coupling with network pharmacology and metabolomics techniques. Results Network pharmacology identified 33 genes linked with both migraine and DCXF, most of which were 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, dopamine, and peptide receptors. The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that DCXF significantly regulated tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, dopamine metabolic process, glucose transmembrane transport, lipid metabolism, and fatty acid transport. The results of metabolomics analysis found that the metabolism of tryptophan and tyrosine in the brain tissue and energy and lipid metabolism of rats tended towards normal and reached normal levels after administering DCXF. The metabolomics and network pharmacology approaches demonstrated similar antimigraine effects of DCXF on endogenous neurotransmitters and overall trends in serum and brain tissue. Using both approaches, 62 hub genes were identified from the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DCXF and gene-metabolite interaction network, with hub genes and different metabolites in serum and brain tissue. The hub genes of DCXF, which were mostly linked with inflammation, might affect mainly neurotransmitters in serum and brain tissue metabolisms. Conclusion Network pharmacology and metabolomics study may help identify hub genes, metabolites, and possible pathways of disease and treatment. Additionally, two parts of the results were integrated to confirm each other. Their combination may help elucidate the relationship between hub genes and metabolites and provide the further understanding of TCM mechanisms.
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Zhou Y, Wu R, Cai FF, Zhou WJ, Lu YY, Zhang H, Chen QL, Su SB. Xiaoyaosan decoction alleviated rat liver fibrosis via the TGFβ/Smad and Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathways based on network pharmacology analysis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 264:113021. [PMID: 32479885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Liver fibrosis is an outcome of many chronic liver diseases and often results in cirrhosis, liver failure, and even hepatocarcinoma. Xiaoyaosan decoction (XYS) as a classical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula is used to liver fibrosis in clinical practice while its mechanism is unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-fibrosis effect of XYS and to explore the molecular mechanisms by combining network pharmacology and transcriptomic technologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS The carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis rat were treated with three doses of XYS. The liver fibrosis and function were evaluated by histopathological examination and serum biochemical detection. The fibrosis related protein a-SMA and collagen I were assessed by Western blot. Different expressed genes (DEGs) between XYS-treated group and model group were analyzed. The herb-component-target network was constructed combined the network pharmacology. The predict targets and pathways were validated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. RESULTS With XYS treatment, the liver function was significantly improved, and fibrotic changes were alleviated. The a-SMA and collagen I expression levels in the liver were also decreased in XYS-treated rats compared with CCl4 model rats. 108 active components and 42 targets from 8 herbs constituted herb-compound-target network by transcriptomics and network pharmacology analysis. The KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analyses showed that the FoxO, TGFβ, AMPK, MAPK, PPAR, and hepatitis B and C pathways were involved in the anti-fibrosis effects of XYS. In the liver tissues, p-FoxO3a and p-Akt expression levels were significantly increased in the CCl4 model group but decreased in the XYS-treated group. The TGFβ1/Smad pathway and Akt/FoxO3 pathway were verified in LX2 cells by inhibiting phosphorylation of Smad3 and Akt activity, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that XYS markedly alleviated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in histopathological and serum liver function analyses, and this effect may occur via the TGFβ1/Smad and Akt/FoxO signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhou
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Rong Wu
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Fei-Fei Cai
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Wen-Jun Zhou
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Yi-Yu Lu
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Hui Zhang
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Qi-Long Chen
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Shi-Bing Su
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Herath HMPD, Taki AC, Sleebs BE, Hofmann A, Nguyen N, Preston S, Davis RA, Jabbar A, Gasser RB. Advances in the discovery and development of anthelmintics by harnessing natural product scaffolds. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2021; 111:203-251. [PMID: 33482975 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Widespread resistance to currently-used anthelmintics represents a major obstacle to controlling parasitic nematodes of livestock animals. Given the reliance on anthelmintics in many control regimens, there is a need for the continued discovery and development of new nematocides. Enabling such a focus are: (i) the major chemical diversity of natural products; (ii) the availability of curated, drug-like extract-, fraction- and/or compound-libraries from natural sources; (iii) the utility and practicality of well-established whole-worm bioassays for Haemonchus contortus-an important parasitic nematodes of livestock-to screen natural product libraries; and (iv) the availability of advanced chromatographic (HPLC), spectroscopic (NMR) and spectrometric (MS) techniques for bioassay-guided fractionation and structural elucidation. This context provides a sound basis for the identification and characterisation of anthelmintic candidates from natural sources. This chapter provides a background on the importance and impact of helminth infections/diseases, parasite control and aspects of drug discovery, and reviews recent work focused on (i) screening well-defined compound libraries to establish the methods needed for large-scale screening of natural extract libraries; (ii) discovering plant and marine extracts with nematocidal or nematostatic activity, and purifying bioactive compounds and assessing their potential for further development; and (iii) synthesising analogues of selected purified natural compounds for the identification of possible 'lead' candidates. The chapter describes some lessons learned from this work and proposes future areas of focus for drug discovery. Collectively, the findings from this recent work show potential for selected natural product scaffolds as candidates for future development. Developing such candidates via future chemical optimisation, efficacy and safety evaluations, broad spectrum activity assessments, and target identification represents an exciting prospect and, if successful, could pave the way to subsequent pre-clinical and clinical evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- H M P Dilrukshi Herath
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aya C Taki
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nghi Nguyen
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah Preston
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rohan A Davis
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Shi D, Liu L, Li H, Pan D, Yao X, Xiao W, Yao X, Yu Y. Identifying the molecular basis of Jinhong tablets against chronic superficial gastritis via chemical profile identification and symptom-guided network pharmacology analysis. J Pharm Anal 2021; 12:65-76. [PMID: 35573887 PMCID: PMC9073317 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Shi
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drug Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Lingxian Liu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drug Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Haibo Li
- Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., State Key Laboratory of New-tech for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, 222001, China
| | - Dabo Pan
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drug Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Wei Xiao
- Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., State Key Laboratory of New-tech for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, 222001, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Xinsheng Yao
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drug Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Yang Yu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drug Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Corresponding author.
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Zhou LP, Wang J, Xie RH, Pakhale S, Krewski D, Cameron DW, Wen SW. The Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine as an Auxiliary Treatment for COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Altern Complement Med 2020; 27:225-237. [PMID: 33252246 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2020.0310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic with no specific and widely accepted effective drug or vaccine. However, studies have shown that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may play a significant role as an auxiliary treatment for COVID-19. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of TCM as an auxiliary treatment for COVID-19 through a systematic review of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Four English and three Chinese language databases were searched from December 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. RCTs comparing TCM in combination with Western medicine (WM) with the same WM therapies alone for confirmed COVID-19 patients were included. The outcome measures were cure rate, lowering of body temperature, cough relief, improvement in chest computed tomography (CT) images, deterioration of condition, and adverse effects. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. A series of meta-analyses were conducted for selected outcomes using RevMan 5.3 software. The quality of evidence was appraised using the grading of recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) recommendations. Results: Ten RCTs with a total of 1,285 patients were included. Compared with WM alone in treating COVID-19, WM with auxiliary treatment by TCM appears to have increased the cure rate (risk ratio [RR] 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.26]), relieved cough (RR 1.32 [95% CI 1.15-1.52]), improved chest CT images (RR 1.23 [95% CI 1.11-1.37]), and reduced the number of cases transitioning from a moderate to severe condition (RR 0.58 [95% CI 0.43-0.77]). The authors are uncertain whether TCM combined WM has effects on fever normalization (RR 1.10 [95% CI 0.94-1.29]) or adverse effects (RR 0.81 (95% CI 0.42-1.57]). Although they evaluated the certainty of evidence for lowering body temperature and adverse effects as very low, and low for cure rate, certainty was evaluated as moderate for improvement in chest CT images, cough relief, and deterioration of condition. Conclusion: TCM may be an effective auxiliary treatment for COVID-19 patients, which is likely to help improve the main symptoms and reduce disease progression. However, due to the limited number of studies and apparent heterogeneity among them, a more definitive conclusion on the effect of TCM on lowering body temperature and adverse effects cannot be drawn at this time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le-Peng Zhou
- Department of Nursing, Nanhai Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China.,General Practice Center, Nanhai Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Nursing, Nanhai Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China.,General Practice Center, Nanhai Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Ri-Hua Xie
- Department of Nursing, Nanhai Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China.,General Practice Center, Nanhai Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Smita Pakhale
- Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Krewski
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Risk Science International, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - D William Cameron
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shi Wu Wen
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Study on Intervention Mechanism of Yiqi Huayu Jiedu Decoction on ARDS Based on Network Pharmacology. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:4782470. [PMID: 32849901 PMCID: PMC7439204 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4782470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Yiqi Huayu Jiedu (YQHYJD) is a traditional Chinese medicine decoction made up of eight traditional Chinese medicines. Although YQHYJD is effectively used to prevent and treat ARDS/acute lung injury (ALI) in rats, the molecular mechanisms supporting its clinical application remain elusive. The purpose of the current study was to understand its lung protective effects at the molecular level using network pharmacology approach. Methods In an ARDS animal model, the beneficial pharmacological activities of YQHYJD were confirmed by reduced lung tissue damage levels observed on drug treated rats versus control group. We then proposed a network analysis to discover the key nodes based on drugs and disease network. Subsequently, we analyzed interaction networks and screened key targets. Using Western blot to detect the expression level of key targets, the intervention effect of changes in expression level of key targets on ARDS was evaluated. Results Pathway enrichment analysis of highly ranked genes showed that ErbB pathways were highly related to ARDS. Finally, western blot results showed decreased level of the AKT1 and KRAS/NRAS/HRAS protein in the lung after treatment which confirmed the hypothesis. Conclusion In conclusion, our results suggest that YQHYJD can exert lung tissue protective effect against the severe injury through multiple pathways, including the endothelial cells permeability improvement, inflammatory reaction inhibition, edema, and lung tissue hemorrhage reduction.
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Que ZJ, Luo B, Wang CT, Qian FF, Jiang Y, Li Y, Han XH, Li HG, Liu JX, Tian JH. Proteomics analysis of tumor exosomes reveals vital pathways of Jinfukang inhibiting circulating tumor cells metastasis in lung cancer. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 256:112802. [PMID: 32240782 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Jinfukang has long been used for the clinical treatment of lung cancer. Previous studies have shown that Jinfukang can induce the apoptosis of circulating tumor cells by intervening ROS-mediated DNA damage pathway. However, whether Jinfukang can inhibit the metastasis of circulating tumor cells and its mechanism are still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY To further investigate the mechanism of Jinfukang in anti-metastasis of lung cancer from the perspective of intervention of tumor exosomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS The invadopodia formation was determined with immunofluorescence. Invasion and migration were detected using the Transwell assay. Ultracentrifugation was used to isolate exosomes. Exosomes were characterized by electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and immunoblotting, and the protein profile was evaluated by proteomic analysis. The molecular functions, biological processes and signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Key differentially expressed proteins were verified by Western blot. RESULTS Jinfukang can inhibit the expression of MMP14, cortactin, Tks5 and the formation of invadopodia of CTC-TJH-01 cells. Furthermore, Jinfukang can significantly inhibit the invasion and migration of CTC-TJH-01 cells. The diameter of exosomes extracted from the CTC-TJH-01 cells treated by Jinfukang was 30-100 nm, and the exosomal markers CD63, CD81 and TSG101 were expressed. We identified 680 deferentially expressed proteins. Gene oncology analysis indicated that exosomes were mostly derived from plasma membrane and mainly involved in protein localization and intracellular signaling. The ingenuity pathway analysis showed that the EGF pathway was significantly inhibited, whereas the GP6 signaling pathway was significantly activated. We also confirmed that Jinfukang inhibited the expression of EGF pathway-related proteins in CTC-TJH-01 cells. Besides, when EGF was used to activate EGF signaling pathway, the inhibition of Jinfukang on CTC cell metastasis was reversed. CONCLUSION Jinfukang inhibits the metastasis of CTC-TJH-01 cells through the EGF pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zu-Jun Que
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China; School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Bin Luo
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Chen-Tong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Fang-Fang Qian
- Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yi Jiang
- Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, China.
| | - Xiang-Hui Han
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - He-Gen Li
- Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jia-Xiang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jian-Hui Tian
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Ni M, Liu X, Meng Z, Liu S, Jia S, Liu Y, Zhou W, Wu J, Zhang J, Guo S, Li J, Wang H, Zhang X. A bioinformatics investigation into the pharmacological mechanisms of javanica oil emulsion injection in non-small cell lung cancer based on network pharmacology methodologies. BMC Complement Med Ther 2020; 20:174. [PMID: 32503508 PMCID: PMC7275405 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-02939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Javanica oil emulsion injection (JOEI) is an effective therapeutic option for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Methods In this study, we utilized network pharmacology to systematically investigate the bioactive components and targets of JOEI, identify common targets in NSCLC, and understand and evaluate the underlying mechanism of JOEI in the treatment of NSCLC through expression level, correlation, enrichment, Cox, survival and molecular docking analyses. The results indicated that five compounds of JOEI interact with five pivotal targets (LDLR, FABP4, ABCB1, PTGS2, and SDC4) that might be strongly correlated with the JOEI-mediated treatment of NSCLC. Results The expression level analysis demonstrated that NSCLC tissues exhibit low expression of FABP4, ABCB1, LDLR and PTGS2 and high SDC4 expression. According to the correlation analysis, a decrease in FABP4 expression was strongly correlated with decreases in LDLR and ABCB1, and a decrease in LDLR was strongly correlated with decreased PTGS2 and increased in SDC4 expression. Cox and survival analyses showed that the survival rate of the high-risk group was significantly lower than that of the low-risk group (p = 0.00388). In the survival analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) showed that the pivotal gene model exhibited the best predictive capacity over 4 years (AUC = 0.613). Moreover, the molecular docking analysis indicated that LDLR, FABP4, ABCB1, PTGS2 and SDC4 exhibit good binding activity with the corresponding compounds. Conclusion In conclusion, this study predicted and verified that the mechanism of JOEI against NSCLC involves multiple targets and signaling pathways. Furthermore, this study provides candidate targets for the treatment of NSCLC, lays a good foundation for further experimental research and promotes the reasonable application of JOEI in clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwei Ni
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Xinkui Liu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqi Meng
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyu Liu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Jia
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Jiarui Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China.
| | - Jingyuan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Siyu Guo
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Jialin Li
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Haojia Wang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 of North Three-ring East Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
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The Potential Mechanism of Wuwei Qingzhuo San against Hyperlipidemia Based on TCM Network Pharmacology and Validation Experiments in Hyperlipidemia Hamster. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:5369025. [PMID: 32454862 PMCID: PMC7212318 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5369025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Wuwei Qingzuo San (WWQZS), as a renowned traditional Mongolian patent medicine approved by Chinese State Food and Drug Administration, is used to treat hyperlipidemia, indigestion, and other ailments related to disorder of production of essence and phlegm, a typical abnormal metabolism of blood in traditional Mongolian medicine. A combination of network pharmacology and validation experiments in hyperlipidemia hamster is used to understand the potential mechanism of WWQZS for hypolipidemic effects, further for an integrated concept of traditional theory, bioactive constituents, and molecular mechanism for TMM. Through network pharmacology, we obtained 212 components, 219 predicted targets, and 349 known hyperlipidemia-related targets form public database and used Metascape to carry out enrichment analysis of 43 potential and 45 candidate targets to imply numerous BP concerned with metabolism of lipid, regulation of kinases and MF related to lipid binding, phosphatase binding, and receptor ligand activity that are involved in anti-hyperlipidemia. In addition, KEGG pathways that explicated hypolipidemic effect were involved in pathways including metabolism associated with kinase function according to MAPK signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Meanwhile, in HFD-induced hamster model, WWQZS could significantly reduce TC and ALT and help decrease TG, LDL-C as well; liver pathological section implied that WWQZS could relieve liver damage and lipid accumulation. Western blot indicated that WWQZS may upregulate CYP7A1 and activate AMPK to suppress the expression of HMGCR in livers. In conclusion, our results suggest that WWQSZS plays important dual hypolipidemic and liver-protective role in livers in HFD-induced hamster model. Through this research, a new reference is also provided to other researches in the study of ethnopharmacology.
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Zhuang Z, Wen J, Zhang L, Zhang M, Zhong X, Chen H, Luo C. Can network pharmacology identify the anti-virus and anti- inflammatory activities of Shuanghuanglian oral liquid used in Chinese medicine for respiratory tract infection? Eur J Integr Med 2020; 37:101139. [PMID: 32501408 PMCID: PMC7255237 DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Shuanghuanglian (SHL) oral liquid is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine preparation administered for respiratory tract infections in China. However, the underlying pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. The present study aims to determine the potential pharmacological mechanisms of SHL oral liquid based on network pharmacology. Methods A network pharmacology-based strategy including collection and analysis of putative compounds and target genes, network construction, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, identification of key compounds and target genes, and molecule docking was performed in this study. Results A total of 82 bioactive compounds and 226 putative target genes of SHL oral liquid were collected. Of note, 28 hub target genes including 4 major hub target genes: estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), nuclear receptor coactivator 2 (NCOA2), nuclear receptor coactivator 1 (NCOA1), androgen receptor (AR) and 5 key compounds (quercetin, luteolin, baicalein, kaempferol and wogonin) were identified based on network analysis. The hub target genes mainly enriched in pathways including PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, human cytomegalovirus infection, and human papillomavirus infection, which could be the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of SHL oral liquid for treating diseases. Moreover, the key compounds had great molecule docking binding affinity with the major hub target genes. Conclusion Using network pharmacology analysis, SHL oral liquid was found to contain anti-virus, anti-inflammatory, and “multi-compounds and multi-targets” with therapeutic actions. These findings may provide a valuable direction for further clinical application and research.
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Key Words
- AM, alveolar macrophages
- AR, androgen receptor
- CAS, Chemical abstracts service number
- CFDA, The China Food and Drug Administration
- COX, cyclooxygenases
- COX-2, cyclooxygenase
- DL, drug-likeness
- ESR1, estrogen receptor 1
- Flos Lonicerae
- Fructus Forsythiae
- GO, Gene Ontology
- HCMV, Human cytomegalovirus
- HCV, human cytomegalovirus
- HPV, Human papillomavirus
- HQ, Huangqin, Radix Scutellariae
- JYH, Jinyinhua, Flos Lonicerae
- KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
- LQ, Lianqiao, Fructus Forsythiae
- MCP, monocyte chemoattractant protein
- NCOA1, nuclear receptor coactivator 1
- NCOA2, nuclear receptor coactivator 2
- NO, nitric oxide
- Network pharmacology
- OB, oral bioavailability
- PG, prostaglandin
- Pharmacological mechanism
- ROS, reactive oxygen species
- RSV, respiratory syncytial virus
- Radix Scutellariae
- Respiratory tract infection
- SARS-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- SHL oral liquid, Shuanghuanglian oral liquid
- SMILES, Simplified molecular input line entry specification
- Shuanghuanglian oral liquid
- TCM, traditional Chinese medicine
- TCMSP, Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjie Zhuang
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junmao Wen
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingjia Zhang
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhong
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiqi Chen
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuanjin Luo
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong University of Chinese Medicine, No.12, Airport Road, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510405, China
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Active constituents and mechanisms of Respiratory Detox Shot, a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, for COVID-19 control and prevention: Network-molecular docking-LC-MS E analysis. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 18:229-241. [PMID: 32307268 PMCID: PMC7195604 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2020.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lung-toxin Dispelling Formula No. 1, referred to as Respiratory Detox Shot (RDS), was developed based on a classical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the theoretical understanding of herbal properties within TCM. Therapeutic benefits of using RDS for both disease control and prevention, in the effort to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), have been shown. However, the biochemically active constituents of RDS and their mechanisms of action are still unclear. The goal of the present study is to clarify the material foundation and action mechanism of RDS. METHODS To conduct an analysis of RDS, an integrative analytical platform was constructed, including target prediction, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and cluster analysis; further, the hub genes involved in the disease-related pathways were identified, and the their corresponding compounds were used for in vitro validation of molecular docking predictions. The presence of these validated compounds was also measured in samples of the RDS formula to quantify the abundance of the biochemically active constituents. In our network pharmacological study, a total of 26 bioinformatic programs and databases were used, and six networks, covering the entire Zang-fu viscera, were constructed to comprehensively analyze the intricate connections among the compounds-targets-disease pathways-meridians of RDS. RESULTS For all 1071 known chemical constituents of the nine ingredients in RDS, identified from established TCM databases, 157 passed drug-likeness screening and led to 339 predicted targets in the constituent-target network. Forty-two hub genes with core regulatory effects were extracted from the PPI network, and 134 compounds and 29 crucial disease pathways were implicated in the target-constituent-disease network. Twelve disease pathways attributed to the Lung-Large Intestine meridians, with six and five attributed to the Kidney-Urinary Bladder and Stomach-Spleen meridians, respectively. One-hundred and eighteen candidate constituents showed a high binding affinity with SARS-coronavirus-2 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), as indicated by molecular docking using computational pattern recognition. The in vitro activity of 22 chemical constituents of RDS was validated using the 3CLpro inhibition assay. Finally, using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry in data-independent analysis mode, the presence of seven out of these 22 constituents was confirmed and validated in an aqueous decoction of RDS, using reference standards in both non-targeted and targeted approaches. CONCLUSION RDS acts primarily in the Lung-Large Intestine, Kidney-Urinary Bladder and Stomach-Spleen meridians, with other Zang-fu viscera strategically covered by all nine ingredients. In the context of TCM meridian theory, the multiple components and targets of RDS contribute to RDS's dual effects of health-strengthening and pathogen-eliminating. This results in general therapeutic effects for early COVID-19 control and prevention.
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Wang Y, Chen YJ, Xiang C, Jiang GW, Xu YD, Yin LM, Zhou DD, Liu YY, Yang YQ. Discovery of potential asthma targets based on the clinical efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 252:112635. [PMID: 32004629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Standard therapy for asthma, a highly heterogeneous disease, is primarily based on bronchodilators and immunosuppressive drugs, which confer short-term symptomatic relief but not a cure. It is difficult to discover novel bronchodilators, although potential new targets are emerging. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas have been used to treat asthma for more than 2000 years, forming the basis for representative asthma treatments. AIM OF THE STUDY Based on the efficacy of TCM formulas, anti-asthmatic herbal compounds bind proteins are potential targets for asthma therapy. This analysis will provide new drug targets and discovery strategies for asthma therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A list of candidate herbs for asthma was selected from the classical formulas (CFs) of TCM for the treatment of wheezing or dyspnea recorded in Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases (TCDMD) and from modern herbal formulas identified in the SAPHRON TCM Database using the keywords "wheezing" or "dyspnea". Compounds in the selected herbs and compounds that directly bind target proteins were acquired by searching the Herbal Ingredients' Targets Database (HITD), TCM Data Bank (TCMDB) and TCM Integrated Database (TCMID). Therapeutic targets of conventional medicine (CM) for asthma were collected by searching Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), DrugBank and PubMed as supplements. Finally, the enriched gene ontology (GO) terms of the targets were obtained using the Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and protein-protein interactions (PPI) networks were constructed using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING). The effects of two selected TCM compounds, kaempferol and ginkgolide A, on cellular resistance in human airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) and pulmonary resistance in a mouse model were investigated. RESULTS The list of 32 candidate herbs for asthma was selected from 10 CFs for the treatment of wheezing or dyspnea recorded in TCDMD and 1037 modern herbal formulas obtained from the SAPHRON TCM Database. A total of 130 compounds from the 32 selected herbs and 68 herbal compounds directly bind target proteins were acquired from HITD and TCMDB. Eighty-eight therapeutic targets of CM for asthma were collected by searching TTD and PubMed as supplements. DAVID and STRING analyses showed targets of TCM formulas are primarily related to cytochrome P450 (CYP) family, transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and ribosomal protein. Both TCM formulas and CM act on the same types of targets or signaling pathways, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), steroid hormone receptors (SHRs), and JAK-STAT signaling pathway. The proteins directly targeted by herbal compounds, TRPM8, TRPA1, TRPV3, CYP1B1, CYP2B6, CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP1A1, PPARA, PPARD, NR1I2, MMP1, MMP2, ESR1, ESR2, RPLP0, RPLP1 and RPLP2, are potential targets for asthma therapy. In vitro results showed kaempferol (1 × 10-2 mM) and ginkgolide A (1 × 10-5 mM) significantly increased the cell index (P < 0.05 vs. histamine, n = 3) and therefore relaxed human ASMCs. In vivo results showed kaempferol (145 μg/kg) and ginkgolide A (205 μg/kg) significantly reduced pulmonary resistance (P < 0.05 vs. methacholine, n = 6). CONCLUSION Potential target discovery for asthma treatment based on the clinical effectiveness of TCM is a feasible strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China; Experiment Center for Science and Technology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yan-Jiao Chen
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Cheng Xiang
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Guang-Wei Jiang
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yu-Dong Xu
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Lei-Miao Yin
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dong-Dong Zhou
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yan-Yan Liu
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yong-Qing Yang
- International Union Laboratory on Acupuncture Based Target Discovery, International Joint Laboratory on Acupuncture Neuro-immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yue Yang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Wang Y, Liu T, Ma F, Lu X, Mao H, Zhou W, Yang L, Li P, Zhan Y. A Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy for Unveiling the Mechanisms of Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook F against Diabetic Kidney Disease. J Diabetes Res 2020; 2020:2421631. [PMID: 33274236 PMCID: PMC7695487 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2421631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) poses a major public-health burden globally. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) is a widely employed herbal medicine in decreasing albuminuria among diabetic patients. However, a holistic network pharmacology strategy to investigate the active components and therapeutic mechanism underlying DKD is still unavailable. METHODS We collected TwHF ingredients and their targets by traditional Chinese Medicine databases (TCMSP). Then, we obtained DKD targets from GeneCards and OMIM and collected and analyzed TwHF-DKD common targets using the STRING database. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established by Cytoscape and analyzed by MCODE plugin to get clusters. In addition, the cytoHubba software was used to identify hub genes. Finally, all the targets of clusters were subjected for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses via DAVID. RESULTS A total of 51 active ingredients in TwHF were identified and hit by 88 potential targets related to DKD. Compounds correspond to more targets include kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and Triptoditerpenic acid B, which appeared to be high-potential compounds. Genes with higher degree including VEGFA, PTGS2, JUN, MAPK8, and HSP90AA1 are hub genes of TwHF against DKD, which are involved in inflammation, insulin resistance, and lipid homeostasis. Kaempferol and VEGFA were represented as the uppermost active ingredient and core gene of TwHF in treating DKD, respectively. DAVID results indicated that TwHF may play a role in treating DKD through AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, insulin resistance, and calcium signaling pathway (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Kaempferol and VEGFA were represented as the uppermost active ingredient and core gene of TwHF in treating DKD, respectively. The key mechanisms of TwHF against DKD might be involved in the reduction of renal inflammation by downregulating VEGFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyang Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
- Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Tongtong Liu
- Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Fang Ma
- Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Xiaoguang Lu
- Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Huimin Mao
- Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Weie Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Liping Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Ping Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yongli Zhan
- Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
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A Computational Toxicology Approach to Screen the Hepatotoxic Ingredients in Traditional Chinese Medicines: Polygonum multiflorum Thunb as a Case Study. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9100577. [PMID: 31591318 PMCID: PMC6843577 DOI: 10.3390/biom9100577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, liver injury induced by Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) has gained increasing attention worldwide. Assessing the hepatotoxicity of compounds in TCMs is essential and inevitable for both doctors and regulatory agencies. However, there has been no effective method to screen the hepatotoxic ingredients in TCMs available until now. In the present study, we initially built a large scale dataset of drug-induced liver injuries (DILIs). Then, 13 types of molecular fingerprints/descriptors and eight machine learning algorithms were utilized to develop single classifiers for DILI, which resulted in 5416 single classifiers. Next, the NaiveBayes algorithm was adopted to integrate the best single classifier of each machine learning algorithm, by which we attempted to build a combined classifier. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of the combined classifier were 72.798, 0.732, 0.724, and 0.793, respectively. Compared to several prior studies, the combined classifier provided better performance both in cross validation and external validation. In our prior study, we developed a herb-hepatotoxic ingredient network and a herb-induced liver injury (HILI) dataset based on pre-clinical evidence published in the scientific literature. Herein, by combining that and the combined classifier developed in this work, we proposed the first instance of a computational toxicology to screen the hepatotoxic ingredients in TCMs. Then Polygonum multiflorum Thunb (PmT) was used as a case to investigate the reliability of the approach proposed. Consequently, a total of 25 ingredients in PmT were identified as hepatotoxicants. The results were highly consistent with records in the literature, indicating that our computational toxicology approach is reliable and effective for the screening of hepatotoxic ingredients in Pmt. The combined classifier developed in this work can be used to assess the hepatotoxic risk of both natural compounds and synthetic drugs. The computational toxicology approach presented in this work will assist with screening the hepatotoxic ingredients in TCMs, which will further lay the foundation for exploring the hepatotoxic mechanisms of TCMs. In addition, the method proposed in this work can be applied to research focused on other adverse effects of TCMs/synthetic drugs.
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Luo TT, Lu Y, Yan SK, Xiao X, Rong XL, Guo J. Network Pharmacology in Research of Chinese Medicine Formula: Methodology, Application and Prospective. Chin J Integr Med 2019; 26:72-80. [PMID: 30941682 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-019-3064-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 367] [Impact Index Per Article: 73.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Chinese medicine (CM) is usually prescribed as CM formula to treat disease. The lack of effective research approach makes it difficult to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of CM formula owing to its complicated chemical compounds. Network pharmacology is increasingly applied in CM formula research in recent years, which is identified suitable for the study of CM formula. In this review, we summarized the methodology of network pharmacology, including network construction, network analysis and network verification. The aim of constructing a network is to achieve the interaction between the bioactive compounds and targets and the interaction between various targets, and then find out and validate the key nodes via network analysis and network verification. Besides, we reviewed the application in CM formula research, mainly including targets discovery, bioactive compounds screening, toxicity evaluation, mechanism research and quality control research. Finally, we proposed prospective in the future and limitations of network pharmacology, expecting to provide new strategy and thinking on study for CM formula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Ting Luo
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.,Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.,Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Shi-Kai Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xue Xiao
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.,Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiang-Lu Rong
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.,Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jiao Guo
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China. .,Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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47
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Li NC, Li MY, Chen B, Guo Y. A New Perspective of Acupuncture: The Interaction among Three Networks Leads to Neutralization. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2019; 2019:2326867. [PMID: 30915143 PMCID: PMC6409053 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2326867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Acupuncture has been used to treat multiple medical conditions, but whether the diverse effects of acupuncture are intrinsically linked and how they might be connected have yet to be determined. More and more researches have shown that acupuncture is a kind of nociceptive stimulus, which can cause inflammatory reaction in the sites of acupuncture and then further activate the nerve-endocrine-immune systems to cause the cascade amplification of the acupuncture effect. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive summary of the existing literature concerning the role of "acupoint-meridian-disease network" in various effects of acupuncture and suggest a novel notion that acupuncture may restore homeostasis under different pathological conditions by regulating this network, resulting in the activation of different reaction cascades in response to pathological injury. We think that acupuncture acts on acupoints, first activating the small network of acupoints (Acupoint Network). The information of acupuncture is amplified by cascade, and the nerve endocrine immune system (NEI) is activated through the large network of meridians (Meridian Network) of the body itself. The nerve-endocrine-immune system (NEI) further outputs the effect information to the target organ through multilevel and multisystems and finally acts on the disease network (Disease Network) to produce acupuncture effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning-cen Li
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Acupuncture Research Center of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Ming-yue Li
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Bo Chen
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Acupuncture Research Center of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Acupuncture Research Center of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Chinese Medicine College of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
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48
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Dakik P, McAuley M, Chancharoen M, Mitrofanova D, Lozano Rodriguez ME, Baratang Junio JA, Lutchman V, Cortes B, Simard É, Titorenko VI. Pairwise combinations of chemical compounds that delay yeast chronological aging through different signaling pathways display synergistic effects on the extent of aging delay. Oncotarget 2019; 10:313-338. [PMID: 30719227 PMCID: PMC6349451 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We have recently discovered six plant extracts that delay yeast chronological aging. Most of them affect different nodes, edges and modules of an evolutionarily conserved network of longevity regulation that integrates certain signaling pathways and protein kinases; this network is also under control of such aging-delaying chemical compounds as spermidine and resveratrol. We have previously shown that, if a strain carrying an aging-delaying single-gene mutation affecting a certain node, edge or module of the network is exposed to some of the six plant extracts, the mutation and the plant extract enhance aging-delaying efficiencies of each other so that their combination has a synergistic effect on the extent of aging delay. We therefore hypothesized that a pairwise combination of two aging-delaying plant extracts or a combination of one of these plant extracts and spermidine or resveratrol may have a synergistic effect on the extent of aging delay only if each component of this combination targets a different element of the network. To test our hypothesis, we assessed longevity-extending efficiencies of all possible pairwise combinations of the six plant extracts or of one of them and spermidine or resveratrol in chronologically aging yeast. In support of our hypothesis, we show that only pairwise combinations of naturally-occurring chemical compounds that slow aging through different nodes, edges and modules of the network delay aging in a synergistic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Dakik
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mélissa McAuley
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Darya Mitrofanova
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Vicky Lutchman
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Berly Cortes
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Éric Simard
- Idunn Technologies Inc., Rosemere, Quebec, Canada
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49
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Lyu M, Zhou Z, Wang X, Lv H, Wang M, Pan G, Wang Y, Fan G, Gao X, Feng Y, Zhu Y. Network Pharmacology-Guided Development of a Novel Integrative Regimen to Prevent Acute Graft-vs.-Host Disease. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:1440. [PMID: 30618740 PMCID: PMC6300759 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Lapses in the graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis and side effects of current standard care following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) call for novel regimens. Traditional approaches targeting T cells showed limited success in preventing acute GVHD (aGVHD). System medicine showed promising results treating complex diseases such as sepsis and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Adapting established network pharmacology analysis methods, we aimed to develop novel integrative regimens to prevent aGVHD. Our network pharmacology analysis predicted that Xuebijing injection (XBJ) targets a series of key node proteins in aGVHD network. It also unveiled that Salviae miltiorrhizae (Danshen), an herb in Xuebijing formula, which prevented aGVHD in rats, shares five out of six key GVHD node proteins targeted by XBJ. Interestingly, network pharmacology analysis indicated Xuebijing may share multiple aGVHD targets with Cyclosporin A (CsA), a first-line drug for preventing aGVHD in the clinic. Based on current information, we hypothesized that combination of XBJ and CsA may yield superior results in aGVHD prevention than either drug alone. We performed in vitro and in vivo assays to validate the predictions by the network pharmacology analysis. In vitro assays revealed XBJ prevented platelet aggregation and NF-κB nuclear translocation in macrophages. XBJ also promoted angiogenesis in tube-formation assay. Importantly, the combination of CsA and XBJ was effective in rescuing mice subjected to lethal GVHD. XBJ contributed to the rescue through preventing NF-κB nuclear translocation, attenuating inflammation and maintaining viability of macrophages. Overall, network pharmacology is a powerful tool to develop novel integrative regimens. Combination of XBJ and CsA may shed light on preventing aGVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Lyu
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Research and Development Center of TCM, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, TEDA, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhengcan Zhou
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Research and Development Center of TCM, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, TEDA, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong Lv
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Research and Development Center of TCM, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, TEDA, Tianjin, China
| | - Mei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Guixiang Pan
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Research and Development Center of TCM, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, TEDA, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuefei Wang
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Research and Development Center of TCM, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, TEDA, Tianjin, China
| | - Guanwei Fan
- Medical Experiment Center, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiumei Gao
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuxin Feng
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Research and Development Center of TCM, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, TEDA, Tianjin, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Research and Development Center of TCM, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, TEDA, Tianjin, China
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50
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Feng W, Ao H, Yue S, Peng C. Systems pharmacology reveals the unique mechanism features of Shenzhu Capsule for treatment of ulcerative colitis in comparison with synthetic drugs. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16160. [PMID: 30385774 PMCID: PMC6212405 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34509-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In clinic, both synthetic drugs and Shenzhu Capsule (SZC), one kind of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), are used to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). In our study, a systems pharmacology approach was employed to elucidate the chemical and mechanism differences between SZC and synthetic drugs in treating UC. First, the compound databases were constructed for SZC and synthetic drugs. Then, the targets of SZC were predicted with on-line tools and validated using molecular docking method. Finally, chemical space, targets, and pathways of SZC and synthetic drugs were compared. Results showed that atractylenolide I, atractylone, kaempferol, etc., were bioactive compounds of SZC. Comparison of SZC and synthetic drugs showed that (1) in chemical space, the area of SZC encompasses the area of synthetic drugs; (2) SZC can act on more targets and pathways than synthetic drugs; (3) SZC can not only regulate immune and inflammatory reactions but also act on ulcerative colitis complications (bloody diarrhea) and prevent UC to develop into colorectal cancer whereas synthetic drugs mainly regulate immune and inflammatory reactions. Our study could help us to understand the compound and mechanism differences between TCM and synthetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuwen Feng
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Ao
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shijun Yue
- College of Pharmacy and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
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