Network pharmacology analysis of the pharmacological mechanism of Artemisia lavandulaefolia DC. in rheumatoid arthritis

Prepared Radix Polygoni Multiflori and emodin alleviate lipid droplet accumulation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through MAPK signaling pathway inhibition

As one of the most common liver diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects almost one-quarter of the world's population. Although the prevalence of NAFLD is continuously rising, effective medical treatments are still inadequate. Radix Polygoni Multiflori (RPM) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. As a processed product of RPM, prepared Radix Polygoni Multiflori (PRPM) has been reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated whether PRPM treatment could significantly improve NAFLD. We used recent literature, the Herb database and the SwissADME database to isolate the active compounds of PRPM. The OMIM, DisGeNET and GeneCards databases were used to isolate NAFLD-related target genes, and GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were conducted. Moreover, PRPM treatment in NAFLD model mice was evaluated. The results indicate that the target genes are mainly enriched in the AMPK and de novo lipogenesis signaling pathways and that PRPM treatment improves NAFLD disease in model mice. Here, we found the potential benefits of PRPM against NAFLD and demonstrated in vivo and in vitro that PRPM and its ingredient emodin downregulate phosphorylated P38/P38, phosphorylated ERK1/2 and genes related to de novo adipogenesis signaling pathways and reduce lipid droplet accumulation. In conclusion, our findings revealed a novel therapeutic role for PRPM in the treatment of NAFLD and metabolic inflammation.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms of Lipophilic Fractions from Polyscias fruticosa Leaves Based on Network Pharmacology, In Silico, and In Vitro Approaches

Polyscias fruticosa leaf (PFL) has been used in food and traditional medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, ischemia, and neuralgia. However, the lipophilic components of PFL and their biological properties remain unknown. This study, integrating network pharmacology analysis with in silico and in vitro approaches, aimed to elucidate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of lipophilic extracts from PFL. A total of 71 lipophilic compounds were identified in PFL using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses showed that key active compounds, mainly phytosterols and sesquiterpenes, were responsible for regulating core target genes, such as PTGS2, TLR4, NFE2L2, PRKCD, KEAP1, NFKB1, NR1l2, PTGS1, AR, and CYP3A4, which were mostly enriched in oxidative stress and inflammation-related pathways. Furthermore, lipophilic extracts from PFL offered powerful antioxidant capacities, as evident in our cell-free antioxidant assays. These extracts also provided a protection against oxidative stress by inducing the expression of catalase and heme oxygenase-1 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, lipophilic fractions from PFL showed anti-inflammatory potential in downregulating the level of pro-inflammatory factors in LPS-treated macrophages. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of lipophilic extracts from PFL, which can be used as a fundamental basis for developing nutraceuticals and functional foods.