Herb pair Danggui-Honghua: mechanisms underlying blood stasis syndrome by system pharmacology approach

Mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects of chuanxiong combined with Chishao on treating acute lung injury based on network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with preclinical evaluation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The herb pair of Chuanxiong Rhizome (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., Chuanxiong in Chinese, CX) and Paeoniae Radix Rubra (Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Or Paeonia veitchii Lynch, Chishao in Chinese, CS) is a famous blood activating and stasis resolving pair that is often found in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas for the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI). However, the relationship of CX-CS herb pair to ALI and its underlying mechanisms are unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study explored the effect and mechanisms of CX-CS herb pair in LPS induced ALI by network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with preclinical evaluation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The related targets of the active compounds of CX-CS herb pair in regulating ALI were screened by network pharmacology. PPI was constructed and the potential pathways were investigated by GO and KEGG. The contribution of each active ingredient of CX-CS herb pair to ALI were calculated by network-based efficacy. The interactions between potential targets and active ingredients were evaluated by molecular docking. LPS stimulated RAW264.7 cells and mice model experiments were adopted to verify the effect of CX-CS herb pair on ALI.

RESULTS

A total of 25 compounds and 193 targets were identified in the CX-CS herb pair, of which 19 compounds and 64 targets were associated with ALI, and six compounds including baicalin, ellagic acid, baicalein, beta-sitosterol, paeoniflorin and ferulic acid accounted for 93.12% of the total combination index for ALI prevention. The CX-CS herbal pair against ALI was associated with PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways by GO and KEGG analysis. The screened active compounds showed good affinity for TNF, MAPK, and AKT by molecular docking. In vitro and in vivo tests showed that CX combined with CS synergistically inhibited LPS-induced ALI at 1:3, suppressed the release of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, inhibited the accumulation of ROS, as well as regulated the content of SOD, MDA and GSH. Meanwhile, the herb pair was effective in inhibiting the expression of p38, ERK, IκBα, p65, caspase 3, PARP, and up-regulating the levels of AKT and Bcl-2/Bax.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirmed the synergistic effect of CX-CS herb pair on the prevention of ALI by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis through MAPK/NF-κB and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

Uncovering Mechanism and Efficacy of Salvia Miltiorrhiza-Safflower in Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Cerebral ischemia (CI) is the main cause of stroke morbidity and disability. This study aims to identify the early molecular regulation responsible for the therapeutic effectiveness of the Herb pair Danshen-Honghua (DH) for CI. The major targets of DH were identified by searching the public database of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In addition, GeneCards, Disgenet, and GeneMap databases in OMIM were used to determine the disease targets of CI. A total of 88 common targets of DH and CI were selected, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established by Cytoscape, and 19 core targets were screened. These genes were primarily enriched in biological processes including wound healing, reaction to oxidative stress, and response to peptides, lipid and atherosclerosis, Age-rage signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway by KEGG and GO enrichments. The effective components of DH had stable binding to these key targets by molecular docking. Finally, it was verified that the mechanism of DH on CI treatment may be related to the activation of the TNF-α/JNK signaling pathway by establishing the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model.

Jia-Wei-Kai-Xin-San Treatment Alleviated Mild Cognitive Impairment through Anti-Inflammatory and Antiapoptotic Mechanisms in SAMP8 Mice

Background

Alleviating mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial to delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Jia-Wei-Kai-Xin-San (JWKXS) is applied for treating AD with MCI. However, the mechanism of JWKXS in the treatment of MCI is unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of JWKXS in SAMP8 mice models of MCI.

Methods

MCI models were established to examine learning and memory ability and explore the pathomechanisms in brain of SAMP8 mice at 4, 6, and 8 months. The mice were treated for 8 weeks and the effects of JWKXS on MCI were characterized through Morris water maze and HE/Nissl's/immunohistochemical staining. Its mechanism was predicted by the combination of UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and system pharmacology analysis, further verified with SAMP8 mice, BV2 microglial cells, and PC12 cells.

Results

It was found that 4-month-old SAMP8 mice exhibited MCI. Two months of JWKXS treatment improved the learning and memory ability, alleviated the hippocampal tissue and neuron damage. Through network pharmacology, four key signaling pathways were found to be involved in treatment of MCI by JWKXS, including TLR4/NF-κB pathway, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that JWKXS attenuated neuroinflammation by inhibiting microglia activation, suppressing TLR4/NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways, and blocking the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways leading to neuronal apoptosis suppression in the hippocampus.

Conclusion

JWKXS treatment improved the learning and memory ability and conferred neuroprotective effects against MCI by inducing anti-inflammation and antiapoptosis. Limitations. The small sample size and short duration of the intervention limit in-depth investigation of the mechanisms. Future Prospects. This provides a direction for further clarification of the anti-AD mechanism, and provides certain data support for the formulation to move toward clinical practice.

Simultaneous Extraction and Analysis of Seven Major Saikosaponins from Bupleuri Radix and the Exploration of Antioxidant Activity and Its Mechanism

Saikosaponins (SS) are the main active components of Bupleuri Radix. In this study, the yields of SS a, b1, b2, c, d, e, and f were simultaneously determined using the HPLC-DAD dual wavelength method, and the ultrasound-assisted extraction process of saikosaponins was optimized using the response surface methodology. The antioxidant effect of saikosaponins was investigated using the scavenging rate of 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2-diazo-bis (3-ethyl-benzothiazole-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), and hydroxyl (-OH) groups, and the mechanism was clarified via network pharmacological analysis. The results showed that the optimal extraction process of SS was a 5% ammonia-methanol solution as an extraction solvent, a material-liquid ratio of 1:40, a temperature of 46.66 °C, an extraction time of 65.07 min, and an ultrasonic power of 345.56 W. The total content of the seven saikosaponins under this condition was up to 6.32%, which was close to the model's predicted value of 6.56%, where the yields of the seven saikosaponins a, b1, b2, c, d, e, and f were 1.18%, 0.11%, 0.26%, 1.02%, 3.02%, 0.38%, and 0.44%, respectively. The saikosaponins have an obvious scavenging ability for DPPH, ABTS, and -OH radicals. The interactions of seven saikosaponins with antioxidant targets were studied, and a database was used to collate the core of saikosaponins and antioxidants through network pharmacology. The mechanisms of the antioxidant effects of the saikosaponins were derived via GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis. Finally, the binding energy of the saikosaponins to the antioxidant targets was found to be less than -5.0 kcal·mol-1 via molecular docking, indicating that the antioxidant capacity of the saikosaponins are good. Therefore, this study developed a rapid and efficient method for the extraction of saikosaponins, which provides a theoretical basis for an in-depth understanding of the rational utilization of saikosaponins and the development of their medicinal value.

Exploring the potential mechanisms of Shiwei Hezi pill against nephritis based on the method of network pharmacology

Objective: We aimed to reveal the potential active ingredients, targets and pathways of Shiwei Hezi pill (SHP) in the treatment of nephritis based on systematic network pharmacology. Methods: The online database was used to screen the common targets of SHP and nephritis, and the interaction between targets was analyzed. Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed using the Bioinformatics website. Molecular docking was carried out to verify the correlation between core ingredients and key targets. Cytoscape 3.6.1 was applied to perform protein-protein interactions (PPT) network construction and data visualization. Results: A total of 82 active ingredients in SHP were screened, and 140 common targets of SHP and nephritis were obtained. Our results demonstrated that TNF, AKT1 and PTGS2 might be the key targets of SHP in the treatment of nephritis. GO enrichment analysis yielded 2163 GO entries (p < 0.05), including 2,014 entries of the biological process (BP) category, 61 entries of the cell composition (CC) category and 143 entries of the molecular function (MF) category. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis produced 186 signaling pathways (p < 0.05), involving the AGE-RAGE, IL-17and TNF signaling pathways. The results of molecular docking showed that three active ingredients in SHP (quercetin, kaempferol and luteolin) could effectively bind to the TNF, AKT1 and PTGS2 targets. Conclusion: The effective active ingredients in SHP may regulate multiple signaling pathways through multiple targets, thereby exhibiting a therapeutic effect on nephritis.

Comparative Efficacy of East Asian Herbal Formulae Containing Astragali Radix-Cinnamomi Ramulus Herb-Pair against Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Mechanism Prediction: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis Integrated with Network Pharmacology

The Astragali Radix-Cinnamomi Ramulus herb-pair (ACP) has been widely used in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) as part of East Asian herbal medicine (EAHM). Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified by searching 10 databases. The outcomes investigated were response rate, sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV), and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) in four regions of the body. The compounds in the ACP and their targets of action, disease targets, common targets, and other relevant information were filtered using network pharmacology. Forty-eight RCTs, with 4308 participants, and 16 different interventions were identified. Significant differences were observed in the response rate, MNCV, and SNCV, as all EAHM interventions were superior to conventional medicine or lifestyle modification. The EAHM formula containing the ACP ranked highest in more than half of the assessed outcomes. Furthermore, major compounds, such as quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, formononetin, and beta-sitosterol, were found to suppress the symptoms of DPN. The results of this study suggest that EAHM may increase therapeutic efficacy in DPN management, and EAHM formulations containing the ACP may be more suitable for improving treatment response rates to NCV and DPN therapy.

Isoliquiritigenin from licorice flavonoids attenuates NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis by SIRT6 in vascular endothelial cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGIC RELEVANCE

Licorice is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies found that supplementation with licorice extracts attenuated the development of atherosclerosis (AS) in hypercholesterolemic patients. Many studies have shown that licorice flavonoids, the main active components of licorice, have a variety of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammation, regulation of lipid metabolism, and antioxidation. However, the key active components against AS in licorice flavonoids are still unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this paper is to investigate the active components of licorice flavonoids that exert anti-atherosclerotic effects and the underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Network pharmacology was used to screen the active components of licorice flavonoids that have anti-atherosclerotic effects. Combining bioinformatics analysis and in vitro studies, the effects and underlying mechanisms of the active component isoliquiritigenin (ISL) on cell pyroptosis were further investigated in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

RESULTS

We constructed a compound-target network and screened 3 active components, namely, ISL, glabridin, and naringenin in licorice flavonoids. The half maximal effective concentration values of these 3 components suggested that ISL was the key active component against TNF-α-induced endothelial cell injury. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that ISL could potentially treat AS via the nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway. An in vitro study verified that ISL suppressed TNF-α-induced NLRP3 activation and pyroptosis in HUVECs. The molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay showed good compatibility between ISL and class III histone deacetylase sirtuin 6 (SIRT6). Moreover, we found that ISL upregulated the expression of SIRT6 in TNF-α-treated HUVECs. Further study found that SIRT6 knockdown reduced the inhibitory effect of ISL on pyroptosis, whereas the NLRP3 inhibitor reversed this process in TNF-α-treated HUVECs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that ISL is a key active component of licorice flavonoids. ISL attenuates NLRP3-mediated vascular endothelial cell pyroptosis via SIRT6, and SIRT6 may be a potential target of ISL for the treatment of AS.

Kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine: Potential implications for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

The aging global population is increasingly affected by osteoporosis (OP), which is one of the most significant threats to the elderly. Moreover, its prevention and treatment situations have become increasingly severe. Therefore, it is imperative to develop alternatives or complementary drugs for preventing and treating osteoporosis. Kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine (KTTCM) has been used for the treatment of osteoporosis for a long time. Pharmacological studies have shown that kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine can promote osteoblasts, inhibit osteoclasts, and regulate the level of estrogen and plays vital roles in stimulating osteogenesis, restraining adipogenesis of marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), regulating the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, and inhibiting oxidative stress. These effects are mediated by OPG/RANKL/RANK, BMP/Smads, MAPKs, and Wnt/β-catenin systems. To develop a safe, synergistic, effective, and homogenized TCM formula with robust scientific evidence to provide faster and more economical alternatives, the anti-osteoporosis ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms of kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine are recapitulated from the perspective of molecular and cell biology, and the safety and toxicity of kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine have also been reviewed in this paper.

3D Microfluidic System for Evaluating Inhibitory Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine Oldenlandia diffusa on Human Malignant Glioma Invasion Combined with Network Pharmacology Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the anti-invasion efficacy of the ethanol extract of Oldenlandia diffusa Will. (EEOD) on a three-dimensional (3D) human malignant glioma (MG) cell invasion and perfusion model based on microfluidic chip culture and the possible mechanism of action of Oldenlandia diffusa Will. (OD).

METHODS

The comprehensive pharmacodynamic analysis method in this study was based on microfluidic chip 3D cell perfusion culture technology, and the action mechanism of Chinese medicine (CM) on human MG cells was investigated through network pharmacology analysis. First, the components of EEOD were analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Then, cell viability and apoptosis were assessed to determine the optimum concentration of EEOD for invasion experiments, and two-dimensional (2D) migration and invasion abilities of U87 and U251 MG cells were evaluated using scratch wound and Transwell assays. The possible mechanism underlying the effects of EEOD on glioma was analyzed through a network pharmacology approach.

RESULTS

Thirty-five compounds of EEOD were detected by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. EEOD suppressed the viability of MG cells, promoted their apoptosis, and inhibited their migratory and invasive potentials (all P<0.05). Network pharmacology analysis showed that OD inhibited the invasion of MG cells by directly regulating MAPK and Wnt pathways through MAPK, EGFR, MYC, GSK3B, and other targets. The anti-invasion effect of OD was also found to be related to the indirect regulation of microtubule cytoskeleton organization.

CONCLUSIONS

]EEOD could inhibit the invasion of human MG cells, and the anti-invasion mechanism of OD might be regulating MAPK and Wnt signaling pathways and microtubule cytoskeleton organization.

Uncovering the molecular mechanism of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino against breast cancer using network pharmacology and molecular docking

Because of their strong anti-cancer efficacy with fewer side effects, traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have attracted considerable attention for their potential application in treating breast cancer (BC). However, knowledge about the underlying systematic mechanisms is scarce. Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (GP), a creeping herb, has been regularly used as a TCM to prevent and treat tumors including BC. Again, mechanisms underlying its anti-BC properties have remained elusive. We used network pharmacology and molecular docking to explore the mechanistic details of GP against BC. The TCM systems pharmacology database and analysis platform and PharmMapper Server database were used to retrieve the chemical constituents and potential targets in GP. In addition, targets related to BC were identified using DrugBank and Therapeutic Target Database. Protein-protein interaction network, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of crucial targets were performed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins and database for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery databases, whereas the network visualization analysis was performed using Cytoscape 3.8.2. In addition, the molecular docking technique was used to validate network pharmacology-based predictions. A comparison of the predicted targets of GP with those of BC-related drugs revealed 26 potential key targets related to the treatment of BC, among which ALB, EGFR, ESR1, AR, PGR, and HSP90AA1 were considered the major potential targets. Finally, network pharmacology-based prediction results were preliminarily verified by molecular docking experiments. In addition, chemical constituents and potential target proteins were scored, followed by a comparison with the ligands of the protein. We provide a network of pharmacology-based molecular mechanistic insights on the therapeutic action of GP against BC. We believe that our data will serve as a basis to conduct future studies and promote the clinical applications of GP.

Methodology of network pharmacology for research on Chinese herbal medicine against COVID-19: A review

Traditional Chinese medicine, as a complementary and alternative medicine, has been practiced for thousands of years in China and possesses remarkable clinical efficacy. Thus, systematic analysis and examination of the mechanistic links between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and the complex human body can benefit contemporary understandings by carrying out qualitative and quantitative analysis. With increasing attention, the approach of network pharmacology has begun to unveil the mystery of CHM by constructing the heterogeneous network relationship of "herb-compound-target-pathway," which corresponds to the holistic mechanisms of CHM. By integrating computational techniques into network pharmacology, the efficiency and accuracy of active compound screening and target fishing have been improved at an unprecedented pace. This review dissects the core innovations to the network pharmacology approach that were developed in the years since 2015 and highlights how this tool has been applied to understanding the coronavirus disease 2019 and refining the clinical use of CHM to combat it.

Investigation of Anti-Liver Cancer Activity of the Herbal Drug FDY003 Using Network Pharmacology

Globally, liver cancer (LC) is the sixth-most frequently occurring and the second-most fatal malignancy, responsible for 0.83 million deaths annually. Although the application of herbal drugs in cancer therapies has increased, their anti-LC activity and relevant mechanisms have not been fully studied from a systems perspective. To address these issues, we conducted a system-perspective network pharmacological investigation into the activity and mechanisms underlying the action of the herbal drug. FDY003 reduced the viability of human LC treatment. FDY003 reduced the viability of human LC cells and elevated their chemosensitivity. There were a total of 16 potential bioactive chemical components in FDY003 and they had 91 corresponding targets responsible for the pathological processes in LC. These FDY003 targets were functionally involved in regulating the survival, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of LC cells. Additionally, we found that FDY003 may target key signaling cascades connected to diverse LC pathological mechanisms, namely, PI3K-Akt, focal adhesion, IL-17, FoxO, MAPK, and TNF pathways. Overall, this study contributed to integrative mechanistic insights into the anti-LC potential of FDY003.

Network pharmacology and experimental validation-based approach to understand the effect and mechanism of Taohong Siwu Decoction against ischemic stroke

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Taohong Siwu Decoction (THSWD) is a classic prescription of traditional Chinese medicine that is mainly used for promoting blood circulation and alleviating blood stasis. THSWD is composed of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Carthamus tinctorius L., Ligusticum chuanxiong hort, Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC, and Paeoniae Radix Alba. This prescription eliminates blood stasis, supplements blood, and dredges the body as an auxiliary treatment.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the mechanistic effects of THSWD in the treatment of cerebral ischemia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

we downloaded 39 blood components for THSWD from the PharmMapper database for target prediction studies and identified the targets of cerebral ischemia. We identified the intersection between the components and targets, constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, carried out GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. a rat model of cerebral ischemia was established in rats, and the results of network pharmacology were verified by in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

Established a component-target-pathway network, further transcriptomics analysis identified a total of 11 target genes (Plau, Fabp4, Mmp9, Mmp12, Cfd, Lcn2, Trem1, Lgals3, Hmox1, Selp and Slc6a4), a total of seven pathways (focal adhesion, complement and coagulation cascades, Staphylococcus aureus infection, malaria, transcriptional dysregulation in cancer, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway), because both targets genes and the complement and coagulation cascade signaling pathways mediate inflammatory responses, the signaling pathways associated with the complement and coagulation cascades were selected for experimental verification. We detected inflammatory factors and several key proteins in the complement and coagulation cascade signaling pathway (C1qb, C1qc, C3ar1, C5ar1, and Cfd). Analysis showed that THSWD can reduce the release of inflammatory factors and inhibit activation of the complement signaling pathways, thereby protecting against ischemic stroke disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide preliminary clarification of the predominant mechanism of action of THSWD when used to treat ischemic stroke.

Effect of diabetes blood-stasis syndrome and Xuefu Zhuyu decoction on ERK1/2-VEGF signal pathway in rat retina Müller cells

AIMS

This research was aimed to investigate whether diabetic blood-stasis syndrome had a relationship with ERK1/2-VEGF signaling pathway in rat retina Müller cells and Traditional Chinese Drugs designed for promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis had effectiveness for diabetic retinopathy (DR) treatment.

METHODS

Immunofluorescence was applied to determine purity of Müller cells. Müller cells were stimulated by blood serum obtained from rats with blood-stasis syndrome and then treated by Xuefu Zhuyu decoction. Western blot analysis, RT-PCR and ELISA were used to measure the expression of VEGF. Western blot analysis was used to determine the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The status of AP-1 DNA binding activity was monitored by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).

RESULTS

Stimulation of Müller cells by blood serum of rat with diabetic blood stasis increased the secretion of VEGF, activated ERK1/2 and AP-1 DNA-binding activity. And treatment of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction could weaken this phenomenon. What's more, ERK1/2 signaling pathway inhibitor U0126 also could inhibit the expression of VEGF.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetic blood-stasis syndrome in theory of traditional Chinese Medicine has positive role in regulating ERK1/2-VEGF signaling pathway. Traditional Chinese drugs for promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis would be an effective therapy to treat DR.

Combining ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadruple exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry with chemometrics to identify and verify the blood-activating components of hawthorn

Hawthorn, one of the widely-used Chinese herbal medicines, has been used to treat blood stasis syndrome in the clinic, but its blood-activating components are unclear. This study combined the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadruple exactive-orbitrap mass spectrometry with chemometrics to identify the blood-activating components of hawthorn. Different polar fractions of hawthorn aqueous extracts were extracted and mixed to prepare 14 samples. The contents of 25 chemical components for 14 samples were determined by the proposed quantitative method which was validated in terms of linearity, precision, stability, repeatability, and recovery, while the blood-activating effect was evaluated by measuring the whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and plasma fibrinogen levels. Then the partial least squares model was established on the spectrum-effect relationship. The result showed that vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside, rutin, citric acid, malic acid, gallic acid, and fumaric acid could reduce the whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and plasma fibrinogen levels in blood stasis model rats, and these components were the blood-activating components of hawthorn. This study provided a scientific basis for clarifying the blood-activating components of hawthorn, and the spectrum-effect approach proved to be an effective approach to discovering the bioactive components of Chinese herbal medicines.

FuZhengHuaYuJiangZhuTongLuoFang Prescription Modulates Gut Microbiota and Gut-Derived Metabolites in UUO Rats

Background

Alteration of intestinal flora and metabolites is closely related to chronic kidney disease (CKD) across early to advanced stages. FuZhengHuaYuJiangZhuTongLuoFang prescription (FZHY) is a Chinese herb that has been proven to effectively treat CKD, but the underlying mechanism is not clear.

Methods

Rats were subjected to intragastric treatment with FZHY 7, 14, and 21 days after unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) surgery, and kidney tissue, colon tissue, serum, and stool samples were collected.

Results

FZHY treatment effectively ameliorated UUO-induced renal function loss, renal injury and renal fibrosis, and colon tissue damage and fibrosis on day 7. The results of 16S flora analysis (day 7) showed that, compared with the UUO group, both the FZHY group and the sham group showed decreased levels of g_Monoglobus, g_Papillibacter, g_Eubacterium_nodatum, and g_Family_XIII_AD3011. Additionally, FZHY obviously induced the reduction of serum citrulline, glycoursodeoxycholic acid, 23-nordeoxycholic acid, 7-ketodeoxycholic acid, kahweol, lipoid B4, 4-(3,4-dihydro-2H-1,5-benzodioxepin-7-yl)-2-methyl-1,3-thiazole, taurolithocholic acid sodium salt, indoline-2-carboxylic acid, 5(S),15(S)-diHETE, and others and the increase of bilirubin, asparagine, and others, which were positively associated with the above four candidate bacteria. Moreover, FZHY increased the levels of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1 in the colonic mucosa and reduced the levels of CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1 in the serum and LN, FN, Col-I, and Col-III in the tubulointerstitium of UUO rats on day 7.

Conclusion

Our study revealed that FZHY reduced kidney damage at the early stage of CKD by regulating the above four candidate bacteria biomarkers and gut-derived harmful metabolites, inhibiting the inflammation response and tubulointerstitial fibrosis, providing deep insight into CKD therapeutic strategy.

Elucidating the anti-aging mechanism of Si Jun Zi Tang by integrating network pharmacology and experimental validation in vivo

Si Jun Zi Tang (SJZT) is a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription used to treat aging-related diseases. However, the potential molecular mechanisms of the anti-aging effects of the bioactive compounds and their targets remain elusive. In this study, we combined network pharmacology and molecular docking with in vivo experiments to elucidate the anti-aging molecular mechanism of SJZT. A series of network pharmacology strategies were used to predict potential targets and therapeutic mechanisms of SJZT, including compound screening, pathway enrichment analysis and molecular docking studies. Based on the network pharmacology predictions and observation of outward signs of aging, the expression levels of selected genes and proteins and possible key targets were subsequently validated and analysed using qRT-PCR and immunoblotting. Using a data mining approach, 235 effective targets of SJZT and aging were obtained. AKT1, STAT3, JUN, MAPK3, TP53, MAPK1, TNF, RELA, MAPK14 and IL6 were identified as core genes in the Protein-Protein Interaction Networks (PPI) analysis. The results of the effective target Gene Ontology (Go) functional enrichment analysis suggested that SJZT may be involved aging and antiapoptotic biological processes. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated that the anti-aging mechanism of SJZT may be associated with the PI3K-AKT and P38 MAPK signalling pathways. Molecular docking analysis suggested that kaempferol and quercetin could fit in the binding pockets of the core targets. In addition, SJZT alleviated the aging symptoms of mice such as osteoporosis and hair loss. In conclusion, the anti-aging effect of SJZT was associated with the inhibition of the PI3K-AKT and P38 MAPK signalling pathways, and these findings were consistent with the network pharmacology prediction.

Uncovering the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Gexia-Zhuyu Formula (GXZY) in Treating Liver Cirrhosis by an Integrative Pharmacology Strategy

Liver cirrhosis (LC) is a fibrotic lesion of liver tissue caused by the repeated progression of chronic hepatitis. The traditional Chinese medicine Gexia-Zhuyu formula (GXZY) has a therapeutic effect on LC. However, its pharmacological mechanisms on LC remain elucidated. Here, we used the network pharmacology approach to explore the action mechanisms of GXZY on LC. The compounds of GXZY were from the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database, and their potential targets were from SwissTargetPrediction and STITCH databases. The disease targets of LC came from GeneCards, DisGeNET, NCBI gene, and OMIM databases. Then we constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to obtain the key target genes. And the gene ontology (GO), pathway enrichment, and expression analysis of the key genes were also performed. Subsequently, the potential action mechanisms of GXZY on LC predicted by the network pharmacology analyses were experimentally validated in LC rats and LX2 cells. A total of 150 components in GXZY were obtained, among which 111 were chosen as key compounds. The PPI network included 525 targets, and the key targets were obtained by network topological parameters analysis, whereas the predicted key genes of GXZY on LC were AR, JUN, MYC, CASP3, MMP9, GAPDH, and RELA. Furthermore, these key genes were related to pathways in cancer, hepatitis B, TNF signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway. The in vitro and in vivo experiments validated that GXZY inhibited the process of LC mainly via the regulation of cells proliferation and migration through reducing the expression of MMP9. In conclusion, through the combination of network pharmacology and experimental verification, this study offered more insight molecular mechanisms of GXZY on LC.

Uncovering the Potential Mechanisms of Coptis chinensis Franch. for Serious Mental Illness by Network Pharmacology and Pharmacology-Based Analysis

Background

Serious mental illness is a disease with complex etiological factors that requires multiple interventions within a holistic disease system. With heat-clearing and detoxifying effects, Coptis chinensis Franch. is mainly used to treat serious mental illness.

Aim of the Study

To explore the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic effect by which Coptis chinensis Franch. treats serious mental illnesses at a holistic level.

Methods

A viable network pharmacology approach was adopted to obtain the potential active ingredients of Coptis chinensis Franch., and serious mental illnesses-related targets and signaling pathways. The interactions between crucial target HTR2A and constituents were verified by molecular docking, and the dynamic behaviors of binding were studied by molecular dynamics simulation. In addition, the anti-anxiety effect of Rhizoma Coptidis (the roots of Coptis chinensis Franch.) extract on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mice was verified. The anxiety-like behavior was measured through the elevated plus-maze test, light–dark box test, and open field test. Radioimmunoassays detected the levels of interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10, interleukin-4, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and dopamine in the serum, hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. Meanwhile, immunohistochemistry protocols for the assessment of neuronal loss (neuron-specific nuclear protein) and synaptic alterations (Synapsin I) were performed in the hippocampus.

Results

Based on scientific analysis of the established networks, serious mental illnesses-related targets mostly participated in the calcium signaling pathway, cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, serotonergic and dopaminergic synapse. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies illustrated that berberine, epiberberine, palmatine, and coptisine presented favorable binding patterns with HTR2A. The in vivo experiments confirmed that Rhizoma Coptidis extract ameliorated anxiety-like behaviors by improving the survival of neurons, regulating synaptic plasticity, and inhibiting neuroinflammation.

Conclusion

These findings in the present study led to potential preventative and therapeutic strategies for serious mental illnesses with traditional Chinese medicine.

A study of the therapeutic mechanism of Jakyakgamcho-Tang about functional dyspepsia through network pharmacology research

Herbal medicines have traditionally been used as an effective digestive medicine. However, compared to the effectiveness of Herbal medicines, the treatment mechanism has not been fully identified. To solve this problem, a system-level treatment mechanism of Jakyakgamcho-Tang (JGT), which is used for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD), was identified through a network pharmacology study. The two components, paeoniae radix alba and licorice constituting JGT were analyzed based on broad information on chemical and pharmacological properties, confirming 84 active chemical compounds and 84 FD-related targets. The JGT target confirmed the relationship with the regulation of various biological movements as follows: cellular behaviors of muscle and cytokine, calcium ion concentration and homeostasis, calcium- and cytokine-mediated signalings, drug, inflammatory response, neuronal cells, oxidative stress and response to chemical. And the target is enriched in variety FD-related signaling as follows: MAPK, Toll-like receptor, NOD-like receptor, PI3K-Akt, Apoptosis and TNF signaling pathway. These data give a new approach to identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying the digestive effect of JGT.

The Relationship between the Second-Generation Antipsychotics Efficacy and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Body Constitutions in Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment; Second-generation Antipsychotics (SGAs) have become the most prescribed medication for schizophrenia patients. The efficacy of various SGAs treatment may differ in schizophrenia patients with various traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) body constitution (BC) types. Method: This study applied a longitudinal quantitative research design, where a total of 66 participants were recruited. The Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) score were used to evaluate patients’ psychopathology status in hospitalization, and body constitution questionnaires were conducted by face-to-face interviews in the 1st, 3rd, and 6th week of hospitalization. Results: More than 60% of schizophrenia patients who were treated with SGAs were classified to have unbalanced BC types including Yin-Xu, Yang-Xu and Stasis. Generalized estimating equation analysis revealed significant time effects in CGI and PANSS score improvements in both unbalanced and gentleness (balance) BC types, but no significant changes in the group and group-time interaction in the CGI and PANSS scores in different BC type groups. Conclusions: Schizophrenia patients under SGAs treatment had a higher proportion of unbalanced BC types which may lead to poorer physical or mental statuses, such as overweight problems. Health care providers could apply interventions according to patients’ BC types for disease prevention.

Huanglianjiedu Decoction as an effective treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma based on network pharmacology and experimental validation

Background

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of malignant tumors in oral and maxillofacial region with high fatality. Huanglianjiedu Decoction (HLJDD) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal prescription, which consists of Coptis chinensis Franch, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Phellodendron amurense Rupr and Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis. Some clinical studies showed HLJDD had good effectiveness on OSCC, but the mechanism is unclear.

Methods

In this study, potential components of HLJDD and putative targets were screened by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Combining with potential targets of OSCC searched from Therapeutic Target Database (TTD) and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), we drew protein–protein interaction (PPI) network by Cytoscape v3.2.0 software. After topological analysis we got core targets and further did Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Then we did the in vitro experiments to verify the major biological processes (cell cycle, apoptosis and proliferation) and signaling pathways (mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), protein kinase B (AKT)) on OSCC cell lines, SCC-25 and CAL-27.

Results

The potential component targets number of Coptis chinensis Franch, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Phellodendron amurense Rupr and Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis were 39, 93, 81and 88, respectively. Then we got 52 core targets which enriched in cell cycle, apoptosis, proliferation, MAPK activation etc. and obtained TOP30 pathways. On SCC-25 and CAL-27, HLJDD suppressed cell proliferation, induced late apoptosis and inhibited cell invasion and migration which were consistent with the results from network pharmacology analysis. Additionally, in cell cycle, we confirmed HLJDD inhibited G1 phase and arrested in S phase to reduce cell proliferation on SCC-25. In signaling pathways, HLJDD inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular regulatory protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and NF-κB p65 (S468) on SCC-25 and CAL-27.

Conclusions

HLJDD played a potential therapeutic role on OSCC via inhibiting p-ERK1/2 and p-NF-κB p65 (S468).

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02201-6.

Network Pharmacology-Based Dissection of the Comprehensive Molecular Mechanisms of the Herbal Prescription FDY003 Against Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (ERPBC) is the commonest subtype of breast cancer, with a high prevalence, incidence, and mortality. Herbal drugs are increasingly being used to treat ERPBC, although their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the therapeutic properties of FDY003, a herbal anti-ERPBC prescription, using a network pharmacology approach. FDY003 decreased the viability of human ERPBC cells and sensitized them to tamoxifen, an endocrine drug that is widely used in the treatment of ERPBC. The network pharmacology analysis revealed 18 pharmacologically active components in FDY003 that may interact with and regulate 66 therapeutic targets. The enriched gene ontology terms for the FDY003 targets were associated with the modulation of cell survival and death, cell proliferation and growth arrest, and estrogen-associated cellular processes. Analysis of the pathway enrichment of the targets showed that FDY003 may target a variety of ERPBC-associated pathways, including the PIK3-Akt, focal adhesion, MAPK, and estrogen pathways. Overall, these data provide a comprehensive mechanistic insight into the anti-ERPBC activity of FDY003.

Network Pharmacology-Based Dissection of the Active Ingredients and Protective Mechanism of the Salvia Miltiorrhiza and Panax Notoginseng Herb Pair against Insulin Resistance

The Salvia miltiorrhiza and Panax notoginseng herb pair (DQ) has been widely utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for the longevity and for preventing and treating cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Often associated with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases are comorbidities such as insulin resistance. However, the protective mechanisms of DQ against insulin resistance remain not well understood. Through network pharmacology analysis, a total of 94 candidate active compounds selected from DQ (61 from S. miltiorrhiza Bunge and 33 from P. notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen) interacted with 52 corresponding insulin resistance-related targets, which mainly involved insulin resistance and the AMPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, the contribution index calculation results indicated 25 compounds as the principal components of this herb pair against insulin resistance. Among them, ginsenoside F2, protocatechuic acid, and salvianolic acid B were selected and validated to promote glucose consumption through activating AMPK phosphorylation and upregulating GLUT4 in insulin-resistant cell model (HepG2/IR) cells. These findings indicated that DQ has the potential for repositioning in the treatment of insulin resistance mainly through the AMPK signaling pathway.

Exploration of the Effect and Mechanism of Fructus Lycii, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, and Paeonia lactiflora in the Treatment of AMD Based on Network Pharmacology and in vitro Experimental Verification

Purpose

The aim of this study was to observe the mechanism of Fructus Lycii (FL), Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (RRP) and Paeonia lactiflora (PL) in treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD) based on network pharmacology and biological experiments.

Methods

Bioactive compounds, potential targets of FL, RRP and PL, and genes related to AMD, were acquired from public databases. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses of the core targets were conducted by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Subsequently, the finding was further verified with cell experiments. The MTT assay and flow cytometric analysis were used to assess cell viability and apoptosis. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was analyzed by DCFH-DA staining; the activity of antioxidant enzymes was chemically measured with assay kits. The expression of key proteins was evaluated by Western blot analysis.

Results

Fifty-nine active compounds, 182 potential targets, and 2536 AMD-related human genes were identified. A total of 103 key targets of the three herbs on AMD were identified by protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. The abovementioned targets were correlated with nuclear receptor activity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis pathways according to the GO and KEGG analyses. MTT assay and flow cytometry demonstrated that pretreatment of ARPE-19 cells with the three herbs significantly increased cell viability and decreased apoptosis induced by H₂O₂. The three herbs might reduce the intracellular ROS levels and increase the SOD and CAT activities after H₂O₂. Furthermore, the three herbs significantly inhibited oxidative stress via increasing the expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO1.

Conclusion

The combined results of network pharmacology and validation experiments showed that FL, RRP and PL reduce oxidative stress and apoptosis in RPE cells to exert its effect in the treatment of AMD.

Study on the Mechanism of the Danggui-Chuanxiong Herb Pair on Treating Thrombus through Network Pharmacology and Zebrafish Models

Danggui-Chuanxiong (DC) is a commonly used nourishing and activating blood medicine pair in many gynecological prescriptions and modern Chinese medicine. However, its activating blood mechanism has not been clearly elucidated. Our research aimed at investigating the activating blood mechanisms of DC using network pharmacology and zebrafish experiments. Network pharmacology was used to excavate the potential targets and mechanisms of DC in treating thrombus. The antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and vasculogenesis activities of DC and the main components of DC, ferulic acid (DC2), ligustilide (DC7), and levistilide A (DC17), were evaluated by zebrafish models in vivo. A total of 24 compounds were selected as the active ingredients with favorable pharmacological parameters for this herb pair. A total of 89 targets and 18 pathways related to the thrombus process were gathered for active compounds. The genes, TNF, CXCR4, IL2, ESR1, FGF2, HIF1A, CXCL8, AR, FOS, MMP2, MMP9, STAT3, and RHOA, might be the main targets for this herb pair to exert cardiovascular activity from the analysis of protein-protein interaction and KEGG pathway results, which were mainly related to inflammation, vasculogenesis, immunity, hormones, and so forth. The zebrafish experiment results showed that DC had antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and vasculogenesis activities. The main compounds had different effects of zebrafish activities. Especially, the antithrombotic activity of the DC17H group, anti-inflammatory activities of DCH and DC2H groups, antioxidant activities of DCM, DCH, DC2, DC7, and DC17 groups, and vasculogenesis activities of DCM, DCH, and DC2 groups were stronger than those of the positive group. The integrated method coupled zebrafish models with network pharmacology provided the insights into the mechanisms of DC in treating thrombus.

Evaluation of the effects of notoginseng total saponins (NS), safflower total flavonoids (SF), and the combination of NS and SF (CNS) on the activities of cytochrome P450 enzymes using a cocktail method in rats

Notoginseng total saponins (NS), safflower total flavonoids (SF), and the combination of NS and SF, namely CNS, are used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in clinic. This study developed a cocktail assay involving seven cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes to elucidate the effect of NS, SF, and CNS on CYP enzymes and to explore the synergistic effect of CNS in terms of CYP enzymes. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-MS and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were applied to detect the activities and mRNA expression levels of CYP enzymes. SF exhibited inhibitory effects on CYP1A2, 2B1, 2E1, and 2C11 and induction effects on CYP2C19 and 2D4. NS exhibited induction effects on CYP1A2, 2B1, 2E1, 2C11, 2C19, and 2D4. CNS exhibited induction effects on CYP1A2, 2B1, 2E1, 2C19, and 2D4 and inhibitory effects on CYP3A1 in vivo. Moreover, mRNA expression results were consistent with pharmacokinetic results. Potential herb-drug interactions should be studied closely when SF, NS, or CNS with clinical drugs are metabolized by CYP1A2, 2B1, 2E1, 2C11, 2C19, 2D4, and 3A1. CNS could change the inhibition or induction effects of CYP compared to the NS group, which might be one of the causes for the synergistic effects of the combination of NS and SF.

Evaluation of Biological Mechanisms of Eucommiae Folium in Hypertensive Kidney Injury by Integration of Untargeted Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology

Hypertensive kidney injury (Hki) is one of the most common complications of hypertension. Early prevention and treatment of renal injury in patients with hypertension is great significance. The study, which used an integrated ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analysis, network pharmacology approach, and plasma metabolomics, aimed to discover the active ingredients and therapeutic mechanisms of Eucommiae folium (Ef) in treating Hki. The chemical components of Ef were analyzed by UPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS), and the "compound-target-disease" network was constructed by screening the closely related drug targets from the drug-target database, then the signaling pathways related to Hki were analyzed. Finally, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to test and verify the key targets in the common pathways of metabolomics and network pharmacology. The results indicated that Eucommiae folium might play an excellent role in treating Hki, likely through regulating the vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway, hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway, and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway, which were validated by increasing levels of nitric oxide, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and reducing levels of endothelin 1, angiotensin II, renin, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine, as well as the reduced gene expression of Ache, Ddah2, Egfr, Lcat, Pla2g2a, Stat3 and Vegfa. The study systematically explored the protective mechanisms of Ef against Hki and also provided the practical treatment strategies of Hki from the Chinese herb.

The Pharmacological Activity of the Wenjing Decoction in Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion

Background

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is intractable infertility and can be ameliorated with the use of traditional Chinese medicine preparation, the Wenjing decoction. This study aimed to identify the therapeutic mechanism of Wenjing decoction on specific target proteins involved in RSA.

Methods

Wenjing decoction contains Wuzhuyu, Danggui, Chuanxiong, Guizhi, Shengjiang, Banxia, Gancao, Ejiao, Mudanpi, Chishao, Dangshen, and Maidong. Using TCMSP and BATMAN databases, we queried for active ingredients and predicted their target proteins by BATMAN. Using the edgeR package, we analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the GSE121950 database between control samples and RSA (n = 3). The interaction between DEGs and the predicted target proteins was identified by the Venn diagram. Using the Cytoscape software and clusterProfiler package, enrichment analysis was conducted for the intersected target proteins. Additionally, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and pharmacological network were generated using the Cytoscape software.

Results

In total, 31, 2, 7, 7, 5, 13, 93, 11, 29, and 21 active ingredients were identified from Wuzhuyu, Danggui, Chuanxiong, Guizhi, Shengjiang, Banxia, Gancao, Mudanpi, Chishao, and Dangshen, respectively. Additionally, 100 intersected target proteins were revealed by the Venn diagram. Moreover, 98 functional terms and 24 pathways (including C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, leukocyte transendothelial migration, fluid shear stress, and atherosclerosis, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications) were enriched. In the PPI network, 10 proteins involved in these five pathways were identified, namely, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), IL-10 (interleukin-10), TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4), JUN (Jun proto-oncogene), IL-1B (interleukin-1-beta), CYBB (cytochrome b558 heavy chain gene), PTGS2 (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2), APOE (apolipoprotein E), SPI1 (salmonella pathogenicity island 1), and MPO (myeloperoxidase) which showed higher degrees.

Conclusion

The abovementioned genes and pathways might be involved in the pharmacological activity of Wenjing decoction in RSA.

Integrated gut microbiota and fecal metabolomics reveal the renoprotective effect of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata and Corni Fructus on adenine-induced CKD rats

Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (RR) and Corni Fructus (CF), well-known traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), were generally used together in the clinical practices to treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) with synergistic effects for thousands of years, but their combination mechanism remains largely unknown so far. Recent evidences have implicated intestinal flora as potential targets for the therapy of CKD. In this study, the CKD rat model was induced by adenine. The levels of proteinuria, serum creatine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine clearance (Ccr) were used to assess the cooperation effect of RR and CF. Furthermore, high-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing combined with fecal metabonomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS were applied to explore the variations of intestinal flora and their metabolic profiles. 16S rRNA gene sequencing data indicated that CKD rats treated with RR, CF and RC showed the differences in the composition of gut microbiota. The abundance of beneficial bacteria including Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Ruminococcus 1, Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group, Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group and Lachnospiraceae UCG-001 were elevated in various degrees, while the opportunistic pathogen such as Desulfovibrio was markedly decreased after the treatment. Moreover, fecal metabolite profiles revealed 15 different metabolites associated with CKD. These metabolites were mainly involved in the related metabolic pathways such as amino acid metabolism, bile acids metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism. The results implied that gut flora and their metabolites might play a vital role in the progress of CKD, which provided a potential target for the development of novel drugs for the therapy of CKD.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Usage Reduces Overall Mortality in HIV-Infected Patients With Osteoporosis or Fractures

The survival of patients with HIV has greatly improved, due to Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). However, long-term HIV survivors often develop serious bone abnormalities, possibly due to the interplay of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, HIV ad ART. We evaluated in a nation-wide study in Taiwan the effect of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on overall mortality in HIV patients with osteoporosis or fractures. Enrollment period was between 1998 and 2011. Patients with osteoporosis or fractures before the HIV infection, and those with less than 14 days CHM use, were excluded. This left 498 patients, 160 CHM users, 338 without CHM. Univariate Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to compare the overall mortality in these 2 groups. Due to the nature of Chinese medicine, CHMs inevitably varied. We therefore also used rule mining and network analysis to determine which major CHM clusters were prescribed to the patients. CHM users had a much Lower mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.24–0.77, p < 0.005) and higher survival (p = 0.004, log-rank test). Although the CHMs greatly varied, network analysis identified one main cluster of strongly related CHM combinations (Chuan-Xiong-Cha-Tiao-San (CXCTS), Gan-Cao (GC; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.), Liu-He-Tang (LHT), Huang-Qin-Tang (HQT), Jia-Wei-Ping-Wei-San (JWPWS), and Dang-Gui-Long-Hui-Wan (DGLHuiW)). CHM as an additional treatment strongly improves overall survival in HIV-infected patients with osteoporosis and fractures.

A Network Pharmacology Approach to Predict the Proangiogenesis Mechanism of Huangqi-Honghua Herb Pair after Cerebral Ischemia

Objective

Huangqi-Honghua herb pair is known for its medicinal value to treat Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome with a long history in clinical practice. To understand its possible mechanism in a systematic study, a network pharmacological method was addressed.

Methods

Detailed information on the HH compounds was obtained from two public databases, and oral bioavailability (OB) and drug-like (DL) of the compounds were evaluated. A correlation between HH compounds, its potential targets, and known targets was extrapolated, and the herb-compound-target-disease (H-C-T-D) network was established. Next, the pathway enrichment and essential genes were analyzed. Then, three key genes (VEGFA, VEGFR2, and eNOS), highly associated with angiogenesis, were screened and verified through western blot assay.

Results

Out of 276 compounds, 21 HH compounds and 78 target genes regulating the major pathways associated with CI in the network are analyzed. The bioactive compounds in HH were active in various signal transduction pathways such as the toll-like receptor signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and HIF-1 signaling pathway are important pathways that may regulate anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, immune correlation, and antioxidative effects. The core genes are PTGS2, TNF, NOS2, IL6, BCL2, IL1B, SOD2, NOS3, SOD1, MMP9, and VEGFA. The in vitro results suggested that HH treatment could significantly elevate the expression of proangiogenic genes such as VEGFA, VEGFR2, and eNOS compared with OGD groups.

Conclusions

Our results predict that HH may regulate the expression of VEGFA, VEGFR2, and eNOS via the VEGF and HIF-1 signaling pathway to promote angiogenesis and alleviate cerebral ischemia injury.

Network Pharmacology-Based Analysis of the Underlying Mechanism of Huajiao for Pain Relief

Objective

Pain is a common symptom among patients, and pain management is an important clinical practice topic. The mechanism of Huajiao (HJ; Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.) and its effective components for treating pain was explored using network pharmacology and molecular docking to verify its pain relief function in traditional medical practice.

Methods

HJ's components were collected via the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology platform and published studies. HJ-associated target proteins were predicted using the drug similarity rule via Swiss Target Prediction. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man was used to search for pain-related genes and proteins, and the Database of Interacting Proteins was used to obtain the human interactive target proteins. The compound-target-disease network of HJ for pain relief was constructed with protein-protein interaction networks. The obtained target proteins were uploaded on the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery to annotate, visualize, and integrally discover the related signaling pathway, and semiflexible molecular docking by Autodock Vina was applied to verify the potential mechanism.

Results

A total of 157 molecules in HJ were obtained, and the top 20 active components or active groups were mainly focused on the amide alkaloids (e.g., [6RS]-[2E,7E,9E]-6-hydroxy-N-[2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl]-11-oxo-2,7,9-dodecatrienamide and [2E,7E,9E]-N-[2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl]-11-ethoxy-6-hydroxy-dodeca-2,7,9-trienamide). Also, the 66 main targets were filtered from 746 predicted targets and 928 pain-related targets through module Network Analyzer in Cytoscape 3.6.0. Finally, there were 3 critical signaling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphoinositide 3-kinase-protein kinase B-mammalian target of rapamycin, and IκB kinase-nuclear factor κB-cyclooxygenase 2 based on integrated discovery with 54 enriched signaling pathways.

Conclusions

HJ is used as a pain relief and has multicomponents, multitargets, and multiapproaches. Amide alkaloids are important substance bases, and HJ is more suitable for treating inflammatory pain.

A Comprehensive Understanding of the Anticancer Mechanisms of FDY2004 Against Cervical Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology

Herbal drugs are continuously being developed and used as effective therapeutics for various cancers, such as cervical cancer (CC); however, their mechanisms of action at a systemic level have not been explored fully. To study such mechanisms, we conducted a network pharmacological investigation of the anti-CC mechanisms of FDY2004, an herbal drug consisting of Moutan Radicis Cortex, Persicae Semen , and Rhei Radix et Rhizoma. We found that FDY2004 inhibited the viability of human CC cells. By performing pharmacokinetic evaluation and network analysis of the phytochemical components of FDY2004, we identified 29 bioactive components and their 116 CC-associated pharmacological targets. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that the modulation of cellular functions, such as apoptosis, growth, proliferation, and survival, might be mediated through the FDY2004 targets. The therapeutic targets were also key components of CC-associated oncogenic and tumor-suppressive pathways, including PI3K-Akt, human papillomavirus infection, IL-17, MAPK, TNF, focal adhesion, and viral carcinogenesis pathways. In conclusion, our data present a comprehensive insight for the mechanisms of the anti-CC properties of FDY2004.

Danggui Buxue Decoction in the Treatment of Metastatic Colon Cancer: Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation

Purpose

This study aimed to reveal Danggui Buxue Decoction (DBD) candidate targets and mechanisms in the treatment of metastatic colon cancer (MCC), using network pharmacology-based analyses and experimental validation.

Methods

Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database query and text mining were used to screen active compounds in DBD, and the Swiss target prediction platform was applied to predict compound-related target proteins. Targets likely associated with MCC were determined using GeneCards and OMIM databases. Targets common to DBD and MCC were obtained from the Venn platform; subsequently, Cytoscape was used to construct drug-compound-target-disease and protein-protein interaction networks. The hub gene was determined by R, while GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed on common targets to elucidate biological processes and signaling pathways involved in DBD against MCC. Finally, the metastatic colon cancer mouse model was used to detect the levels of expression of protein Bax, Bcl2, Caspase3, and Cleaved caspase3 by Western blot.

Results

A total of 28 active compounds and 61 common targets were predicted. The main compounds were quercetin, hederagenin, jaranol, methylnissolin, formononetin, calycosin, kaempferol, 3.9-di-O-methylnissolin, 24-propylcholesterol, and 7-O-methylisomucronulatol, present in Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi, HQ). In addition, beta-sitosterol, ferulic acid, and stigmasterol, present in Angelica sinensis (Danggui, DG), were detected. JUN, PTSG2, EGFR, ESR1and, CASP3 genes were the top 5 hub genes in the PPI network. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that apoptosis played a major role in the biological processes and signaling pathways involved. Moreover, the in vivo experiment revealed that DBD inhibited MCC by up-regulating the expression of Bax, Caspase3, and Cleaved caspase3, and by down-regulating the expression of Bcl2.

Conclusion

This study revealed candidate DBD targets and mechanisms in the treatment of MCC, using network pharmacology-based analyses and experimental validation. The present findings provide a reference for tumor treatment during the perioperative period.

The Species Identification in Traditional Herbal Patent Medicine, Wuhu San, Based on Shotgun Metabarcoding

Traditional herbal patent medicine typically consists of multiple ingredients, making it challenging to supervise contamination by impurities and the improper use of raw materials. This study employed shotgun metabarcoding for the species identification of biological ingredients in traditional herbal patent medicine, Wuhu San. The five prescribed herbal materials found in Wuhu San were collected, and their reference sequences were obtained by traditional DNA barcoding using Sanger sequencing. Two lab-made and three commercial Wuhu San samples were collected, and a total of 37.14 Gb of shotgun sequencing data was obtained for these five samples using the Illumina sequencing platform. A total of 1,421,013 paired-end reads were enriched for the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2), psbA and trnH intergenic spacer region (psbA-trnH), maturase k (matK), and ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) regions. Furthermore, 80, 11, 9, and 8 operational taxonomic units were obtained for the ITS2, psbA-trnH, matK, and rbcL regions, respectively, after metagenomic assembly, annotation, and chimeric detection. In the two lab-made mock samples, all labeled ingredients in the Wuhu San prescription were successfully detected, and the positive control, Panax quinquefolius L., was detected in the HSZY172 mock sample. Three species, namely Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz. ex Ledeb.) Schischk., and Carthamus tinctorius L., belonging to three labeled ingredients, Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fangfeng), and Carthami Flos (Honghua), were detected in the three commercial samples. Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) Benth. & Hook. f. ex Franch. & Sav., the original Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Baizhi) species, was only detected in WHS003. Arisaema erubescens (Wall.) Schott, Arisaema heterophyllum Blume, or Arisaema amurense Maxim., the original Arisaematis Rhizoma (Tiannanxing) species, were not detected in any of the commercial samples, which could be attributed to the fact that this medicinal material underwent extensive processing. In addition, the Saposhnikovia divaricata adulterant was detected in all the commercial samples, while 24 fungal genera, including Aspergillus, were identified in both the lab-made and commercial samples. This study showed that shotgun metabarcoding provided alternative strategy and technical means for identifying prescribed ingredients in traditional herbal patent medicine and displayed the potential to effectively complement traditional methods.

A Network Pharmacology Study on the Molecular Mechanisms of FDY003 for Breast Cancer Treatment

Herbal medicines have drawn considerable attention with regard to their potential applications in breast cancer (BC) treatment, a frequently diagnosed malignant disease, considering their anticancer efficacy with relatively less adverse effects. However, their mechanisms of systemic action have not been understood comprehensively. Based on network pharmacology approaches, we attempted to unveil the mechanisms of FDY003, an herbal drug comprised of Lonicera japonica Thunberg, Artemisia capillaris Thunberg, and Cordyceps militaris, against BC at a systemic level. We found that FDY003 exhibited pharmacological effects on human BC cells. Subsequently, detailed data regarding the biochemical components contained in FDY003 were obtained from comprehensive herbal medicine-related databases, including TCMSP and CancerHSP. By evaluating their pharmacokinetic properties, 18 chemical compounds in FDY003 were shown to be potentially active constituents interacting with 140 BC-associated therapeutic targets to produce the pharmacological activity. Gene ontology enrichment analysis using g:Profiler indicated that the FDY003 targets were involved in the modulation of cellular processes, involving the cell proliferation, cell cycle process, and cell apoptosis. Based on a KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, we further revealed that a variety of oncogenic pathways that play key roles in the pathology of BC were significantly enriched with the therapeutic targets of FDY003; these included PI3K-Akt, MAPK, focal adhesion, FoxO, TNF, and estrogen signaling pathways. Here, we present a network-perspective of the molecular mechanisms via which herbal drugs treat BC.

A Network Pharmacology Approach to Estimate Potential Targets of the Active Ingredients of Epimedium for Alleviating Mild Cognitive Impairment and Treating Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

The present study made use of a network pharmacological approach to evaluate the mechanisms and potential targets of the active ingredients of Epimedium for alleviating mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and treating Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS

The active ingredients of Epimedium were acquired from the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology database, and potential targets were predicted using the TCMSP target module, SwissTargetPrediction, and PharmMapper database. Target proteins correlating with MCI and AD were downloaded from the GeneCards, DisGeNet, and OMIM databases. The common targets of Epimedium, MCI, and AD were identified using the Jvenn online tool, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the String database and Cytoscape. Finally, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the common targets was performed using DAVID, and molecular docking between active ingredients and target genes was modeled using AutoDock Vina.

RESULTS

A total of 20 active ingredients were analyzed, and 337 compound-related targets were identified for Epimedium. Out of 236 proteins associated with MCI and AD, 54 overlapped with the targets of Epimedium. The top 30 interacting proteins in this set were ranked by topological analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that the common targets participated in diverse biological processes and pathways, including cell proliferation and apoptosis, inflammatory response, signal transduction, and protein phosphorylation through cancer pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, sphingolipid signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway. Molecular docking analysis suggested that the 20 active ingredients could bind to the top 5 protein targets.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides theoretical evidence for in-depth analysis of the mechanisms and molecular targets by which Epimedium protects against MCI, AD, and other neurodegenerative diseases and lays the foundation for pragmatic clinical applications and potential new drug development.

Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Models to Investigate the Mechanism of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction on Inflammatory Injury Induced by Cerebral Ischemia

Unlike single-target Western medicines, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) exhibit diverse curative effects against multiple diseases through their "multicomponent" and "multitarget" manifestations. However, the material basis of the major therapeutic diseases and TCM underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be challenged. In the current study, we applied, for the first time, an integrated strategy that combines network pharmacology and experimental evaluation and explored and demonstrated the underlying possible mechanisms of a classic TCM formula, Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJD), in the treatment of cerebral ischemia. First, the herb compound, protein compound, and GO-BP and KEGG pathways were constructed to predict the material basis of HLJD in the treatment of cerebral ischemia and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Network pharmacology analysis showed that HLJD treats cerebral ischemia mainly through its anti-inflammatory effect. We used molecular docking to verify that HLJD components have good binding activities to the arachidonic acid pathway enzymes, cyclooxylipase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). Next, based on the prediction by the network pharmacology analysis, the rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established to verify the efficacy of HLJD. The results showed that HLJD reduces the degree of brain injury in MCAO rats, probably by inhibiting the expression of the 5-LOX pathway and inflammatory response. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating network pharmacology with an experimental study for material basis of the major therapeutic diseases and the underlying molecular mechanisms of TCM.

An Investigation of the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Analgesic Effect of Jakyak-Gamcho Decoction: A Network Pharmacology Study

Herbal drugs have drawn substantial interest as effective analgesic agents; however, their therapeutic mechanisms remain to be fully understood. To address this question, we performed a network pharmacology study to explore the system-level mechanisms that underlie the analgesic activity of Jakyak-Gamcho decoction (JGd; Shaoyao-Gancao-Tang in Chinese and Shakuyaku-Kanzo-To in Japanese), an herbal prescription consisting of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer. Based on comprehensive information regarding the pharmacological and chemical properties of the herbal constituents of JGd, we identified 57 active chemical compounds and their 70 pain-associated targets. The JGd targets were determined to be involved in the regulation of diverse biological activities as follows: calcium- and cytokine-mediated signalings, calcium ion concentration and homeostasis, cellular behaviors of muscle and neuronal cells, inflammatory response, and response to chemical, cytokine, drug, and oxidative stress. The targets were further enriched in various pain-associated signalings, including the PI3K-Akt, estrogen, ErbB, neurotrophin, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, HIF-1, serotonergic synapse, JAK-STAT, and cAMP pathways. Thus, these data provide a systematic basis to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the analgesic activity of herbal drugs.

A Network Pharmacology-Based Analysis of the Protective Mechanism of Miao Medicine Xuemaitong Capsule Against Secondary Brain Damage in the Ischemic Area Surrounding Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating disease with the high mortality. The poor outcome of ICH is partially due to a combination of various secondary insults, including in the ischemic area. Xuemaitong capsule (XMT), a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, has been applied to clinic practice. The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanism of XMT in alleviating secondary damage in the ischemic area after ICH. We screened XMT target, compound components, and ICH-related targets using network pharmacology, cluster analysis, and enrichment analysis. We found that the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway might be the key signaling pathway for XMT treatment of ICH. An ICH rat model was established, as demonstrated by poor neurologic score. In the ICH rats, Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence indicated the upregulated expression of TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and caspase-3 (CASP3). Importantly, administration of XMT alleviated inflammation, edema, and increased perfusion in the ischemic area, whereas the expression of TNFR1, MAPK, NF-κB, and CASP3 was decreased. Furthermore, Fluoro-Jade B and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-deoxyuridine nick-end labeling staining revealed that XMT application also inhibited apoptosis and degradation of ischemic area neurons. In conclusion, this evidence elucidates that XMT alleviates neuron apoptosis, ischemic area inflammation, edema, and perfusion through the TNFR1-mediated CASP3/NF-κB/MAPK axis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is the key signaling pathway of Xuemaitong (XMT) to intervention during intracerebral hemorrhage. Fourteen key targets [intercellular adhesion molecule 1, interleukin (IL) 6, TNF, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, v-rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A, matrix metalloproteinase 9, endothelin-1 (EDN1), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 1, fos proto-oncogene protein, caspase-3 (CASP3), jun proto-oncogene, IL1B, MAPK8] are retrieved from the data base. XMT can inhibit neuron apoptosis in the ischemic area via regulating TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1)/CASP3. XMT alleviates inflammation and edema through regulating TNFR1/nuclear factor-κB and TNFR1/MAPK signaling pathways. XMT alleviates hypoperfusion in the cerebral ischemic area through mediating TNFR1/MAPK/EDN1.

Ganghuo Kanggan Decoction in Influenza: Integrating Network Pharmacology and In Vivo Pharmacological Evaluation

Background: Ganghuo Kanggan decoction (GHKGD) is a clinical experience prescription used for the treatment of viral pneumonia in the Lingnan area of China, and its clinical effect is remarkable. However, the mechanism of GHKGD in influenza is still unclear.

Objective: To predict the active components and signaling pathway of GHKGD and to explore its therapeutic mechanism in influenza and to verified it in vivo using network pharmacology.

Methods: The potential active components and therapeutic targets of GHKGD in the treatment of influenza were hypothesized through a series of network pharmacological strategies, including compound screening, target prediction and pathway enrichment analysis. Based on the target network and enrichment results, a mouse model of influenza A virus (IAV) infection was established to evaluate the therapeutic effect of GHKGD on influenza and to verify the possible molecular mechanism predicted by network pharmacology.

Results: A total of 116 candidate active compounds and 17 potential targets were identified. The results of the potential target enrichment analysis suggested GHKGD may involve the RLR signaling pathway to reduce inflammation in the lungs. In vivo experiments showed that GHKGD had a protective effect on pneumonia caused by IAV-infected mice. Compared with the untreated group, the weight loss in the GHKGD group in the BALB/c mice decreased, and the inflammatory pathological changes in lung tissue were reduced (p < 0.05). The expression of NP protein and the virus titers in lung were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The protein expression of RIG-I, NF-kB, and STAT1 and the level of MAVS and IRF3/7 mRNA were remarkably inhibited in GHKGD group (p < 0.05). After the treatment with GHKGD, the level of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2) was increased, while the expression of Th2 (IL-5, IL4) cytokines was reduced (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Through a network pharmacology strategy and in vivo experiments, the multi-target and multi-component pharmacological characteristics of GHKGD in the treatment of influenza were revealed, and regulation of the RLR signaling pathway during the anti-influenza process was confirmed. This study provides a theoretical basis for the research and development of new drugs from GHKGD.

Systems Pharmacology Study of the Anticervical Cancer Mechanisms of FDY003

Increasing data support that herbal medicines are beneficial in the treatment of cervical cancer; however, their mechanisms of action remain to be elucidated. In the current study, we used a systems pharmacology approach to explore the pharmacological mechanisms of FDY003, an anticancer herbal formula comprising Lonicera japonica Thunberg, Artemisia capillaris Thunberg, and Cordyceps militaris (Linn.) Link, in the treatment of cervical cancer. Through the pharmacokinetic assessment of absorption-distribution-metabolism-excretion characteristics, we found 18 active compounds that might interact with 106 cervical cancer-related targets responsible for the pharmacological effects. FDY003 targets were significantly associated with gene ontology terms related to the regulation of cellular behaviors, including cell proliferation, cell cycle processes, cell migration, cell apoptosis, cell death, and angiogenesis. The therapeutic targets of the herbal drug were further enriched in various oncogenic pathways that are implicated in the tumorigenesis and progression of cervical cancer, including the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, focal adhesion, human papillomavirus infection, and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathways. Our study provides a systematic approach to explore the anticancer properties of herbal medicines against cervical cancer.

Regulation of GABAA and 5-HT Receptors Involved in Anxiolytic Mechanisms of Jujube Seed: A System Biology Study Assisted by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and RT-qPCR Method

The increase of the prevalence of anxiety greatly impacts the quality of life in China and globally. As the most popular traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient for nourishing health and tranquilizing mind, Jujube seed (Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Rhamnaceae) (SZJ) has been proved to exert anxiolytic effects in previous reports. In this study, a system biology method assisted by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and RT-qPCR was developed to systematically demonstrate the anxiolytic mechanisms of SZJ. A total of 35 phytochemicals were identified from SZJ extract (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa [Bunge] Hu ex H.F. Chow), which interact with 71 anxiolytic targets. Protein-protein interaction, genes cluster, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways analysis were subsequently conducted, and results demonstrated that regulation of serotonergic and GABAergic synapse pathways were dominantly involved in the anxiolytic mechanisms of SZJ extract. The effects of SZJ extract on mRNA expressions of multiple GABA_A (gamma-aminobutyric acid type A) and 5-HT (serotonin) receptors subtypes were further validated in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells using RT-qPCR. Results showed that SZJ extract (250 μg/mL) significantly up-regulated the mRNA level of GABRA1 and GABRA3 as well as HTR1A, HTR2A, and HTR2B in non-H₂O₂ treated SH-SY5Y cells. However, it exerted an inhibitive effect on the overexpressed mRNA of GABRA1, GABRA2, HTR1A, and HTR2A in H₂O₂ treated SH-SY5Y cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that anxiolytic mechanisms of SZJ mostly involve the regulation of GABAergic and serotonergic synapse pathways, especially a two-way modulation of GABRA1, HTR1A, and HTR2A. Our current results provide potential direction for future investigation of SZJ as an anxiolytic agent.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Radix Angelicae biseratae in the treatment of osteoarthritis determined by systematic pharmacology and in vitro experiments

Radix Angelicae biseratae is a widely used Chinese traditional herbal medicine for osteoarthritis (OA). Its therapeutic efficacy has been confirmed in clinical practice. However, its mechanisms of action in treating OA have remained elusive. The purpose of the present study was to identify active components with good oral bioavailability and drug-like properties from Radix Angelicae biseratae through systematic pharmacology and in vitro experiments to determine targets of Radix Angelicae biseratae in the treatment of OA. The functional components of Radix Angelicae biseratae were screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database based on oral bioavailability and drug-like properties. Subsequently, the databases STITCH, Open Targets Platform and DrugBank were searched and microarray analysis was performed to screen the active components of Radix Angelicae biseratae to treat OA and predict its potential target proteins. The interaction network and protein interaction network were then generated and examined, molecular docking between active components and targets was performed and the enrichment of potential target proteins was analyzed. Finally, reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR and western blot analyses were used to verify the therapeutic effect of Radix Angelicae biseratae extract on the expression of OA-associated target proteins. The results provided eight active components in Radix Angelicae biseratae, which were firmly linked to 20 targets of OA. In combination with molecular docking and the analysis of the interaction network between components and targets, it was suggested that sitosterol was a major active component of Radix Angelicae biseratae in the treatment of OA. Protein interaction network analysis suggested that prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), nitric oxide synthase 3 and cytochrome P450 2B6 may be critical targets for Radix Angelicae biseratae in the treatment of OA. In addition, RT-qPCR and western blot analyses suggested that Radix Angelicae biseratae extract inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of PTGS2 in degenerative articular cartilage cells in vitro, whilst other targets remain to be verified. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that Radix Angelicae biseratae confers pharmacological efficacy towards OA through exerting anti-inflammatory effects and immune regulation.