EGb 761 inhibits Aβ1-42-induced neuroinflammatory response by suppressing P38 MAPK signaling pathway in BV-2 microglial cells

Ginkgo biloba: A Leaf of Hope in the Fight against Alzheimer's Dementia: Clinical Trial Systematic Review

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a stealthy and progressive neurological disorder that is a leading cause of dementia in the global elderly population, imposing a significant burden on both the elderly and society. Currently, the condition is treated with medications that alleviate symptoms. Nonetheless, these drugs may not consistently produce the desired results and can cause serious side effects. Hence, there is a vigorous pursuit of alternative options to enhance the quality of life for patients. Ginkgo biloba (GB), an herb with historical use in traditional medicine, contains bioactive compounds such as terpenoids (Ginkgolides A, B, and C), polyphenols, organic acids, and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin). These compounds are associated with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, making them valuable for cognitive health. A systematic search across three databases using specific keywords-GB in AD and dementia-yielded 1702 documents, leading to the selection of 15 clinical trials for synthesis. In eleven studies, GB extract/EGb 761® was shown to improve cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and functional abilities in both dementia types. In four studies, however, there were no significant differences between the GB-treated and placebo groups. Significant improvements were observed in scores obtained from the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Short Cognitive Performance Test (SKT), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). While the majority of synthesized clinical trials show that Ginkgo biloba has promising potential for the treatment of these conditions, more research is needed to determine optimal dosages, effective delivery methods, and appropriate pharmaceutical formulations. Furthermore, a thorough assessment of adverse effects, exploration of long-term use implications, and investigation into potential drug interactions are critical aspects that must be carefully evaluated in future studies.

Ginkgo biloba and Its Chemical Components in the Management of Alzheimer's Disease

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, remains unclear. The main manifestations of AD include cognitive and behavioral disorders, neuropsychiatric symptoms, neuroinflammation, amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles. However, current drugs for AD once the dementia stage has been reached only treat symptoms and do not delay progression, and the research and development of targeted drugs for AD have reached a bottleneck. Thus, other treatment options are needed. Bioactive ingredients derived from plants are promising therapeutic agents. Specifically, Ginkgo biloba (Gb) extracts exert anti-oxidant, anticancer, neuroplastic, neurotransmitter-modulating, blood fluidity, and anti-inflammatory effects, offering alternative options in the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases. The main chemical components of Gb include flavonoids, terpene lactones, proanthocyanidins, organic acids, polysaccharides, and amino acids. Gb and its extracts have shown remarkable therapeutic effects on various neurodegenerative diseases, including AD, with few adverse reactions. Thus, high-quality Gb extracts are a well-established treatment option for AD. In this review, we summarize the insights derived from traditional Chinese medicine, experimental models, and emerging clinical trials on the role of Gb and its chemical components in the treatment of the main clinical manifestations of AD.

The molecular mechanisms of ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) activity in signaling pathways: A comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

One of the most unique plants that have ever grown on the planet is Ginkgo biloba L., a member of the Ginkgoaceae family with no close living relatives. The existence of several differently structured components of G. biloba has increased the chemical variety of herbal therapy. Numerous studies that investigated the biochemical characteristics of G. biloba suggest this plant as a potential treatment for many illnesses.

PURPOSE

Review the molecular mechanisms involved in the signaling pathways of G. biloba activity in varied circumstances and its potential as a novel treatment for various illnesses.

METHODS

Studies focusing on the molecular processes and signaling pathways of compounds and extracts of G. biloba were found and summarized using the proper keywords and operators from Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus without time restrictions.

RESULTS

G. biloba exerts its effects through its anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, antiviral, antibacterial, pulmoprotective, renoprotective, anti-osteoporosis, anti-melanogenic, retinoprotective, otoprotective, adipogenic, and anti-adipogenic properties. The most important mechanisms involved in these actions are altering the elevation of ROS formation, inhibiting NADPH oxidases activation, altering the expression of antioxidant enzymes, downregulating MAPKs (p38 MAPK and ERK, and JNK) and AP-1, increasing cAMP, inactivating Stat5, activating the AMPK signaling pathway, affecting Stat3/JAK2, NF-κB, Nrf-2, mTOR, HGF/c-Met, Wnt/β-catenin and BMP signaling pathways, and changing the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, the release of Cyc from mitochondria to cytosol, the protein cleavage of caspases 3, 7, 8, 9, and 12, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and MMPs levels.

CONCLUSIONS

G. biloba and its components have gained attention in recent years for their therapeutic benefits, such as their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and apoptotic effects. By understanding their molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways, potential novel medicines might be developed in response to the rising public desire for new therapies.

LC-MS based untargeted metabolomics studies of the metabolic response of Ginkgo biloba extract on arsenism patients

Arsenic is an environmentally ubiquitous toxic metalloid. Chronic exposure to arsenic may lead to arsenicosis, while no specific therapeutic strategies are available for the arsenism patients. And Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) exhibited protective effect in our previous study. However, the mechanisms by which GBE protects the arsenism patients remain poorly understood. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based untargeted metabolomics analysis was used to study metabolic response in arsenism patients upon GBE intervention. In total, 39 coal-burning type of arsenism patients and 50 healthy residents were enrolled from Guizhou province of China. The intervention group (n = 39) were arsenism patients orally administered with GBE (three times per day) for continuous 90 days. Plasma samples from 50 healthy controls (HC) and 39 arsenism patients before and after GBE intervention were collected and analyzed by established LC-MS method. Statistical analysis was performed by MetaboAnalyst 5.0 to identify differential metabolites. Multivariate analysis revealed a separation in arsenism patients between before (BG) and after GBE intervention (AG) group. It was observed that 35 differential metabolites were identified between BG and AG group, and 30 of them were completely or partially reversed by GBE intervention, with 14 differential metabolites significantly up-regulated and 16 differential metabolites considerably down-regulated. These metabolites were involved in promoting immune response and anti-inflammatory functions, and alleviating oxidative stress. Taken together, these findings indicate that the GBE intervention could probably exert its protective effects by reversing disordered metabolites modulating these functions in arsenism patients, and provide insights into further exploration of mechanistic studies.

Inflammatory signaling pathways in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease with inhibitors, natural products and metabolites (Review)

The intricate nature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis poses a persistent obstacle to drug development. In recent times, neuroinflammation has emerged as a crucial pathogenic mechanism of AD, and the targeting of inflammation has become a viable approach for the prevention and management of AD. The present study conducted a comprehensive review of the literature between October 2012 and October 2022, identifying a total of 96 references, encompassing 91 distinct pharmaceuticals that have been investigated for their potential impact on AD by inhibiting neuroinflammation. Research has shown that pharmaceuticals have the potential to ameliorate AD by reducing neuroinflammation mainly through regulating inflammatory signaling pathways such as NF‑κB, MAPK, NLRP3, PPARs, STAT3, CREB, PI3K/Akt, Nrf2 and their respective signaling pathways. Among them, tanshinone IIA has been extensively studied for its anti‑inflammatory effects, which have shown significant pharmacological properties and can be applied clinically. Thus, it may hold promise as an effective drug for the treatment of AD. The present review elucidated the inflammatory signaling pathways of pharmaceuticals that have been investigated for their therapeutic efficacy in AD and elucidates their underlying mechanisms. This underscores the auspicious potential of pharmaceuticals in ameliorating AD by impeding neuroinflammation.

Ginkgolide attenuates memory impairment and neuroinflammation by suppressing the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway in Alzheimer's disease

The NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the neuroinflammatory pathway of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study is to explore the roles and underlying mechanisms of ginkgolide (Baiyu®) on amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) transgenic mice and a murine microglial cell line, BV-2. In the present study, the APP/PS1 mice were administered with ginkgolide, followed by a Morris water maze test. The mice were then euthanized to obtain brain tissue for histological and Aβ analysis. Additionally, BV-2 cells were pretreated with ginkgolide and then incubated with Aβ1-42 peptide. NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 mRNA and protein expression in brain tissue of mice and BV-2 cells were quantified by real-time PCR and western blotting, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 levels by lucigenin technique and ELISA. Compared with the APP/PS1 mice, ginkgolide-treated mice demonstrated the shortened escape latency, reduced plaques, less inflammatory cell infiltration and neuron loss in the hippocampi of APP/PS1 mice. The levels of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, ROS, IL-1β, and IL-18 were also decreased in the brain tissue of APP/PS1 mice or Aβ1-42-treated BV-2 cells following ginkgolide treatment. Ginkgolide exerted protective effects on AD, at least partly by inactivating the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway.

The Quest for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment-Focusing on Alzheimer's Disease Personalised Diets

Dementia represents a clinical syndrome characterised by progressive decline in memory, language, visuospatial and executive function, personality, and behaviour, causing loss of abilities to perform instrumental or essential activities of daily living. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease (AD), which accounts for up to 80% of all dementia cases. Despite that extensive studies regarding the etiology and risk factors have been performed in recent decades, and how the current knowledge about AD pathophysiology significantly improved with the recent advances in science and technology, little is still known about its treatment options. In this controverted context, a nutritional approach could be a promising way to formulate improved AD management strategies and to further analyse possible treatment strategy options based on personalised diets, as Nutritional Psychiatry is currently gaining relevance in neuropsychiatric disease treatment. Based on the current knowledge of AD pathophysiology, as well as based on the repeatedly documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of different functional foods, we aimed to find, describe, and correlate several dietary compounds that could be useful in formulating a nutritional approach in AD management. We performed a screening for relevant studies on the main scientific databases using keywords such as "Alzheimer's disease", "dementia", "treatment", "medication", "treatment alternatives", "vitamin E", "nutrition", "selenium", "Ginkgo biloba", "antioxidants", "medicinal plants", and "traditional medicine" in combinations. Results: nutrients could be a key component in the physiologic and anatomic development of the brain. Several nutrients have been studied in the pursuit of the mechanism triggered by the pathology of AD: vitamin D, fatty acids, selenium, as well as neuroprotective plant extracts (i.e., Ginkgo biloba, Panax ginseng, Curcuma longa), suggesting that the nutritional patterns could modulate the cognitive status and provide neuroprotection. The multifactorial origin of AD development and progression could suggest that nutrition could greatly contribute to the complex pathological picture. The identification of adequate nutritional interventions and the not yet fully understood nutrient activity in AD could be the next steps in finding several innovative treatment options for neurodegenerative disorders.

TiO2-Nanowired Delivery of Chinese Extract of Ginkgo biloba EGb-761 and Bilobalide BN-52021 Enhanced Neuroprotective Effects of Cerebrolysin Following Spinal Cord Injury at Cold Environment

Military personnel during combat or peacekeeping operations are exposed to extreme climates of hot or cold environments for longer durations. Spinal cord injury is quite common in military personnel following central nervous system (CNS) trauma indicating a possibility of altered pathophysiological responses at different ambient temperatures. Our previous studies show that the pathophysiology of brain injury is exacerbated in animals acclimated to cold (5 °C) or hot (30 °C) environments. In these diverse ambient temperature zones, trauma exacerbated oxidative stress generation inducing greater blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and cell damage. Extracts of Ginkgo biloba EGb-761 and BN-52021 treatment reduces brain pathology following heat stress. This effect is further improved following TiO₂ nanowired delivery in heat stress in animal models. Several studies indicate the role of EGb-761 in attenuating spinal cord induced neuronal damages and improved functional deficit. This is quite likely that these effects are further improved following nanowired delivery of EGb-761 and BN-52021 with cerebrolysin-a balanced composition of several neurotrophic factors and peptide fragments in spinal cord trauma. In this review, TiO₂ nanowired delivery of EGb-761 and BN-52021 with nanowired cerebrolysin is examined in a rat model of spinal cord injury at cold environment. Our results show that spinal cord injury aggravates cord pathology in cold-acclimated rats and nanowired delivery of EGb-761 and BN-52021 with cerebrolysin significantly induced superior neuroprotection, not reported earlier.

Inflammatory mechanisms of Ginkgo Biloba extract in improving memory functions through lncRNA-COX2/NF-κB pathway in mice with status epilepticus

PURPOSE

This study was to explore whether Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) improve memory impairment by alleviating neuroinflammation signaling in mice with status epilepticus.

METHODS

The status epilepticus (SE) mice model was established by pilocarpine and treated with 100 mg / kg of GBE for 14 days. Spontaneous alternation of Y-maze and new object recognition were used to explore memory impairment. To examine glial cell activation, we performed immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. The activation of NF-κB signaling and the expression level of lncRNA-COX2 were detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR, respectively. Adeno-associated virus lncRNA-COX2 was injected into mice for overexpression of lncRNA-COX2.

RESULTS

After GBE treatment, the spontaneous alternation rate and the recognition coefficient in SE mice were both increased. Moreover, activation of glial cells, NF-κB signaling and lncRNA-COX2 were significantly decreased in SE mice. In the GBE-treated SE mice with lncRNA-COX2 overexpression, NF-κB signaling was up-regulated again; the reduced level of inflammation factors was reversed; the GBE-rescued spontaneous alternation rate of Y-maze was eliminated.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that GBE reduces the hippocampal inflammation by down-regulating lncRNA-COX2 / NF-κB signaling in the SE mice, leading to the decrease of neuronal damage and the improvement of memory functions.

Symptomatic and Disease-Modifying Therapy Pipeline for Alzheimer’s Disease: Towards a Personalized Polypharmacology Patient-Centered Approach

Since 1906, when Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described in a patient “a peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex”, people suffering from this pathology have been waiting for a breakthrough therapy. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder and the most common form of dementia in the elderly with a long presymptomatic phase. Worldwide, approximately 50 million people are living with dementia, with AD comprising 60–70% of cases. Pathologically, AD is characterized by the deposition of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) in the neuropil (neuritic plaques) and blood vessels (amyloid angiopathy), and by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons (neurofibrillary tangles) in the brain, with associated loss of synapses and neurons, together with glial activation, and neuroinflammation, resulting in cognitive deficits and eventually dementia. The current competitive landscape in AD consists of symptomatic treatments, of which there are currently six approved medications: three AChEIs (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine), one NMDA-R antagonist (memantine), one combination therapy (memantine/donepezil), and GV-971 (sodium oligomannate, a mixture of oligosaccharides derived from algae) only approved in China. Improvements to the approved therapies, such as easier routes of administration and reduced dosing frequencies, along with the developments of new strategies and combined treatments are expected to occur within the next decade and will positively impact the way the disease is managed. Recently, Aducanumab, the first disease-modifying therapy (DMT) has been approved for AD, and several DMTs are in advanced stages of clinical development or regulatory review. Small molecules, mAbs, or multimodal strategies showing promise in animal studies have not confirmed that promise in the clinic (where small to moderate changes in clinical efficacy have been observed), and therefore, there is a significant unmet need for a better understanding of the AD pathogenesis and the exploration of alternative etiologies and therapeutic effective disease-modifying therapies strategies for AD. Therefore, a critical review of the disease-modifying therapy pipeline for Alzheimer’s disease is needed.

Ginkgo biloba in the Aging Process: A Narrative Review

Neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, insulin resistance, cancer, and other degenerative processes commonly appear with aging. Ginkgo biloba (GB) is associated with several health benefits, including memory and cognitive improvement, in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and cancer. Its antiapoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory actions have effects on cognition and other conditions associated with aging-related processes, such as insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions. The aim of this study was to perform a narrative review of the effects of GB in some age-related conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, CVD, and cancer. PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched, and the PRISMA guidelines were applied. Fourteen clinical trials were selected; the studies showed that GB can improve memory, cognition, memory scores, psychopathology, and the quality of life of patients. Moreover, it can improve cerebral blood flow supply, executive function, attention/concentration, non-verbal memory, and mood, and decrease stress, fasting serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin levels, body mass index, waist circumference, biomarkers of oxidative stress, the stability and progression of atherosclerotic plaques, and inflammation. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the use of GB can provide benefits in the prevention and treatment of aging-related conditions.

Dietary Plant Polyphenols as the Potential Drugs in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Evidence, Advances, and Opportunities

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD), are characterized by the progressive degeneration of neurons. Although the etiology and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases have been studied intensively, the mechanism is still in its infancy. In general, most neurodegenerative diseases share common molecular mechanisms, and multiple risks interact and promote the pathologic process of neurogenerative diseases. At present, most of the approved drugs only alleviate the clinical symptoms but fail to cure neurodegenerative diseases. Numerous studies indicate that dietary plant polyphenols are safe and exhibit potent neuroprotective effects in various neurodegenerative diseases. However, low bioavailability is the biggest obstacle for polyphenol that largely limits its adoption from evidence into clinical practice. In this review, we summarized the widely recognized mechanisms associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as misfolded proteins, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage, and neuroinflammatory responses. In addition, we summarized the research advances about the neuroprotective effect of the most widely reported dietary plant polyphenols. Moreover, we discussed the current clinical study and application of polyphenols and the factors that result in low bioavailability, such as poor stability and low permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In the future, the improvement of absorption and stability, modification of structure and formulation, and the combination therapy will provide more opportunities from the laboratory into the clinic for polyphenols. Lastly, we hope that the present review will encourage further researches on natural dietary polyphenols in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Ethanol Extract of Elaeagnus glabra f. oxyphylla Branches Alleviates the Inflammatory Response Through Suppression of Cyclin D3/Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 11p58 Coupled to Lipopolysaccharide-Activated BV-2 Microglia

Neuroinflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and is characterized by microglial dysregulation. Here, we explored the beneficial effects of a leaf extract of Elaeagnus glabra f. oxyphylla (EGFO), a native medicinal plant to Korea, South China, Japan, and Taiwan, on neuroinflammation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglia. Levels of the inflammatory mediators were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. The phospho levels of mitogen-activated protein kinases, which are key kinase molecules in the inflammatory signaling pathway in microglia, were analyzed by Western blotting. Treatment with EGFO significantly suppressed the LPS-mediated induction of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2. Consistently, EGFO treatment in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells markedly reduced the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. The best concentration of EGFO that could reduce TNF-α and IL-6 was 100 μg/mL. EGFO relatively reduced the messenger RNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 by 0.36 and 0.32-fold ratio, respectively, compared to LPS treatment. Moreover, EGFO markedly reduced the phospho levels of p38 and the c-jun N-terminal kinase. Furthermore, antibody microarray and immunoblotting data revealed that the pharmacological mechanisms driving the antineuroinflammatory action of EGFO involve prevention of the cyclin D3/cyclin-dependent kinase 11p58 (CDK11p58) interaction. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that EGFO alleviates the inflammatory response through the suppression of cyclin D3/CDK11p58 coupling in LPS-activated BV-2 microglia. We propose the potential of EGFO as a novel drug candidate for neurodegenerative diseases by targeting neuroinflammation.

Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia: The Role of Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761®)

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia are clinically prevalent in the elderly. There is a high risk of cognitive decline in patients diagnosed with MCI or dementia. This review describes the effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba leaf special extract EGb 761^® for the treatment of dementia syndromes and EGb 761^® combination therapy with other medications for symptomatic dementia. This drug has shown convincing results, improving cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms and consequent reduction of caregiver stress and maintenance of autonomy in patients with age-related cognitive decline, MCI and mild to moderate dementia. Currently, there is little evidence to support the combination therapy with anti-dementia drugs and, therefore, more evidence is needed to evaluate the role of EGb 761^® in mixed therapy.

miR-132 improves the cognitive function of rats with Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting the MAPK1 signal pathway

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common worldwide progressive neurodegenerative disease. The dysregulation of miRNA is crucial in neurodegenerative diseases and neuron apoptosis during AD and is closely associated with the MAPK pathway. By bioinformatic website, we found that there was target inhibiting relationship between microRNA (miR)-132 and MAPK1. Therefore, the current study speculated that miR-132 could improve the cognitive function of rats with AD by inhibiting MAPK1 expression. To verify our hypothesis, 10 normal rats and 60 rats with AD were selected and divided into model, Ad-miR-132 negative control (NC), Ad-miR-132, Ad-small interfering (si)MAPK1 NC, Ad-siMAPK1 and Ad-miR-132 + Ad-MAPK1 groups. Rats were evaluated for learning by performing morris water maze tests and pathological changes of the hippocampus were assessed via HE staining. Additionally, hippocampus cell apoptosis was determined using a TUNEL assay and levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were evaluated in sera via ELISA. The mRNA and protein expression of miR-132, iNOS, MAPK1 and phosphorylated (p)-MAPK1 was determined in hippocampus tissues via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. Compared with normal mice, rats with AD had significantly decreased learning abilities, increased cell apoptosis rates, increased levels of AChE, iNOS, ROS, MDA, MAPK1 and p-MAPK1 and decreased levels of SOD, GSH-Px and miR-132. Upregulation of miR-132 group improved the above indictors and silencing MAKP1 worsened the condition of rats. miR-132 upregulation therefore reversed the negative effects caused by MAPK1 silencing in rats with AD. In conclusion, miR-132 inhibited hippocampal iNOS expression and oxidative stress by inhibiting MAPK1expression to improve the cognitive function of rats with AD.

Uncovering the active compounds and effective mechanisms of the dried mature sarcocarp of Cornus officinalis Sieb. Et Zucc. For the treatment of Alzheimer's disease through a network pharmacology approach

BACKGROUND

Shanzhuyu (the dried mature sarcocarp of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc., DMSCO) is a Chinese herb that can be used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its mechanism remains unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the active ingredients and effective mechanisms of DMSCO for the treatment of AD based on a network pharmacology approach.

METHODS

The active components of DMSCO were collected from the TCMSP and ETCM databases and the target proteins of these compounds were predicted using TCMSP, SwissTargetPrediction and the STITCH database. The AD-related target proteins were identified from the OMIM, DisGeNet, GEO and GeneCards databases. The network interaction model of the compound-target-disease was established and was used to obtain the key targets of DMSCO on AD through network topology analysis. Subsequently, gene enrichment in Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways were conducted using the David 6.8 online tool.

RESULTS

A total of 30 DMSCO effective compounds and 209 effective drug targets were obtained. A total of 172 AD-related genes and 37 shared targets of DMSCO and AD were identified. A total of 43 key targets for the treatment of AD were obtained from the topological analysis of the DMSCO-AD target network. These key targets were involved in a variety of biological processes, including amyloid deposition, apoptosis, autophagy, inflammatory response and oxidative stress and pathways, such as the PI3K-AKT, MAPK and TNF pathways. Three key compounds, namely ursolic acid, anethole and β-sitosterol were obtained from the analysis of the key targets.

CONCLUSIONS

Ursolic acid, anethole and β-sitosterol may be the main active components of DMSCO in the treatment of AD. DMSCO can treat AD by regulating amyloid deposition, apoptosis, autophagy, inflammatory response and oxidative stress via the PI3K-AKT, MAPK and other signaling pathways.