Exploring the Mechanism of Action of Herbal Medicine (Gan-Mai-Da-Zao Decoction) for Poststroke Depression Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Objectives: Amidst rising global burden of depression and the associated challenges with conventional antidepressant therapies, there is a growing interest in exploring the efficacy and safety of alternative treatments. This study uses a Bayesian network meta-analysis to rigorously evaluate the therapeutic potential of Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of depression, focusing on their comparative efficacy and safety against standard pharmacological interventions. Methods: Five databases (PubMed, Wanfang Data, EMBASE, CNKI, and the Cochrane Library) and grey literature were searched from inception to end of July 2023 to identify studies that assessed the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicines in treating depression. The response rate, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores, and rates of adverse events were assessed through both direct and indirect comparisons. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were meticulously performed. Statistical analysis used Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, with effect size estimates provided as odd ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 198 RCTs involving 8,923 patients were analyzed, assessing 17 Chinese herbal medicines. Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking results indicated that the top three treatments with the best response rate were possibly Guipiwan, Ease Pill, and Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction; the top three treatments on the reduction of HAMD scores were Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Xingnao Jieyu Decoction, and Xiaoyao Powder; and the top three treatments with the lowest adverse effects rates were Xiaoyao Powder, Alprazolam, and Xingnao Jieyu Decoction. Interestingly, commonly used synthetic drugs such as Fluoxetine, Escitalopram, Amitriptyline, Sertraline, Flupentixol and Melitracen, and Venlafaxine, not only appeared to be less effective than specific Chinese herbal medicines (Gan Mai Da Zao Decoction, Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction, Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Danzhi-Xiaoyao-San, and Xingnao Jieyu Decoction), but they were also related to substantially higher risk of adverse events. Conclusion: Our findings elucidate the promising therapeutic potential of Chinese herbal medicines as viable alternatives in the treatment of depression, with certain herbs demonstrating enhanced efficacy and safety profiles. The outcomes of this study advocate for the integration of these alternative modalities into contemporary depression management paradigms. However, it underscores the necessity for larger, methodologically robust trials to further validate and refine these preliminary findings. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023452109.

Efficacy of Danlou tablet on myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion injury assessed by network pharmacology and experimental verification

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the potential pharmacological mechanism of Danlou tablet (, DLT) with a long-term clinical application in the treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury through network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental verification.

METHODS

The main chemical ingredients in DLT were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) System Pharmacology Database, the TCM information database, the bioinformatics analysis tool for molecular mechanism of TCM, and HERB database. Disease targets of I/R were accessed from the databases of Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, GeneCards, Therapeutic Target Database, and DisGeNET database. The overlaying genes of DLT and I/R were obtained from the Venny online platform. The core targets and protein-protein interaction network were constructed and analyzed via the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes Proteins database and Cytoscape software. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed by the Metascape platform. Based on the results, the component-target-pathway network was constructed and drafted via the Cytoscape software and the platform of Bioinformatics. Furthermore, we performed molecular docking to predict the binding information between chemical molecules and target proteins. Finally, oxygen-glucose deprivation/recovery (OGD/R)-induced H9c2 cardiomyocytes were used to validate the results of network pharmacology in vitro.

RESULTS

A total of 189 active chemical components in DLT and 849 correlative targets of I/R were screened. Of note, 133 overlaying genes found from the Venny online platform were concentrated into 28 core genes. Furthermore, the GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis presented that DLT might participate in 42 types of GO molecular functions, 747 types of GO biological processes, 19 types of GO cellular components, and 140 kinds of pathways to treat I/R. In the component-target-pathway network, the indirect relationship between herbs and their possible effective pathways was clarified. Based on the molecular docking, we speculated that Baicalein-prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PTGS2) with -3.24 kcal/mol, Luteolin-heat shock protein 90 alpha family class A member 1 (HSP90AA1) with -3.22 kcal/mol, Baicalein-HSP90AA1 with -3.13 kcal/mol, and Quercetin-HSP90AA1 with -3.05 kcal/mol possessed the strongest binding force of less than -3 kcal/mol, sequentially. Experimental verification showed that Quercetin, Luteolin, and Baicalein could increase the relative cell viability of OGD/R-stimulated cardiomyocytes, probably by suppressing PTGS2, and activating HSP90AA1 and estrogen receptor 1 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

We predicted the potential active compounds as the material basis of DLT that may provide a new approach to elucidate the novel pharmacological mechanism underlying the treatment of cardiac I/R damage.

Gancao Xiexin Decoction inhibits gastric carcinoma proliferation and migration by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The incidence of gastric carcinoma (GC) is increasing rapidly. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) plays a unique role in the treatment of GC. At present, Gancao Xiexin Decoction (GCXXD) has been proved to have a good therapeutic effect on diseases of the spleen and stomach system, but relevant molecular mechanisms remain incompletely explained.

AIM OF STUDY

The mechanism of GCXXD for GC was investigated by network pharmacology and verified by cell experiments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, the public database was used to identify the core targets and key pathways of GCXXD in treating GC, followed by molecular docking and survival analysis. Subsequently, the effects of GCXXD on human gastric cancer AGS and HGC-27 cells were confirmed by a series of experiments, such as CCK-8, colony formation, apoptosis, cell cycle, wound scratch assay, transwell chamber assay, qRT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS

This study identified quercetin, wogonin, kaempferol, baicalein, sitosterol and beta-sitosterol as key ingredients, along with AKT1, TP53, JUN, STAT3, TNF, MAPK3, HSP90AA1 and EGFR as co targets, and the JAK/STAT signalling pathway as the key pathway. The experimental results showed that GCXXD inhibited the growth of GC cells, increased the apoptosis rate and the ratio of G0/G1 phase cells, and weakened the clone formation rate and inhibited cell migration and invasion. It also reduces the expression of core target genes and downregulates the expression of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, and p-STAT3 proteins.

CONCLUSION

GCXXD inhibits GC cell growth, reduces clonogenic capacity, induces apoptosis, blocks the cell cycle, and decreases cell migration and invasion rates by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Investigation on the mechanism of Shaoyao-Gancao Decoction in the treatment of gastric carcinoma based on network pharmacology and experimental verification

BACKGROUND

Shaoyao-Gancao Decoction (SG-D) is a famous classical Chinese prescription that has been used in the treatment of numerous kinds of diseases. However, its mechanism of action in the treatment of Gastric carcinoma (GC) is not clear.

METHODS

The active ingredients and targets of SG-D were screened using network pharmacology, and GC-related targets were retrieved through several databases. The protein-protein interaction network was then further constructed and GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed. Subsequently, molecular docking was carried out. Finally, we validated the results of the network pharmacology by performing in vitro cell experiments on CCK-8, apoptosis, cell cycle, platelet clone formation, and Western blotting with AGS cells.

RESULTS

Three key active ingredients and 8 core targets were screened through a network pharmacological analysis, and the results of the KEGG indicated that the PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways are critical signaling pathways for SG-D to treat GC. Experimental results revealed that SG-D was able to inhibit AGS cells proliferation, induce apoptosis and arrest the cell cycle, and reduce the ability of cell clone formation by regulating the PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Network pharmacology has shown that SG-D can act on multiple targets through multiple ingredients and treat GC by regulating multiple signaling pathways. In vitro cell experiments have also confirmed this, so as to provide a reference for subsequent related research.

Integrating network pharmacology and an experimental validation strategy elucidates the protective effect and mechanism of callicarpa nudiflora against neuroinflammation

Abnormal activation of microglia promotes neuroinflammation (NI) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Callicarpa nudiflora Hook et Arn. (CN) is a traditional Chinese herb with a wide range of clinical applications and definite anti-inflammatory effects. However, the anti-inflammatory action and mechanism of NI are not known. The purpose of this research was to survey whether CN could inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory activation in BV-2 microglia. This study used a network pharmacology and pharmacophore model-based approach to explore the molecular mechanism of CN anti-NI by combining molecular docking and experimental validation. First, we screened the key active components and targets of CN anti-NI by network pharmacology. Then, the common structural features of these functional molecules in the treatment of neuroinflammation were predicted by 3D-QSAR pharmacodynamic modeling. Finally, the molecular mechanism of the active ingredient 5-hydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone (THF) against neuroinflammation was validated by molecular docking and in vitro experiments. In conclusion, this study established the structure-activity relationships of the active components of CN anti-NI and provided new insights into the pharmacological mechanisms of CN anti-NI at an integrative level.

Network pharmacology analysis and experimental verification reveal the mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine YU-Pingfeng San alleviating allergic rhinitis inflammatory responses

YU-Pingfeng San (YPFS) can regulate inflammatory response to alleviate the symptoms of nasal congestion and runny rose in allergic rhinitis (AR). However, the mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, 30 active ingredients of three effective herbs included in YPFS and 140 AR/YPFS-related genes were identified by database analysis. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that the targets were mainly enriched in immune inflammatory-related biological processes and pathways. Finally, three hub gene targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), and protein kinase B1 (AKT1) related to YPFS and AR were identified by network pharmacology analysis. YPFS treatment decreased the expression of EGFR, MAPK1, and AKT1 in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR mice and impaired the production of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13, thus alleviating immunoglobulin E (IgE) production and the symptoms of scratching nose in AR. Through molecular docking analysis, we found that the active ingredients decursin, anomalin, and wogonin of YPFS could bind to EGFR, MAPK1, and AKT1 proteins. Moreover, decursin treatment impaired the expression of IL-4 and IL-5 in human PBMCs. These results suggested that YPFS could alleviate the AR inflammatory responses by targeting EGFR, MAPK1, and AKT1, showing the mechanism of action of YPFS in AR treatment.