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Xue L, Wang L, Xu Y, Shen Y, Shi Z, Li X, Feng H, Xie X, Xie L, Wang G, Liang Y. The regulation of GSH/GPX4-mediated lipid accumulation confirms that schisandra polysaccharides should be valued equally as lignans. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 333:118483. [PMID: 38914150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Acetaminophen (APAP) induced liver injury (AILI) is a common cause of clinical hepatic damage and even acute liver failure. Our previous research has shown that Schisandra chinensis lignan extract (SLE) can exert a hepatoprotective effect by regulating lipid metabolism. Although polysaccharides from Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis), like lignans, are important components of S. chinensis, their pharmacological activity and target effects on AILI have not yet been explored. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aims to quantitatively reveal the role of SCP in the pharmacological activity of S. chinensis, and further explore the pharmacological components, potential action targets and mechanisms of S. chinensis in treating AILI. MATERIALS AND METHODS The therapeutic effect of SCP on AILI was systematically determined via comparing the efficacy of SCP and SLE on in vitro and in vivo models. Network pharmacology, molecular docking and multi-omics techniques were then used to screen and verify the action targets of S. chinensis against AILI. RESULTS SCP intervention could significantly improve AILI, and the therapeutic effect was comparable to that of SLE. Notably, the combination of SCP and SLE did not produce mutual antagonistic effects. Subsequently, we found that both SCP and SLE could significantly reverse the down-regulation of GPX4 caused by the APAP modeling, and then further improving lipid metabolism abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS Hepatoprotective effects of SCP and SLE is most correlated with their regulation of GSH/GPX4-mediated lipid accumulation. This is the first exploration of the hepatoprotective effect and potential mechanism of SCP in treating AILI, which is crucial for fully utilizing S. chinensis and developing promising AILI therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Xue
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Leyi Wang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yexin Xu
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yun Shen
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Zechang Shi
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Xiaorun Li
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Haoyang Feng
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Xinrui Xie
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Lin Xie
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Guangji Wang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yan Liang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
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Li T, Gao S, Wei Y, Wu G, Feng Y, Wang Y, Jiang X, Kuang H, Han W. Combined untargeted metabolomics and network pharmacology approaches to reveal the therapeutic role of withanolide B in psoriasis. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 245:116163. [PMID: 38657365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Psoriasis is a refractory inflammatory skin disorder in which keratinocyte hyperproliferation is a crucial pathogenic factor. Up to now, it is commonly acknowledged that psoriasis has a tight connection with metabolic disorders. Withanolides from Datura metel L. (DML) have been proved to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties in multiple diseases including psoriasis. Withanolide B (WB) is one of the abundant molecular components in DML. However, existing experimental studies regarding the potential effects and mechanisms of WB on psoriasis still remain lacking. Present study aimed to integrate network pharmacology and untargeted metabolomics strategies to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of WB on metabolic disorders in psoriasis. In our study, we observed that WB might effectively improve the symptoms of psoriasis and alleviate the epidermal hyperplasia in imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mice. Both network pharmacology and untargeted metabolomics results suggested that arachidonic acid metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism pathways were linked to the treatment of psoriasis with WB. Meanwhile, we also found that WB may affect the expression of regulated enzymes 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), 12-LOX, ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1) and arginase 1 (ARG1) in the arachidonic acid metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism pathways. In summary, this paper showed the potential metabolic mechanisms of WB against psoriasis and suggested that WB would have greater potential in psoriasis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Li
- School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, No.257 Liu-shi Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou 545005, China; Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica (Ministry of Education), Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.24 Heping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Si Gao
- School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, No.257 Liu-shi Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou 545005, China
| | - Yundong Wei
- School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, No.257 Liu-shi Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou 545005, China
| | - Gang Wu
- School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, No.257 Liu-shi Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou 545005, China
| | - Yiping Feng
- School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, No.257 Liu-shi Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou 545005, China
| | - Yanyan Wang
- School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, No.257 Liu-shi Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou 545005, China
| | - Xudong Jiang
- School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, No.257 Liu-shi Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou 545005, China.
| | - Haixue Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica (Ministry of Education), Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.24 Heping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150040, China.
| | - Wei Han
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4 Dong-qing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica (Ministry of Education), Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.24 Heping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150040, China.
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3
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Liu Y, Wang J, Yu X, Hu J, Sun X. Study on the material basis of Zhujing pill in treating fundus lesions through component analysis and network pharmacology. Biomed Chromatogr 2024; 38:e5885. [PMID: 38736272 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.5885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Zhujing pill (ZP) is a famous Chinese herbal formula that has been widely used to treat diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and other fundus lesions. In this study, the material basis and mechanism of ZP in the treatment of fundus lesions were evaluated via the high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprint, ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, network pharmacology and molecular docking. A total of 32 common components were found and 31 components were identified in 15 batches of ZP samples. Moreover, 134 common key targets and 17 putative active components that are connected to fundus lesions were identified. Molecular docking revealed that quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, plantagoside and 2'-acetylacteoside have the ability to interact with the core targets such as AKT1, TP53, TNF, IL-6 and Jun. Our findings revealed that the therapeutic effects of ZP on fundus lesions are mediated by multiple components, targets and pathways, including at least six active ingredients and 11 targets. The study provides new ideas for further research on the material basis and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiali Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Yu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Hu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiuyan Sun
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
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Qin M, Xing Y, Sun M, Ma L, Li X, Ma F, Li D, Duan C. An Exploration of the Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Role of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 106 via Improving Mitochondrial Function. Foods 2024; 13:1981. [PMID: 38998487 DOI: 10.3390/foods13131981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
In this present study, bioinformatics analysis and the experimental validation method were used to systematically explore the antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A106, which was isolated from traditional Chinese pickles, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. L. plantarum A106 had a good scavenging ability for DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radicals. Furthermore, L. plantarum A106 could increase the activity of RAW264.7 macrophages; raise the SOD and GSH levels, with or without LPS sensitization; or decrease the MDA, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. In order to deeply seek the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role and mechanism, bioinformatic analysis, including GO, KEGG, and GSEA analysis, was used to conduct an in-depth analysis, and the results showed that the LPS treatment of RAW264.7 macrophages significantly upregulated inflammatory-related genes and revealed an enrichment in the inflammatory signaling pathways. Additionally, a network analysis via the Cytoscape software (version 3.9.1) identified key central genes and found that LPS also disturbed apoptosis and mitochondrial function. Based on the above bioinformatics analysis, the effects of L. plantarum A106 on inflammation-related gene expression, mitochondrial function, apoptosis, etc., were detected. The results indicated that L. plantarum A106 restored the declined expression levels of crucial genes like TNF-α and IL-6; mitochondrial membrane potential; and apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis-related genes, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, and Bax. These results suggest that L. plantarum A106 exerts antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects through regulating inflammatory and apoptosis-related gene expression, restoring the mitochondrial membrane potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengchun Qin
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology, Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun University, 6543 Weixing Road, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Yinfei Xing
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Maocheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology, Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun University, 6543 Weixing Road, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Lin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology, Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun University, 6543 Weixing Road, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Xiaolei Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology, Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun University, 6543 Weixing Road, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Fumin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology, Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun University, 6543 Weixing Road, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Dan Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology, Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun University, 6543 Weixing Road, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Cuicui Duan
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology, Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun University, 6543 Weixing Road, Changchun 130022, China
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5
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Zhu L, Liang J. Network pharmacological prediction of the mechanism of action of Shen-Zhu-Lian-Bai Decoction in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14183. [PMID: 38902425 PMCID: PMC11190269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64683-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is on the rise globally. Shen-Zhu-Lian-Bai decoction (SZLBD) can relieve the clinical symptoms of UC. This study aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of SZLBD in the treatment of UC. The key treatment targets of SZLBD for UC were obtained based on the online database, and combined with the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software, PPI network was constructed and visualized. The GEO database was utilized to validate the expression levels of core targets in UC. Metascape database GO functional annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Molecular docking technology was used to verify the docking of core compounds with key targets. RT-qPCR and Western Blot were used to detect the expression of key targets in HCoEpiC cells for verification. After screening, 67 targets shared by SZLBD and UC were obtained. It is predicted that IL-6, IL-1B, and AKT1 might be the key targets of SZLBD in the treatment of UC. Quercetin was the main active ingredient. GEO results showed that the expression levels of IL-6, IL-1B and AKT1 were higher in the UC group compared to the control group. GO and KEGG analyses showed that these targets were related to apoptosis and inflammation. The results of molecular docking demonstrated that the AKT1 gene, a key target of quercetin, had the highest affinity of -9.2 kcal/mol. Cell experiments found that quercetin could affect the expression of IL-6, IL-1B, and AKT1. This study preliminarily explored and verified the mechanism of action of SZLBD in the treatment of UC, which provides a theoretical basis for subsequent in vivo mechanism studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhu
- Anorectal Surgery, Shenzhen TCM Anorectal Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Anorectal Surgery, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jinghua Liang
- Anorectal Surgery, Shenzhen TCM Anorectal Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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Li Y, Wu J, Jiang S, Wang N. Exploring the immunological mechanism of Houttuynia cordata in the treatment of colorectal cancer through combined network pharmacology and experimental validation. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-03203-7. [PMID: 38888753 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03203-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
To explore the potential mechanisms of Houttuynia cordata in the treatment of CRC using network pharmacology combined with experimental validation. The major active components of Houttuynia cordata were identified using the TCMSP database, and their related targets were mined. CRC-related target genes were obtained through the Genecards and OMIM databases. The R software Ven Diagram package was used for visualization of the intersection of drug and disease targets. The intersection target genes were subjected to GO function enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis using the R software clusterProfiler package. A "Drug - active component - target - Disease" network was constructed and analyzed using Cytoscape software. Intersection target genes were uploaded to the STRING database, and the resultant data were imported into Cytoscape software to construct a PPI network and filter core target genes. Expression analysis, diagnostic efficacy, and survival analysis were used to demonstrate the function and clinical value of the core target genes. The correlation between core genes in CRC samples and immune cell infiltration was analyzed using the R software and ssGSVA algorithm. Molecular docking validation of core active components with core target genes was performed using AutodockVina 1.2.2 software. Finally, the effects of quercetin and kaempferol, core active components of Houttuynia cordata, on the growth of HCT116 cells and the regulation of core target genes were validated through CCK8 assay, flow cytometry, and RT-qPCR. Seven effective active components and 147 component-related targets were selected, along with 3806 CRC-related target genes. GO analysis mainly involved biological processes such as epithelial cell proliferation, with KEGG pathway analysis focusing on pathways including AGE-RAGE signaling. Quercetin and kaempferol were identified as two core components, with IL1B, MMP9, CXCL8, and IL6 as four core target genes. Immune infiltration analysis showed that IL1B, MMP9, CXCL8, and IL6 primarily exert anti-CRC effects by promoting neutrophil activity. Molecular docking results indicated stable binding capacities of quercetin and kaempferol with IL1B, MMP9, CXCL8, and IL6. Experimental validation showed that quercetin and kaempferol could inhibit the viability of HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent manner, promote apoptosis, and downregulate the expression of IL1B, MMP9, CXCL8, and IL6 genes. Houttuynia cordata may exert therapeutic effects on CRC by modulating the immune microenvironment and anti-inflammatory responses, providing new research directions and theoretical guidance for the treatment of CRC with Houttuynia cordata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Li
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Punan Hospital, Shanghai Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Jinxiu Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Punan Hospital, Shanghai Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Sicong Jiang
- Division of Thoracic and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospitals and University of Geneva, 1211 , Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Nailing Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Punan Hospital, Shanghai Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200125, China.
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Shi G, Lu X, Zheng Y, Yang T, Zhu E, Song Y, Huang P. Insights into the potential dual-antibacterial mechanism of Kelisha capsule on Escherichia coli. BMC Complement Med Ther 2024; 24:207. [PMID: 38807130 PMCID: PMC11134901 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04500-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), AYURVEDA and Indian medicine are essential in disease prevention and treatment. Kelisha capsule (KLSC), a TCM formula listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, has been clinically proven to possess potent antibacterial properties. However, the precise antimicrobial mechanism of KLSC remained unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the dual antibacterial mechanism of KLSC using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation. By analyzing the growth curve of Escherichia coli (E. coli), it was observed that KLSC significantly inhibited its growth, showcasing a remarkable antibacterial effect. Furthermore, SEM and TEM analysis revealed that KLSC damaged the cell wall and membrane of E. coli, resulting in cytoplasmic leakage, bacterial death, and the exertion of antibacterial effects. The network pharmacology analysis revealed that KLSC exhibited an effect on E. coli ATP synthase, thereby influencing the energy metabolism process. The molecular docking outcomes provided evidence that the active compounds of KLSC could effectively bind to the ATP synthase subunit. Subsequently, experimental findings substantiated that KLSC effectively suppressed the activity of ATP synthase in E. coli and consequently decreased the ATP content. This study highlighted the dual antibacterial mechanism of KLSC, emphasizing its effects on cell structure and energy metabolism, suggesting its potential as a natural antibacterial agent for E. coli-related infections. These findings offered new insights into exploring the antibacterial mechanisms of TCM by focusing on the energy metabolism process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guolin Shi
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, School of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Post-Doctoral Research Center, Zhejiang SUKEAN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311228, China
| | - Xiao Lu
- Post-Doctoral Research Center, Zhejiang SUKEAN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311228, China
| | - Yuanhang Zheng
- Post-Doctoral Research Center, Zhejiang SUKEAN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311228, China
| | - Tao Yang
- Post-Doctoral Research Center, Zhejiang SUKEAN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311228, China
| | - Enyuan Zhu
- Post-Doctoral Research Center, Zhejiang SUKEAN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311228, China
| | - Yanhong Song
- Post-Doctoral Research Center, Zhejiang SUKEAN Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311228, China
| | - Pintong Huang
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, School of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Research Center of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Research Center for Life Science and Human Health, Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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Lin Y, Xu L, Lin H, Cui W, Jiao Y, Wang B, Li H, Wang X, Wu J. Network pharmacology and experimental validation to investigate the mechanism of Nao-Ling-Su capsule in the treatment of ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 326:117958. [PMID: 38395179 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Nao-Ling-Su Capsule (NLSC) is a traditional prescription, which is composed of fifteen herbs such as epimedium, Polygala tenuifolia, and Schisandra chinensis. It has the effect of strengthening the brain, calming nerves, and protecting the kidney, which has been used clinically for many years to strengthen the brain and kidney. However, the effect of NLSC in the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) is still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY The present study aims to elucidate the pharmacological actions of NLSC in the treatment of AKI. MATERIALS AND METHODS Molecular targets for NLSC and AKI were obtained from various databases, and then we built networks of interactions between proteins (PPI) by employing string databases. Additionally, we employed the DAVID database to conduct gene ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Molecular docking was conducted to analyze the interaction between core components and their corresponding core targets. Next, the C57BL male mice model of ischemia/reperfusion damage (IRI) was developed, and the nephridial protective effect of NLSC was evaluated. The accuracy of the expected targets was confirmed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The renal protective effect of NLSC was assessed using an immortalized human kidney tubular (HK-2) cell culture produced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). RESULTS Network pharmacology analysis identified 199 common targets from NLSC and AKI. STAT3, HSP90AA1, TP53, MAPK3, JUN, JAK2, and VEGFA could serve as potential drug targets and were associated with JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. The molecular docking analysis confirmed significant docking activity between the main bioactive components and core targets, including STAT3 and KIM-1. Moreover, the AKI mice model was successfully established and NLSC pretreatment could improve renal function and alleviate renal damage. NLSC could alleviate renal inflammation and tubular cell apoptosis, and decrease the expression of STAT3 and KIM-1 in AKI mice. In vitro, both NLSC and drug-containing serum may protect HK-2 cells by inhibiting STAT3 signaling, especially STAT3-mediated apoptosis and KIM-1 expression. CONCLUSION NLSC could alleviate renal inflammation and apoptosis, exerting its beneficial effects by targeting the STAT3/KIM-1 pathway. NLSC is a promising candidate for AKI treatment and provides a new idea and method for the treatment of AKI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Lin
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation, Shangdong Engineering Research Center for Generic Technologies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granules, Jinan, 250101, Shandong, China
| | - Lili Xu
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation, Shangdong Engineering Research Center for Generic Technologies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granules, Jinan, 250101, Shandong, China; Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250c55, Shandong, China
| | - Huibin Lin
- Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Weiliang Cui
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation, Shangdong Engineering Research Center for Generic Technologies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granules, Jinan, 250101, Shandong, China
| | - Yang Jiao
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation, Shangdong Engineering Research Center for Generic Technologies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granules, Jinan, 250101, Shandong, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation, Shangdong Engineering Research Center for Generic Technologies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granules, Jinan, 250101, Shandong, China
| | - Huifen Li
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250c55, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
| | - Jichao Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
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Liu L, Zhang B, Zhou Z, Yang J, Li A, Wu Y, Peng Z, Li X, Liu Z, Leng X, Zhao C, Dong H, Zhao W. Integrated Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation Approach to Investigate the Mechanisms of Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata - Angelica Sinensis - Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:1583-1602. [PMID: 38765877 PMCID: PMC11102756 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s455006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a persistent degenerative condition characterized by the deterioration of cartilage. The Chinese herbal formula Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata- Angelica Sinensis-Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae (RAR) has often been used in effective prescriptions for KOA as the main functional drug, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, network pharmacology and verification experiments were employed to investigate the impact and mode of action of RAR in the treatment of KOA. Methods The destabilization of the medial meniscus model (DMM) was utilized to assess the anti-KOA effect of RAR by using gait analysis, micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT), and histology. Primary chondrocytes were extracted from the rib cartilage of a newborn mouse. The protective effects of RAR on OA cells were evaluated using a CCK-8 assay. The antioxidative effect of RAR was determined by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) production. Furthermore, network pharmacology and molecular docking were utilized to propose possible RAR targets for KOA, which were further verified through experiments. Results In vivo, RAR significantly ameliorated DMM-induced KOA characteristics, such as subchondral bone sclerosis, cartilage deterioration, gait abnormalities, and the degree of knee swelling. In vitro, RAR stimulated chondrocyte proliferation and the expression of Col2a1, Comp, and Acan. Moreover, RAR treatment significantly reduced ROS accumulation in an OA cell model induced by IL-1β and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GSH). Network pharmacology analysis combined with molecular docking showed that Mapk1 might be a key therapeutic target. Subsequent research showed that RAR could downregulate Mapk1 mRNA levels in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes and DMM-induced rats. Conclusion RAR inhibited extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and oxidative stress response via the MAPK signaling pathway in KOA, and Mapk1 may be a core target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Binghua Zhang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhenwei Zhou
- Northeast Asia Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Yang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ailin Li
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongji Wu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zeyu Peng
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiangyan Li
- Northeast Asia Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiangyang Leng
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changwei Zhao
- Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haisi Dong
- Northeast Asia Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenhai Zhao
- Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
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Wang J, Chen X, Yuan M. Bibliometric analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 2024; 52:31-41. [PMID: 38721953 DOI: 10.15586/aei.v52i3.1047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of literature on the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to explore its research status, hotspots, and development trends, providing ideas and references for further research. METHOD We screened literature for treating IBD with TCM from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC), and used the VOSviewer software (1.6.18) to discover cooperation among countries, institutions, authors, and information on journals, keywords, etc. We use the CiteSpace software (6.2.R2) to analyze co-citation and burst discovery of references. RESULTS In all, 440 relevant literature papers were searched and screened from the WOSCC database. The results showed that the number of publications concerning treating IBD with TCM has shown a significant growth in the past decade. China is far ahead in terms of article output, occupying a dominant position. The institution with the most published articles is Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The authors who have published most of the articles are Dai Yancheng, Shi Rui, and Zhou Lian. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology published maximum articles in this field, while Gastroenterology was the most cited journal. Ungaro et al.'s article entitled "Ulcerative colitis" (https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32126-2), published in The Lancet in 2017 was the most cited study. The high-frequency keywords mainly include ulcerative colitis, inflammation, NF-κB, expression, traditional Chinese medicine, gut microbiota, activation, mice, cells, etc. CONCLUSIONS The research heat for treating IBD with TCM has risen over the past decade, with studies focusing on three main aspects: clinical studies of TCM, basic pharmacology, and animal experimental research. The research hotspot shifted from pathogenesis, clinical study of TCM, basic pharmacology, and complementary therapies to the study of network pharmacology and the mechanism of action of TCM related to gut microbiota. Network pharmacology and gut microbiota are at the frontiers of research and turning to be the future research trends to provide new insights and ideas for further research for treating IBD with TCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Library Science and Technology Information Center, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaona Chen
- Library Science and Technology Information Center, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Yuan
- Library Science and Technology Information Center, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China;
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11
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Guo Y, Peng X, Liu F, Zhang Q, Ding L, Li G, Qiu F. Potential of natural products in inflammation: biological activities, structure-activity relationships, and mechanistic targets. Arch Pharm Res 2024; 47:377-409. [PMID: 38739203 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-024-01496-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
A balance between the development and suppression of inflammation can always be found in the body. When this balance is disturbed, a strong inflammatory response can damage the body. It sometimes is necessary to use drugs with a significant anti-inflammatory effect, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid hormones, to control inflammation in the body. However, the existing anti-inflammatory drugs have many adverse effects, which can be deadly in severe cases, making research into new safer and more effective anti-inflammatory drugs necessary. Currently, numerous types of natural products with anti-inflammatory activity and distinct structural features are available, and these natural products have great potential for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs. This review summarizes 260 natural products and their derivatives with anti-inflammatory activities in the last two decades, classified by their active ingredients, and focuses on their structure-activity relationships in anti-inflammation to lay the foundation for subsequent new drug development. We also elucidate the mechanisms and pathways of natural products that exert anti-inflammatory effects via network pharmacology predictions, providing direction for identifying subsequent targets of anti-inflammatory natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Guo
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuling Peng
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Fanfei Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Liqin Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Gen Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feng Qiu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
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Li N, Du X, Qu T, Ren H, Lu W, Cui X, Hu J, Chen Z, Tao H. Pharmacodynamic material basis and pharmacological mechanisms of Cortex Mori against diabetes mellitus. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 324:117781. [PMID: 38253278 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The application of Cortex Mori (CM) in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been extensively documented in traditional medicine. In recent years, the chemical composition of CM has been gradually unraveled, and its therapeutic mechanism in treating DM, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and other related conditions has been highlighted in successive reports. However, there is no systematic study on the treatment of DM based on the chemical composition of CM. AIM OF THE STUDY This study was conducted to systematically explore the hypoglycemic activity mechanism of CM based on its chemical composition. METHODS The material basis of Cortex Mori extract (CME) was investigated through qualitative analyses based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The possible acting mechanism was simulated using network pharmacology and validated in streptozotocin (STZ) + high fat diet (HFD)-induced diabetic rats and glucosamine-induced IR-HepG2 model with the assistance of molecular docking techniques. RESULTS A total of 39 compounds were identified in CME by the LC-MS-based qualitative analysis. In diabetic rats, it was demonstrated that CME significantly ameliorated insulin resistance, blood lipid levels, and liver injury. The network pharmacology analysis predicted five major targets, including AKT1, PI3K, FoxO1, Gsk-3β, and PPARγ. Additionally, three key compounds (resveratrol, protocatechuic acid, and kaempferol) were selected based on their predicted contributions. The experimental results revealed that CME, resveratrol, protocatechuic acid, and kaempferol could promote the expression of AKT1, PI3K, and PPARγ, while inhibiting the expression of FoxO1 and Gsk-3β. The molecular docking results indicated a strong binding affinity between resveratrol/kaempferol and their respective targets. CONCLUSIONS CME contains a substantial amount of prenylated flavonoids, which may be the focal point of research on the efficacy of CM in the treatment of DM. Besides, CME is effective in controlling blood glucose and insulin resistance, improving lipid levels, and mitigating liver injury in patients with DM. Relevant mechanisms may be associated with the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, the inhibition of the expression of FoxO1 and Gsk-3β, and the enhancement of PPARγ activity. This study represents the first report on the role of CME in the treatment of DM through regulating PPARγ, FoxO1, and Gsk-3β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China
| | - Xia Du
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China
| | - Tong Qu
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China
| | - Hui Ren
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China
| | - Wenjing Lu
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China
| | - Xiaomin Cui
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China
| | - Jing Hu
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China
| | - Zhiyong Chen
- Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710003, China.
| | - Hongxun Tao
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China.
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Zhang Y, Li WW, Wang Y, Fan YW, Wang QY, Liu C, Jiang S, Shang EX, Duan JA. Investigation of the material basis and mechanism of Lizhong decoction in ameliorating ulcerative colitis based on spectrum-effect relationship and network pharmacology. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 323:117666. [PMID: 38159822 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Lizhong decoction (LZD), a classical herbal prescription recorded by Zhang Zhongjing in Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases, has been extensively used to treat ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical practice for thousands of years. However, its material basis and underlying mechanism are not yet clear. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aims to explore the material basis and potential mechanism of LZD against UC based on the spectrum-effect relationship and network pharmacology. MATERIALS AND METHODS First, LZD was extracted by a systematic solvent extraction method into four parts. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technique was used to identify the compounds from different polar parts, and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model was used to evaluate the efficacy of each fraction. Then, the spectrum-effect analyses of compounds and efficacy indicators were established via grey relational analysis (GRA), bivariate correlation analysis (BCA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR). Finally, the potential mechanism of LZD for UC therapy was explored by network pharmacology, and the results were further verified by molecular docking and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS 66 chemical components of LZD were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology. The pharmacodynamic results showed that extraction parts of LZD had different therapeutic effects on UC, among which ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts had significant anti-colitis effects, which might be the main effective fractions of LZD. Furthermore, the spectrum-effect analyses indicated that 21 active ingredients such as liquiritin apioside, neolicuroside, formononetin, ginsenoside Rg1, 6-gingesulfonic acid, licoricesaponin A3, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid were the main material basis for LZD improving UC. Based on the above results, network pharmacology suggested that the amelioration of LZD on UC might be closely related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Additionally, molecular docking technology and RT-qPCR further verified that LZD could markedly inhibit the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Overall, our study first identified the chemical compositions of LZD by using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Furthermore, the material basis and potential mechanism of LZD in improving UC were comprehensively elucidated via spectrum-effect relationships, network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental verification. The proposed strategy provided a systematic approach for exploring how herbal medicines worked. More importantly, it laid the solid foundation for further clinical application and rational development of LZD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Wen-Wen Li
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Yu Wang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Yu-Wen Fan
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Qu-Yi Wang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Chen Liu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Shu Jiang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
| | - Er-Xin Shang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Jin-Ao Duan
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
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Liu X, Xiao H, Luo M, Meng J, Zhong L, Wu T, Zhao Y, Wu F, Xie J. Anti-inflammatory and protective effects of Pimpinella candolleana on ulcerative colitis in rats: a comprehensive study of quality, chemical composition, and molecular mechanisms. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1328977. [PMID: 38645561 PMCID: PMC11026630 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1328977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: P. candolleana Wight et Arn. Is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used by the Gelao nationality in southwest China, has been historically applied to treat various gastrointestinal disorders. Despite its traditional usage, scientific evidence elucidating its efficacy and mechanisms in treating ulcerative colitis (UC) remains sparse. This study aimed to determine the quality and chemical composition of Pimpinella candolleana and to identify its potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) rats through integrated approaches. Methods: Morphological and microscopic characteristics, thin layer chromatography (TLC) identification, and quantitative analysis of P. candolleana were performed. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, network pharmacology, and molecular docking were used to identify its chemical composition and predict its related targets in UC. Furthermore, a rat model was established to evaluate the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of P. candolleana on UC. Results: Microscopic identification revealed irregular and radial arrangement of the xylem in P. candolleana, with a light green cross-section and large medullary cells. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis detected and analyzed 570 metabolites, including flavonoids, coumarins, and terpenoids. Network pharmacology identified 12 effective components and 176 target genes, with 96 common targets for P. candolleana-UC, including quercetin, luteolin, and nobiletin as key anti-inflammatory components. GO and KEGG revealed the potential involvement of their targets in RELA, JUN, TNF, IKBKB, PTGS2, and CHUK, with action pathways such as PI3K-Akt, TNF, IL-17, and apoptosis. Molecular docking demonstrated strong affinity and binding between these key components (quercetin, luteolin, and nobiletin) and the key targets of the pathway, including JUN and TNF. Treatment with P. candolleana improved body weight loss, the disease activity index, and colonic histological damage in UC rats. Pimpinella candolleana also modulated the levels of IL-2 and IL-6 in UC rats, reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, MAPK8, TNF-α, CHUK, and IKBKB mRNA, and decreased the expression of TNF, IKBKB, JUN, and CHUK proteins in the colon of UC rats, thereby reducing inflammation and alleviating UC symptoms. Conclusion: P. candolleana exerts its protective effect on UC by reducing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and inhibiting inflammation, providing scientific evidence for its traditional use in treating gastrointestinal diseases. This study highlights the potential of P. candolleana as a natural therapeutic agent for UC and contributes to the development of novel medicines for UC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Liu
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Hai Xiao
- Maternal and Child Health Carelhospita, Zunyi, China
| | - Mingxia Luo
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Junpeng Meng
- Department of Medical Genetics, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Lin Zhong
- Department of Medical Genetics, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Tao Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Yongxia Zhao
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Faming Wu
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- Guizhou Medical and Health Industry Research Institute, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Jian Xie
- Department of Medical Genetics, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- Guizhou Medical and Health Industry Research Institute, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
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15
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Yao W, Tao R, Wang K, Ding X. Icariin attenuates vascular endothelial dysfunction by inhibiting inflammation through GPER/Sirt1/HMGB1 signaling pathway in type 1 diabetic rats. Chin J Nat Med 2024; 22:293-306. [PMID: 38658093 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(24)60618-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Icariin, a flavonoid glycoside, is extracted from Epimedium. This study aimed to investigate the vascular protective effects of icariin in type 1 diabetic rats by inhibiting high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)-related inflammation and exploring its potential mechanisms. The impact of icariin on vascular dysfunction was assessed in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats through vascular reactivity studies. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays were performed to measure the expressions of target proteins. The release of HMGB1 and pro-inflammation cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results revealed that icariin administration enhanced acetylcholine-induced vasodilation in the aortas of diabetic rats. It also notably reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in diabetic rats and high glucose (HG)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The results also unveiled that the pro-inflammatory cytokines in the culture medium of HUVECs could be increased by rHMGB1. The increased release of HMGB1 and upregulated expressions of HMGB1-related inflammatory factors, including advanced glycation end products (RAGE), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and phosphorylated p65 (p-p65) in diabetic rats and HG-induced HUVECs, were remarkably suppressed by icariin. Notably, HMGB1 translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in HUVECs under HG was inhibited by icariin. Meanwhile, icariin could activate G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) and sirt1. To explore the role of GPER and Sirt1 in the inhibitory effect of icariin on HMGB1 release and HMGB-induced inflammation, GPER inhibitor and Sirt1 inhibitor were used in this study. These inhibitors diminished the effects of icariin on HMGB1 release and HMGB1-induced inflammation. Specifically, the GPER inhibitor also negated the activation of Sirt1 by icariin. These findings suggest that icariin activates GPER and increases the expression of Sirt1, which in turn reduces HMGB1 translocation and release, thereby improving vascular endothelial function in type 1 diabetic rats by inhibiting inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Yao
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Rongpin Tao
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Kai Wang
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xuansheng Ding
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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16
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Xian M, Xu J, Zheng Y, Zhang L, Zhao J, Chen J, Li S, Lin L, Zhong Y, Yang Z, Xie T, Huang L, Ding Y. Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification Reveal the Regulatory Mechanism of Chuanbeimu in Treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2024; 19:799-813. [PMID: 38529478 PMCID: PMC10962663 DOI: 10.2147/copd.s442191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disorder in pulmonology. Chuanbeimu (CBM) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb for treating COPD and has been widely utilized in clinical practice. However, the mechanism of CBM in the treatment of COPD remains incompletely understood. This study aims to investigate the underlying therapeutic mechanism of CBM for COPD using network pharmacology and experimental approaches. Methods Active ingredients and their targets were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. COPD-associated targets were retrieved from the GeneCards database. The common targets for CBM and COPD were identified through Venn diagram analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and disease-herb-ingredient-target networks were constructed. Subsequently, the results of the network pharmacology were validated by molecular docking and in vitro experiments. Results Seven active ingredients and 32 potential targets for CBM were identified as closely associated with COPD. The results of the disease-herb-ingredient-target network and PPI network showed that peimisine emerged as the core ingredient, and SRC, ADRB2, MMP2, and NOS3 were the potential targets for CBM in treating COPD. Molecular docking analysis confirmed that peimisine exhibited high binding affinity with SRC, ADRB2, MMP2, and NOS3. In vitro experiments demonstrated that peimisine significantly upregulated the expression of ADRB2 and NOS3 and downregulated the expression of SRC and MMP2. Conclusion These findings indicate that CBM may modulate the expression of SRC, ADRB2, MMP2, and NOS3, thereby exerting a protective effect against COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meilan Xian
- Department of General Practice, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
- Department of General Diseases, Hainan Chengmei Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, 570300, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaoyuan Xu
- Department of General Practice, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
- Department of General Clinic, Longbo Health Hospital, Lingao County, Hainan, 571800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yamei Zheng
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of General Practice, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Siguang Li
- Department of General Practice, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingsang Lin
- Department of General Practice, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Zhong
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zehua Yang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tian Xie
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Linhui Huang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yipeng Ding
- Department of General Practice, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, People’s Republic of China
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Zha X, Ji R, Li Y, Cao R, Zhou S. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation analysis reveal the molecular mechanism of halociline against gastric cancer. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-024-10822-y. [PMID: 38504075 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-024-10822-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Halociline, a derivative of alkaloids, was isolated from the marine fungus Penicillium griseofulvum by our group. This remarkable compound exhibits promising antineoplastic activity, yet the precise molecular mechanisms underlying its anticancer properties remain enigmatic. To unravel these mechanisms, we employed an integrated approach of network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking simulations, and molecular dynamics simulations to explore halociline therapeutic targets for gastric cancer. The data from network pharmacology indicate that halociline targets MAPK1, MMP-9, and PIK3CA in gastric cancer cells, potentially mediated by diverse pathways including cancer, lipid metabolism, atherosclerosis, and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. Notably, molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed a high affinity between halociline and these targets, with free binding energies (ΔEtotal) of - 20.28, - 27.94, and - 25.97 kcal/mol for MAPK1, MMP-9, and PIK3CA, respectively. This study offers valuable insights into the potential molecular mechanism of halociline's inhibition of gastric cancer cells and serves as a valuable reference for future basic research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangru Zha
- NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, 3#, Xueyuan Road, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, China
| | - Rong Ji
- NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, 3#, Xueyuan Road, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, China
| | - Yang Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, 3#, Xueyuan Road, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, China
| | - Rong Cao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, 3#, Xueyuan Road, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, China
| | - Songlin Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, 3#, Xueyuan Road, Haikou, 571199, Hainan, China.
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Ge Q, Zhang Z, Cao Z, Wu D, Xu C, Yao J, Gao J, Feng Y. Exploration of the in vitro Antiviral Effects and the Active Components of Changyanning Tablets Against Enterovirus 71. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:651-665. [PMID: 38450095 PMCID: PMC10916518 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s444625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to investigate the in vitro antiviral effects of the aqueous solution of Changyanning (CYN) tablets on Enterovirus 71 (EV71), and to analyze its active components. Methods The in vitro anti-EV71 effects of CYN solution and its herbal ingredients were assessed by testing the relative viral RNA (vRNA) expression level and the cell viability rates. Material basis analysis was performed using HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS detection. Potential targets and active components were identified by network pharmacology and molecular docking. The screened components were verified by in vitro antiviral experiments. Results CYN solution exerted anti-EV71 activities as the vRNA is markedly reduced after treatment, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 996.85 μg/mL. Of its five herbal ingredients, aqueous extract of Mosla chinensis (AEMC) and leaves of Liquidambar formosana Hance (AELLF) significantly inhibited the intracellular replication of EV71, and the IC50 was tested as 202.57 μg/mL and 174.77 μg/mL, respectively. Based on HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS results, as well as the comparison with the material basis of CYN solution, a total of 44 components were identified from AEMC and AELLF. Through network pharmacology, AKT1, ALB, and SRC were identified as core targets. Molecular docking performed between core targets and the components indicated that 21 components may have anti-EV71 effects. Of these, nine were selected for in vitro pharmacodynamic verification, and only rosmarinic acid manifested in vitro anti-EV71 activity, with an IC50 of 11.90 μg/mL. Moreover, rosmarinic acid can stably bind with three core targets by forming hydrogen bonds. Conclusion CYN solution has inhibitory effects on EV71 replication in vitro, and its active component was identified as rosmarinic acid. Our study provides a new approach for screening and confirmation of the effective components in Chinese herbal preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Ge
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Detection and Etiological Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Microbiology, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310051, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhewen Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiming Cao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dan Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Technology, Zhejiang Conba Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310057, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changping Xu
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Detection and Etiological Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Microbiology, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310051, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianbiao Yao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Technology, Zhejiang Conba Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310057, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Gao
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Detection and Etiological Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Microbiology, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310051, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Feng
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Detection and Etiological Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Microbiology, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310051, People’s Republic of China
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Chen B, Dong X, Zhang JL, Sun X, Zhou L, Zhao K, Deng H, Sun Z. Natural compounds target programmed cell death (PCD) signaling mechanism to treat ulcerative colitis: a review. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1333657. [PMID: 38405669 PMCID: PMC10885814 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1333657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and colon shortening. However, UC is difficult to cure due to its high drug resistance rate and easy recurrence. Moreover, long-term inflammation and increased disease severity can lead to the development of colon cancer in some patients. Programmed cell death (PCD) is a gene-regulated cell death process that includes apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. PCD plays a crucial role in maintaining body homeostasis and the development of organs and tissues. Abnormal PCD signaling is observed in the pathological process of UC, such as activating the apoptosis signaling pathway to promote the progression of UC. Targeting PCD may be a therapeutic strategy, and natural compounds have shown great potential in modulating key targets of PCD to treat UC. For instance, baicalin can regulate cell apoptosis to alleviate inflammatory infiltration and pathological damage. This review focuses on the specific expression of PCD and its interaction with multiple signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, Nrf2, MAPK, JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT, NLRP3, GPX4, Bcl-2, etc., to elucidate the role of natural compounds in targeting PCD for the treatment of UC. This review used (ulcerative colitis) (programmed cell death) and (natural products) as keywords to search the related studies in PubMed and the Web of Science, and CNKI database of the past 10 years. This work retrieved 72 studies (65 from the past 5 years and 7 from the past 10 years), which aims to provide new treatment strategies for UC patients and serves as a foundation for the development of new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Chen
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xinqian Dong
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Jin Long Zhang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xitong Sun
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Kangning Zhao
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hualiang Deng
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Zhen Sun
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Lv L, Du J, Wang D, Yan Z. A Comprehensive Study to Investigate the Tumor-Suppressive Role of Radix Bupleuri on Gastric Cancer with Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:375-394. [PMID: 38347958 PMCID: PMC10860608 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s441126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Gastric cancer (GC) is a common fatal malignancy. The aim of this study was to explore and validate the tumor-suppressive role and mechanism of Radix Bupleuri in GC. Methods The active constituents of Radix Bupleuri were screened using TCMSP database. SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict potential target genes of the compounds. GeneCards, TTD, DisGeNET, OMIM, and PharmGKB databases were used to search for GC-related targets. STRING database and Cytoscape 3.10 software were used for protein-protein interaction network construction and screening of core targets. DAVID database was used for GO and KEGG analyses. Core targets were validated using molecular docking. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected using CCK-8 and flow cytometry after GC cells were treated with isorhamnetin. The mRNA and protein expression levels of genes were detected using qRT PCR and Western blot. The metastasis potential of GC cells was evaluated in a nude mouse model. Results A total of 371 potential targets were retrieved by searching the intersection of Radix Bupleuri and GC targets. Petunidin, 3',4',5',3,5,6,7-Heptamethoxyflavone, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin were identified as the main bioactive compounds in Radix Bupleuri. SRC, HSP90AA1, AKT1, and EGFR, were core targets through which Radix Bupleuri suppressed GC. The tumor-suppressive effect of Radix Bupleuri on GC was mediated by multiple pathways, including PI3K-AKT, cAMP, and TNF signaling. The key compounds of Radix Bupleuri had good binding affinity with the core target. Isorhamnetin, a key component of Radix Bupleuri, could inhibit proliferation and metastasis, and induces apoptosis of GC cells. In addition, isorhamnetin could also reduce the mRNA expression of core targets, and the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway. Conclusion This study identified potential targets and pathways of Radix Bupleuri against GC through network pharmacology and molecular docking, providing new insights into the pharmacological mechanisms of Radix Bupleuri in GC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Lv
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinghu Du
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Daorong Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zeqiang Yan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441021, People’s Republic of China
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21
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Zhou J, Jiang T, Wang J, Wu W, Duan X, Jiang H, Jiao Z, Wang X. Multimodal investigation reveals the neuroprotective mechanism of Angong Niuhuang pill for intracerebral hemorrhage: Converging bioinformatics, network pharmacology, and experimental validation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117045. [PMID: 37633621 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Angong Niuhuang Pill (ANP) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that has been used clinically for many years in the treatment of cerebral hemorrhage. It is composed of ingredients such as calculus bovis, moschus, and others. Ancient texts have documented that ANP's multiple components possess properties such as heat-clearing, detoxification, and sedation, which can be effective in treating conditions such as coma and stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms of ANP's potential actions are still under investigation. AIM OF THE STUDY ANP is a Chinese medicine widely utilized for the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the precise mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects remains largely elusive. The present study aims to unravel the effects and pharmacological molecular mechanisms of ANP in combatting ICH, employing a comprehensive network pharmacology approach and experimental validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The molecular targets of ANP and ICH were obtained from various databases, followed by the construction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks using the STRING database. Further, gene ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analyses were conducted using the Metascape database and Cytoscape, respectively. Finally, molecular docking was performed. We performed a series of behavioral tests, immunohistochemical staining, TUNEL staining, and Western Blot to verify the effects of ANP. RESULTS IL-6, JUN, MMP9, IL-1β, VEGFA were the main candidate targets and were associated with fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, TNF signaling pathway, etc. It is suggested that the potential mechanism of ANP against ICH may be mainly related to pyroptosis, inflammation. In vivo validation showed that ANP treatment significantly reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells and ANP inhibited the activation of Iba-1 positive neurons, and suppressed the expression of inflammatory factors and pyroptosis indicators. In addition, ANP improved the cognitive level and motor ability of ICH mice. CONCLUSION The results of the study combined with virtual screening and experimental validation showed that ANP has an important contribution in protecting the brain from neuronal damage by regulating the pathways of inflammation and pyroptosis, laying the foundation and innovative ideas for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Zhou
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-coding RNA Research, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Tianlin Jiang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Jiahua Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Weilan Wu
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Children's Hospital and Birth Defect Prevention Research Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530002, China.
| | - Xiaochun Duan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
| | - Huiyun Jiang
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Children's Hospital and Birth Defect Prevention Research Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530002, China.
| | - Zhiyun Jiao
- Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Center, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-coding RNA Research, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Wu Y, Fang Y, Li Y, Au R, Cheng C, Li W, Xu F, Cui Y, Zhu L, Shen H. A network pharmacology approach and experimental validation to investigate the anticancer mechanism of Qi-Qin-Hu-Chang formula against colitis-associated colorectal cancer through induction of apoptosis via JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117323. [PMID: 37852337 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The Qi-Qin-Hu-Chang Formula (QQHCF) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription that is clinically used at the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine for the treatment of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the potential therapeutic effects of QQHCF on a CAC mouse model and investigate its underlying mechanisms using network pharmacology and experimental validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The active components and potential targets of QQHCF were obtained from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) and herb-ingredient-targets gene network were constructed by Cytoscape 3.9.2. Target genes of CAC were obtained from GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, and DrugBank database. The drug disease target protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and the core targets were visualized and identified using Cytoscape. The Metascape database was used for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. UHPLC-MS/MS was used to further identify the active compounds in QQHCF. Subsequently, the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of QQHCF against CAC were investigated in AOM/DSS-induced CAC mouse in vivo, and HT-29 and HCT116 cells in vitro. Finally, interactions between JNK, p38, and active ingredients were assessed by molecular docking. RESULTS A total of 176 active compounds, 273 potential therapeutic targets, and 2460 CAC-related target genes were obtained. The number of common targets between QQHCF and CAC were 165. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the MAPK signaling pathway was closely associated with CAC, which may be the potential mechanism of QQHCF against CAC. Network pharmacology and UHPLC-MS/MS analyses showed that the active compounds of QQHCF included quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, wogonin, oxymatrine, lupanine, and baicalin. Animal experiments demonstrated that QQHCF reduced tumor load, number, and size in AOM/DSS-treated mice, and induced apoptosis in colon tissue. In vitro experiments further showed that QQHCF induced apoptosis and inhibited cell viability, migration, and invasion in HCT116 and HT-29 cells. Notably, QQHCF activated the JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway both in vivo and in vitro. Molecular docking analysis revealed an ability for the main components of QQHCF and JNK/p38 to bind. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that QQHCF could ameliorate AOM/DSS-induced CAC in mice by activating the JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway. These results have important implications for the development of effective treatment strategies for CAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuguang Wu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yulai Fang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Yanan Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ryan Au
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Cheng Cheng
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Weiyang Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yuan Cui
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
| | - Hong Shen
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
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Liu X, Ye M, He Y, Lai Q, Liu B, Zhang L. Investigation of Tongxie-Yaofang formula in treating ulcerative colitis based on network pharmacology via regulating MAPK/AKT signaling pathway. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:1911-1924. [PMID: 38271090 PMCID: PMC10866423 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease, which often leads to bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. In this study, the function mechanism of Tongxie-Yaofang formula (TXYF) on UC was investigated. METHODS Action targets of TXYF were obtained by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database (TCMID) databases. The targets of UC were screened in Gene Cards and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) databases. The network pharmacology of active ingredient targets was established via Cytoscape. RESULTS A total of 42 chemical components and 5806 disease targets were obtained. The GO functional analysis showed that biological processes such as oxidative stress and molecular response to bacteria, molecular function such as protein and nucleic acid binding activity were significantly enriched. The top 20 KEGG enriched signal pathways indicated that the targets were mainly linked with IL-17, TNF, HIF-1. Molecular docking results showed that naringenin had good binding activity between naringin and MAPK, albiflorin and SRC. The activity of MPO, the concentration of HIF-1, IL-17 and TNF-α were significantly decreased after TXYF treatment. The characteristics of UC such as crypt distortion, crypt atrophy, and increased basal plasmacytosis were also less observed with the treatment of TXYF. What's more, TXYF suppresses the phosphorylation of SRC, MAPK and AKT1 in UC. CONCLUSIONS TXYF showed treatment effect on UC through multiple components and multiple targets, which lays a foundation for further study of UC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhong Liu
- Department of Proctology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Mao Ye
- Department of Proctology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Yinglin He
- Department of Proctology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Qin Lai
- Department of Proctology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Proctology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Leichang Zhang
- Formula-Pattern Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330000, China
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Dong S, Tian Q, Hui M, Zhang S. Revealing the Antiperspirant Components of Floating Wheat and Their Mechanisms of Action through Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology. Molecules 2024; 29:553. [PMID: 38338298 PMCID: PMC10856516 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29030553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Floating wheat is a classical herbal with potential efficacy in the treatment of hyperhidrosis. Aiming at revealing the main components and potential mechanisms of floating wheat, a comprehensive and unique phytopharmacology profile study was carried out. First, common wheat was used as a control to look for chemical markers of floating wheat. In the screening analysis, a total of 180 shared compounds were characterized in common wheat and floating wheat, respectively. The results showed that floating wheat and common wheat contain similar types of compounds. In addition, in non-targeted metabolomic analysis, when taking the contents of the constituents into account, it was found that there indeed existed quite a difference between floating wheat and common wheat and 17 potential biomarkers for floating wheat. Meanwhile, a total of seven components targeted for hyperhidrosis were screened out based on network pharmacology. Seven key differential components were screened, among which kaempferol, asiatic acid, sclareol, enoxolone, and secoisolariciresinol had higher degree values than the others. The analysis of interacting genes revealed three key genes, namely, MAP2K1, ESR1, and ESR2. The Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that various signaling pathways were involved. Prolactin signaling, thyroid cancer, endocrine resistance, gonadotropin secretion, and estrogen signaling pathways were the main pathways of the intervention of floating wheat in excessive sweating, which was associated with the estrogenic response, hormone receptor binding, androgen metabolism, apoptosis, cancer, and many other biological processes. Molecular docking showed that the screened key components could form good bindings with the target proteins through intermolecular forces. This study reveals the active ingredients and potential molecular mechanism of floating wheat in the treatment of hyperhidrosis and provides a reference for subsequent basic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Dong
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
| | - Qing Tian
- Industrial Microorganism Preservation and Breeding Henan Engineering Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
| | - Ming Hui
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
- Industrial Microorganism Preservation and Breeding Henan Engineering Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
| | - Shouyu Zhang
- College of Smart Health, Henan Polytechnic, Zhengzhou 450046, China
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He X, Cui J, Li H, Zhou Y, Wu X, Jiang C, Xu Z, Wang R, Xiong L. Antipyretic effects of Xiangqin Jiere granules on febrile young rats revealed by combining pharmacodynamics, metabolomics, network pharmacology, molecular biology experiments and molecular docking strategies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38197809 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2301761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Xiangqin Jiere granules (XQJRG) is a proprietary Chinese medicine treating children's colds and fevers, but its mechanism of action is unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the antipyretic mechanisms of XQJRG based on pharmacodynamics, non-targeted metabolomics, network pharmacology, molecular biology experiments, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Firstly, the yeast-induced fever model was constructed in young rats to study antipyretic effect of XQJRG. Metabolomics and network pharmacology studies were performed to identify the key compounds, targets and pathways involved in the antipyretic of XQJRG. Subsequently, MetScape was used to jointly analyze targets from network pharmacology and metabolites from metabolomics. Finally, the key targets were validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the affinity and stability of key ingredient and targets were evaluated by molecular docking and MD simulation. The animal experimental results showed that after XQJRG treatment, body temperature of febrile rats was significantly reduced, 13 metabolites were significantly modulated, and pathways of differential metabolite enrichment were mainly related to amino acid and lipid metabolism. Network pharmacology results indicated that quercetin and kaempferol were the key active components of XQJRG, TNF, AKT1, IL6, IL1B and PTGS2 were core targets. ELISA confirmed that XQJRG significantly reduced the plasma concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and the hypothalamic concentrations of COX-2 and PGE2. Molecular docking demonstrated that the binding energies of kaempferol to the core targets were all below -5.0 kcal/mol. MD simulation results showed that the binding free energies of TNF-kaempferol, IL6-kaempferol, IL1B-kaempferol and PTGS2-kaempferol were -87.86 kcal/mol, -70.41 kcal/mol, -69.95 kcal/mol and -106.67 kcal/mol, respectively. In conclusion, XQJRG has antipyretic effects on yeast-induced fever in young rats, and its antipyretic mechanisms may be related to the inhibition of peripheral pyrogenic cytokines release by constituents such as kaempferol, the reduction of hypothalamic fever mediator production, and the amelioration of disturbances in amino acid and lipid metabolism.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiying He
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Jieqiong Cui
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Huayan Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Xinchen Wu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Chunrong Jiang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Zhichang Xu
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Ruirui Wang
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Lei Xiong
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
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Zhang J, Li L. Network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking-based strategy to explore the potential mechanism of Radix Astragali against hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:516. [PMID: 38177197 PMCID: PMC10767094 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50605-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
To explore the anti-tumor effects of Radix Astragali on hypopharyngeal carcinoma and its mechanism. We have bioinformatically analyzed the potential targets of Radix Astragali and predicted the molecular mechanism of Radix Astragali treating of hypopharyngeal carcinoma. The binding process of the hub targets that could prolong the survival time of hypopharyngeal cancer patients with Radix Astragali was simulated by molecular docking. The results showed that 17 out of 36 hub targets could effectively improve the 5-year survival rate of hypopharyngeal cancer patients. Radix Astragali acts on hypopharyngeal carcinoma by regulating a signaling network formed by hub targets connecting multiple signaling pathways and is expected to become a drug for treating and prolonging hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients' survival time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Central Hospital of Chaoyang, Liaoning, 122000, China
| | - Lianhe Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Central Hospital of Chaoyang, Liaoning, 122000, China.
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Liu B, Zhang J, Wang X, Ye W, Yao J. Exploration of the Mechanisms Underlying Yu's Enema Formula in Treating Ulcerative Colitis by Blocking the RhoA/ROCK Pathway based on Network Pharmacology, High-performance Liquid Chromatography Analysis, and Experimental Verification. Curr Pharm Des 2024; 30:1085-1102. [PMID: 38523541 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128290586240315071044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The traditional Chinese medicine formula, Yu's Enema Formula (YEF), has demonstrated potential in the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis (UC). OBJECTIVE This study aimed to unveil the anti-UC mechanisms of YEF. METHODS Utilizing public databases, we obtained YEF and UC-related targets. GO and KEGG analyses were conducted via clusterProfiler and Reactome. The STRING database facilitated the construction of the PPI network, and hub targets were selected using cytoHubba. We used R software for differential expression and correlation analyses, and molecular docking was performed with PyMOL and AutoDock. HPLC analysis identified the compounds in YEF. For in vivo validation, a UC rat model was employed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 495 YEF-UC overlapping targets were identified. GO and KEGG analyses indicated enrichment in exogenous stimuli response, peptide response, positive MAPK cascade regulation, interleukin- related signaling, and the TLR4 cascade. Hub targets included CTNNB1, JUN, MAPK1, MAPK3, SRC, STAT3, TLR4, TP53, and RELA, which were often interconnected. Molecular docking revealed quercetin's strong binding affinity with CTNNB1, MAPK1, MAPK3, SRC, STAT3, TLR4, and TP53, consistent with HPLC analysis. In vivo experiments suggested that YEF has the potential to alleviate UC symptoms and protect the intestinal mucosal barrier by inhibiting the RhoA/ROCK pathway. CONCLUSION YEF may safeguard the intestinal mucosal barrier in UC by targeting CTNNB1, MAPK1, MAPK3, SRC, STAT3, TLR4, and TP53, while blocking the RhoA/ROCK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Liu
- Department of Digestion, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Digestion, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoqi Wang
- Department of Digestion, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei Ye
- Department of Digestion, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiaming Yao
- Department of Digestion, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Zhou W, Fan M, Li X, Yu F, Zhou E, Han X. Molecular mechanism of Xuebijing in treating pyogenic liver abscess complicated with sepsis. World J Emerg Med 2024; 15:35-40. [PMID: 38188548 PMCID: PMC10765075 DOI: 10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2024.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xuebijing (XBJ) can alleviate the inflammatory response, improve organ function, and shorten the intensive care unit (ICU) stay in patients with pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) complicated with sepsis, but the molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of XBJ in treating PLA complicated with sepsis using a network pharmacology approach. METHODS The active ingredients and targets of XBJ were retrieved from the ETCM database. Potential targets related to PLA and sepsis were retrieved from the GeneCards, PharmGKB, DisGeNet, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Therapeutic Targets Database (TTD), and DrugBank databases. The targets of PLA complicated with sepsis were mapped to the targets of XBJ to identify potential treatment targets. Protein-protein interaction networks were analyzed using the STRING database. Potential treatment targets were imported into the Metascape platform for Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Molecular docking was performed to validate the interactions between active ingredients and core targets. RESULTS XBJ was found to have 54 potential treatment targets for PLA complicated with sepsis. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were identified as core targets. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed important pathways, including the interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, the TNF signaling pathway, the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, and the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway. Molecular docking experiments indicated stable binding between XBJ active ingredients and core targets. CONCLUSION XBJ may exert therapeutic effects on PLA complicated with sepsis by modulating signaling pathways, such as the IL-17, TNF, NF-κB, and TLR pathways, and targeting IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University/ Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Maiying Fan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University/ Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University/ Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Fang Yu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University/ Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - En Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology-head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University/Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Xiaotong Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University/ Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
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Fang X, Jiang XF, Zhang YP, Zhou CL, Dong YJ, Li B, Lv GY, Chen SH. Exploring the Action Mechanism and Validation of the Key Pathways of Dendrobium officinale Throat-clearing Formula for the Treatment of Chronic Pharyngitis Based on Network Pharmacology. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2024; 27:479-496. [PMID: 37877149 PMCID: PMC10964081 DOI: 10.2174/0113862073261351231005111817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
AIM This study investigated the molecular action mechanism of a compound herb, also known as the Dendrobium officinale throat-clearing formula (QYF), by using network pharmacology and animal experimental validation methods to treat chronic pharyngitis (CP). METHODS The active ingredients and disease targets of QYF were determined by searching the Batman-TCM and GeneCards databases. Subsequently, the drug-active ingredient-target and protein-protein interaction networks were constructed, and the core targets were obtained through network topology. The Metascape database was screened, and the core targets were enriched with Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. RESULTS In total, 1403 and 241 potential targets for drugs and diseases, respectively, and 81 intersecting targets were yielded. The core targets included TNF, IL-6, and IL-1β, and the core pathways included PI3K-Akt. The QYF treatment group exhibited effectively improved general signs, enhanced anti-inflammatory ability in vitro, reduced serum and tissue expressions of TNF- α, IL-6, and IL-1β inflammatory factors, and decreased blood LPS levels and Myd88, TLR4, PI3K, Akt, and NF-κB p65 protein expression in the tissues. CONCLUSION QYF could inhibit LPS production, which regulated the expression of the TLR4/PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway to suppress the expression of the related inflammatory factors (i.e., TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β), thereby alleviating the CP process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Fang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18, Chaowang Road, Gangshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, No. 999 Changhong East Street, Huzhou City, Zhejiang, 310023, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Jiang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18, Chaowang Road, Gangshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, No. 999 Changhong East Street, Huzhou City, Zhejiang, 310023, China
| | - Yi-Piao Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18, Chaowang Road, Gangshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, No. 999 Changhong East Street, Huzhou City, Zhejiang, 310023, China
| | - Cheng-Liang Zhou
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18, Chaowang Road, Gangshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, No. 999 Changhong East Street, Huzhou City, Zhejiang, 310023, China
| | - Ying-Jie Dong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18, Chaowang Road, Gangshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, No. 999 Changhong East Street, Huzhou City, Zhejiang, 310023, China
| | - Bo- Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18, Chaowang Road, Gangshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, No. 999 Changhong East Street, Huzhou City, Zhejiang, 310023, China
| | - Gui-Yuan Lv
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, No. 548, Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China
| | - Su-Hong Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18, Chaowang Road, Gangshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R & D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, No. 999 Changhong East Street, Huzhou City, Zhejiang, 310023, China
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Gao H, Chen Z, Halihaman B, Huang L, Wang Z, Ding X. Network Pharmacology and In vitro Experimental Verification to Explore the Mechanism of Chaiqin Qingning Capsule in the Treatment of Pain. Curr Pharm Des 2024; 30:278-294. [PMID: 38310568 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128280351240112044430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chaiqin Qingning capsule (CQQNC) has been used to relieve pain in practice. However, the active components, pain targets, and molecular mechanisms for pain control are unclear. OBJECTIVE To explore the active components and potential mechanisms of the analgesic effect of CQQNC through network pharmacology and in vitro experiments. METHODS The main active components and the corresponding targets of CQQNC were screened from the TCMSP and the SwissTargetPrediction databases. Pain-related targets were selected in the OMIM, Gene- Cards, and DrugBank databases. These targets were intersected to obtain potential analgesic targets. The analgesic targets were imported into the STRING and DAVID databases for protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology (GO) function enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Cytoscape software (V3.7.1) was used to construct an active component-intersection network. Finally, the key components were docked with the core targets. The analgesic mechanism of CQQNC was verified by RAW264.7 cell experiment. RESULTS 30 active CQQNC components, 617 corresponding targets, and 3,214 pain-related target genes were found. The main active components were quercetin, kaempferol, and chenodeoxycholic acid etc. The key targets were ALB, AKT1, TNF, IL6, TP53, IL1B, and SRC. CQQNC can exert an analgesic effect through PI3K-Akt, MAPK signaling pathways, etc. Molecular docking showed that these active components had good binding activities with key targets. The results of in vitro experiments showed that CQQNC could exert antiinflammatory and analgesic effects through MAPK/AKT/NF-kB signaling pathways. CONCLUSION CQQNC exerts pain control through inhibiting MAPK/AKT/NF-kB signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjin Gao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Zhengwei Chen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Buliduhong Halihaman
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Lianzhan Huang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xuansheng Ding
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Precision Medicine Laboratory, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
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Yang Y, Bi C, Li B, Li Y, Song Y, Zhang M, Peng L, Fan D, Duan R, Li Z. Exploring the Molecular Mechanism of HongTeng Decoction against Inflammation based on Network Analysis and Experiments Validation. Curr Comput Aided Drug Des 2024; 20:170-182. [PMID: 37309760 PMCID: PMC10641852 DOI: 10.2174/1573409919666230612103201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HongTeng Decoction (HTD) is a traditional Chinese medicine that is widely used to treat bacterial infections and chronic inflammation. However, its pharmacological mechanism is not clear. Here, network pharmacology and experimental verification were applied to investigate the drug targets and potential mechanisms of HTD in inflammation treatment. METHODS The active ingredients of HTD were collected from the multi-source databases and clarified by Q Exactive Orbitrap analysis in the treatment of inflammation. Then, molecular docking technology was used to explore the binding ability of key active ingredients and targets in HTD. In vitro experiments, the inflammatory factors and MAPK signaling pathways are detected to verify the anti-inflammatory effect of HTD on the RAW264.7 cells. Finally, the anti-inflammatory effect of HTD was evaluated in LPS induced mice model. RESULTS A total of 236 active compounds and 492 targets of HTD were obtained through database screening, and 954 potential targets of inflammation were identified. Finally, 164 possible targets of HTD acting on inflammation were obtained. The PPI analysis and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the targets of HTD in inflammation were mostly related to the MAPK signaling pathway, the IL-17 signaling pathway, and the TNF signaling pathway. By integrating the results of the network analysis, the core targets of HTD in inflammation mainly include MAPK3, TNF, MMP9, IL6, EGFR, and NFKBIA. The molecular docking results indicated solid binding activity between MAPK3-naringenin and MAPK3-paeonol. It has been shown that HTD could inhibit the levels of inflammatory factors, IL6 and TNF-α, as well as the splenic index in the LPS-stimulated mice. Moreover, HTD could regulate protein expression levels of p-JNK1/2, and p-ERK1/2, which reflects the inhibitory effect of HTD on the MAPKS signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Our study is expected to provide the pharmacological mechanisms by which HTD may be a promising anti-inflammatory drug for future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Yang
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Chongwen Bi
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Bin Li
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Yun Li
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Yin Song
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Minghui Zhang
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Longxi Peng
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Dongmei Fan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Blood Disease Cell Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Rong Duan
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Zhengxiang Li
- Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
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Zeng J, Pei H, Wu H, Chen W, Du R, He Z. Palmatine attenuates LPS-induced neuroinflammation through the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2024; 38:e23544. [PMID: 37815058 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the key molecular mechanisms of palmatine for the treatment of neuroinflammation through modulation of a pathway using molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation combined with network pharmacology, and animal experiments. Five alkaloid components were obtained from the traditional Chinese medicine Huangteng through literature mining. Molecular docking and MD simulation with acetylcholinesterase were used to screen palmatine. At the animal level, mice were injected with LPS intracerebrally to cause a neuroinflammatory model, and the Morris water maze experiment was performed to examine the learning memory of mice. Anxiety levels were tested using the autonomous activity behavior experiment with the open field and elevated behavior experiments. HE staining and Niss staining were performed on brain tissue sections to observe morphological lesions and apoptosis; serum was examined for inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β; Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression. The expression of PI3K/AKT/NFkB signaling pathway-related proteins was examined by Western blot. The results of network pharmacology showed that the screening of palmatine activation containing the PI3K/Akt/NFkB signaling pathway exerts antineuroinflammatory effects. Results from behavioral experiments showed that Pal enhanced learning memory in model mice, improved anxiety behavior, and significantly improved brain damage caused by neuroinflammation. The results of HE staining and Niss staining of brain tissue sections showed that palmatine could alleviate morphological lesions and nucleus damage in brain tissue. Palmatine improved the levels of serum inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. SOD, MDA, CAT, ACH, and ACHE in the hippocampus were improved. Western blot results showed that palmatine administration ameliorated LPS-induced neuroinflammation through the PI3K/Akt/NFkB pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianning Zeng
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jilin Province Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Hongyan Pei
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jilin Province Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jilin Province Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Weijia Chen
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jilin Province Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Rui Du
- Department of Science and Technology of Jilin Province, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry in Xinjiang, Engineering Research Center for High-Efficiency Breeding and Product Development Technology of Sika Deer, Jilin, China
| | - Zhongmei He
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jilin Province Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- Department of Science and Technology of Jilin Province, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry in Xinjiang, Engineering Research Center for High-Efficiency Breeding and Product Development Technology of Sika Deer, Jilin, China
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Dai Q, Pan Y, Zhu X, Chen M, Xie L, Zhu Y, Wan G. Network Pharmacology along with Molecular Docking to Explore the Mechanism of Danshen Injection against Anthracycline-induced Cardiotoxicity and Transcriptome Validation. Curr Pharm Des 2024; 30:952-967. [PMID: 38482629 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128289845240305070522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although anthracyclines have demonstrated efficacy in cancer therapy, their utilization is constrained by cardiotoxicity. In contrast, Danshen injection (DSI), derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza, has a longstanding tradition of being employed to ameliorate cardiovascular ailments, including anthracycline- induced cardiotoxicity (AIC). Nonetheless, there is a notable dearth of comprehensive systematic investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying DSI's effects on AIC. Consequently, this study was undertaken to explore the underlying mechanism by which DSI acted against AIC. METHODS Employing network pharmacology approach, the current investigation undertook a comprehensive analysis of the impact of DSI on AIC, which was further validated by transcriptome sequencing with in vitro AIC model. Additionally, molecular docking was conducted to evaluate the binding of active ingredients to core targets. A total of 3,404 AIC-related targets and 12 active ingredients in DSI, including chrysophanol, luteolin, tanshinone IIA, isoimperatorin, among others, were collected by differentially expressed analysis and database search, respectively. RESULTS The network pharmacology and enrichment analysis suggested 102 potential targets and 29 signaling pathways associated with the protective effect of DSI on AIC. Three core targets (CA12, NOS3, and POLH) and calcium signaling pathways were further validated by transcriptomic analysis of the in-vitro model. The high affinity of the active ingredients binding to corresponding targets was confirmed by molecular docking. CONCLUSION The present study suggested that DSI might exert a cardioprotective effect on AIC via the inhibition of CA12, NOS3, and POLH, as well as the modulation of calcium signaling. Further experiments are warranted to verify the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quankai Dai
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Yijun Pan
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Xiwen Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Mengyao Chen
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital, Institute of Medicine and Nursing, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Lin Xie
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital, Institute of Medicine and Nursing, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Department of Research and Teaching, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Guoxing Wan
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, Hubei, China
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Choi W, Wu Y, Li Y, Dong J. Network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking analysis reveal the mechanism of modified Bushen Yiqi formulas on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3607. [PMID: 37795773 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study aimed to explore the mechanism of the modified Bushen Yiqi formula (MBYF) in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. METHODS First, the active ingredients and corresponding targets in MBYF were mined through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. Subsequently, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, DrugBank, and GeneCard were used to screen COPD-related targets. Cytoscape was used to construct a network of candidate components of MBYF in COPD treatment. The overlapping targets of COPD and MBYF were used to treat COPD, and then CytoHubba and CytoNAC plug-ins in Cytoscape were used for topology analysis to build the core network. In addition, core targets were used for Gene Ontology analysis and enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Finally, AutoDock Vina software was used to conduct a molecular docking study on the core active ingredients and core targets to verify the above network pharmacological analysis. RESULTS Seventy-nine active components of MBYF were screened and 261 corresponding targets were found. At the same time, 1307 related targets corresponding to COPD were screened and 111 overlapping targets were matched. By bioinformatics analysis, 10 core targets were identified, and subsequently, enrichment analysis revealed 385 BP, two CC, eight MF and 78 related signaling pathways. The binding of the core active components in MBYF to the core target was further verified by molecular docking, and all showed good binding. CONCLUSIONS The active components of MBYF, such as quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and baicalein, may be the material basis for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They affect the expression of inflammatory cells and inflammatory factors, protein phosphorylation, and smooth muscle hyperplasia through tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-17, mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor-kappa B and other signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenglam Choi
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueren Wu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifan Li
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingcheng Dong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Wen Y, Wang X, Si K, Xu L, Huang S, Zhan Y. Exploring the Mechanisms of Self-made Kuiyu Pingchang Recipe for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome using a Network Pharmacology-based Approach and Molecular Docking. Curr Comput Aided Drug Des 2024; 20:534-550. [PMID: 37190808 DOI: 10.2174/1573409919666230515103224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common intestinal diseases. According to the clinical experience and curative effect, the authors formulated Kuiyu Pingchang Decoction (KYPCD) comprised of Paeoniae radix alba, Aurantii Fructus, Herba euphorbiae humifusae, Lasiosphaera seu Calvatia, Angelicae sinensis radix, Panax ginseng C.A. Mey., Platycodon grandiforus and Allium azureum Ledeb. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanisms of KYPCD in the treatment of UC and IBS following the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory of "Treating different diseases with the same treatment". METHODS The chemical ingredients and targets of KYPCD were obtained using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP). The targets of UC and IBS were extracted using the DisGeNET, GeneCards, DrugBANK, OMIM and TTD databases. The "TCM-component-target" network and the "TCM-shared target-disease" network were imaged using Cytoscape software. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built using the STRING database. The DAVID platform was used to analyze the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Using Autodock Tools software, the main active components of KYPCD were molecularly docked with their targets and visualized using PyMOL. RESULTS A total of 46 active ingredients of KYPCD corresponding to 243 potential targets, 1,565 targets of UC and 1,062 targets of IBS, and 70 targets among active ingredients and two diseases were screened. Core targets in the PPI network included IL6, TNF, AKT1, IL1B, TP53, EGFR and VEGFA. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated 563 biological processes, 48 cellular components, 82 molecular functions and 144 signaling pathways. KEGG enrichment results revealed that the regulated pathways were mainly related to the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, HIF-1 and IL-17 pathways. The results of molecular docking analysis indicated that the core active ingredients of KYPCD had optimal binding activity to their corresponding targets. CONCLUSION KYPCD may use IL6, TNF, AKT1, IL1B, TP53, EGFR and VEGFA as the key targets to achieve the treatment of UC and IBS through the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, HIF-1 and IL-17 pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Department of Anorectal Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, 637000, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Wang
- Gastroenterology Department, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Ke Si
- Gastroenterology Department, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Ling Xu
- Anorectal Department, Luzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Shuoyang Huang
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Department, Chengdu Second People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610017, China
| | - Yu Zhan
- Gastroenterology Department, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610000, China
- Anorectal Department, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610000, China
- Anorectal Department, Affiliated Hospital of Integrative Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine of Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu 610041, China
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Wu J, Chen J, Yu X, You Y. The potential pharmacological mechanism of prunetin against osteoporosis: transcriptome analysis, molecular docking, and experimental approaches. Toxicol Mech Methods 2024; 34:46-56. [PMID: 37642288 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2023.2253305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prunetin is an O-methylated isoflavone, known for its beneficial properties. However, its specific pharmacological effects in the treatment of osteoporosis (OP) remain poorly understood. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the antiosteoporotic effects of prunetin through a combination of bioinformatics analysis and cell experiments. METHODS We gathered predicted targets of prunetin from various online platforms. Differential expression analysis of mRNAs in patients with OP was conducted using the Limma package, based on the GSE35959 dataset. A PPI network diagram was visualized and analyzed using Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. Molecular docking was employed to assess the binding affinity between ligands and receptors, and selected key genes were further validated through cell experiments. RESULTS A total of 4062 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the GSE35959 dataset. Among these, 58 genes were found to overlap with the targets of prunetin, indicating their potential as therapeutic targets. The enrichment analysis indicated these targets were mainly enriched in MAPK, FoxO, and mTOR signaling pathways. The molecular docking analysis demonstrated that prunetin exhibited strong binding activity with the core targets. Furthermore, cell experiments revealed that prunetin effectively reversed the expression levels of ALB, ESR1, PTGS2, and FGFR1 mRNA in MC3T3-E1 cells treated with dexamethasone (DEX). CONCLUSION Our research revealed the multi-pathway and multi-target features of prunetin in treating OP, shedding light on the potential mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of prunetin against OP. These findings serve as a theoretical foundation for future drug development in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wu
- Department of Acupuncture, Nanchang Hongdu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
| | - Jiali Chen
- Nursing Department, Nanchang Hongdu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
| | - Xijing Yu
- Department of Acupuncture, Nanchang Hongdu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
| | - Yujuan You
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
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Kang C, Li X, Liu P, Liu Y, Niu Y, Zeng X, Liu J, Zhao H, Qiu S. Quercetin inhibits the activity and function of dendritic cells through the TLR4/IRAK4/NF-κB signalling pathway. Contemp Oncol (Pozn) 2023; 27:182-189. [PMID: 38239865 PMCID: PMC10793624 DOI: 10.5114/wo.2023.133741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction To investigate the inhibitory effect of quercetin (QUE) on dendritic cells (DCs) through the toll-like receptor 4/interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4/nuclear factor kappa-B (TLR4/IRAK4/NF-κB) signalling pathway. Material and methods CCK-8 and apoptosis assays were performed to determine the optimal concentration and action time of QUE to inhibit DCs. Protein extracts from treated DCs were used for Western blotting experiments to determine the relative expression levels of TLR4, IRAK4, and NF-κB p65 proteins. Changes in the ratio of CD86 and CD11c positive cells on the DCs surface were detected using flow cytometry. The molecular docking technique was used to analyse the binding site and free energy of QUE and IRAK4. Results CCK-8 and apoptosis assays suggested that QUE inhibited the activity and function of DCs in a time-dose-dependent manner. The results of Western blotting suggested that the relative expression levels of TLR4, IRAK4, and NF-κB p65 proteins were increased in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group compared with the normal control group, and the relative expression of the above proteins was decreased after treatment with QUE and IRAK4-IN-4. The results of flow cytometry suggested that LPS increased the expression of CD86 and CD11c on the surface of DCs, and QUE and IRAK4-IN-4 decreased the expression of CD86 and CD11c induced by LPS. Molecular docking results showed that the binding sites of QUE and IRAK4 were stable, with the minimum binding energies comparable to that of IRAK4-IN-4. Conclusions Quercetin may inhibit the activity and function of DCs through the TLR4/IRAK4/NF-κB signalling pathway, and IRAK4 may be its target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglin Kang
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang E.N.T Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of E.N.T, Institute of E.N.T Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Second People’s Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaomei Li
- Department of Otolaryngology, Second People’s Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang E.N.T Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of E.N.T, Institute of E.N.T Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yue Liu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang E.N.T Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of E.N.T, Institute of E.N.T Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Niu
- Department of Neurology, Second People’s Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xianhai Zeng
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang E.N.T Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of E.N.T, Institute of E.N.T Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangqi Liu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang E.N.T Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of E.N.T, Institute of E.N.T Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hailiang Zhao
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang E.N.T Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of E.N.T, Institute of E.N.T Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuqi Qiu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang E.N.T Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of E.N.T, Institute of E.N.T Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
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Zheng Q, Wang X, Gao T, Zhang B, Zhao N, Du R, Zhao Z. Exploring the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms of Salvia chinensis Benth in colorectal cancer: A network pharmacology and molecular docking study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e36602. [PMID: 38115259 PMCID: PMC10727650 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000036602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
While Salvia chinensis Benth (commonly known as "Shijianchuan" in Chinese, and abbreviated as SJC) is commonly used in adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) in traditional Chinese medicine, its mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, Initially, we examined the impact of SJC on CRC cells in an in vitro setting. Next, we initially retrieved the primary active components and targets of SJC from databases such as TCMSP and existing literature. Subsequently, we integrated differential gene expression data from the GEO database and collected CRC-related targets from resources like DisGeNET. The matching of these datasets enabled the identification of SJC-CRC targets. We constructed a protein-protein interaction network and identified core targets through topological analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed using clusterProfiler. We established networks linking traditional Chinese medicine components to targets and core targets to signaling pathways. Additionally, we performed molecular docking to validate interactions between the main compounds and targets, and employed Western blot analysis to explore how the major components of SJC affect crucial signaling pathways. In this study, SJC inhibited the viability of HCT-116 and HT-29 cells. We identified a total of 11 active components in SJC along with 317 target genes. Among these, there were 8612 target genes associated with CRC, and we successfully matched 276 SJC-CRC target genes. Through topological analysis of the protein-protein interaction network, we pinpointed 20 core targets. It was revealed that SJC effects are linked to genes governing processes like cell apoptosis, proliferation, hypoxia, oxidative stress, and signaling pathways such as PI3K-Akt through GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. Additionally, we applied molecular docking techniques and observed that the majority of active compounds displayed robust binding affinity with the selected targets. In vitro experiments suggested that SJC and its key component, Ursolic acid, may exert its anti-CRC effects by modulating the core PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through inhibiting the phosphorylation of the target Akt1. This discovery is consistent with the predictions derived from network pharmacology methods. This study marks the inaugural utilization of bioinformatics methods in conjunction with in vitro experiments to comprehensively investigate the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms responsible for SJC anti-CRC effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Hebei Key Laboratory of CRC Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Hebei Key Laboratory of CRC Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Pathology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Tian Gao
- Department of General Surgery, Hebei Key Laboratory of CRC Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Bingzhou Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Hebei Key Laboratory of CRC Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ning Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Hebei Key Laboratory of CRC Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Runsen Du
- Department of General Surgery, Hebei Key Laboratory of CRC Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zengren Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Hebei Key Laboratory of CRC Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Zhang Y, Wei J, Kong L, Song M, Zhang Y, Xiao X, Cao H, Jin Y. Network pharmacology-based research on the effect of Radix Astragali on osteosarcoma and the underlying mechanism. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22315. [PMID: 38102307 PMCID: PMC10724296 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49597-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
To explore the anti-tumor effects of Radix Astragali on osteosarcoma and its mechanism. We analyzed the PPI network of Radix Astragali's potential targets for treating osteosarcoma and got the hub targets. We used KM curves to screen hub targets that could prolong sarcoma patients' survival time. We performed GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of Radix Astragali's potential targets and predicted Radix Astragali's molecular mechanism and function in treating osteosarcoma. The binding process between the hub targets, which could prolong sarcoma patients' survival time, and Radix Astragali was simulated through molecular docking. PPI network analysis of potential therapeutic targets discriminated 25 hub targets. The KM curves of the hub targets showed there were 13 hub targets that were effective in improving the 5-year survival rate of sarcoma patients. GO and KEGG enrichment demonstrated that Radix Astragali regulates multiple signaling pathways of osteosarcoma. Molecular docking results indicated that Radix Astragali could bind freely to the hub target, which could prolong the sarcoma patient's survival time. Radix Astragali act on osteosarcoma by regulating a signaling network formed by hub targets connecting multiple signaling pathways. Radix Astragali has the potential to become a drug for treating osteosarcoma and prolonging the sarcoma patient's survival time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafang Zhang
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Junqiang Wei
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Lingwei Kong
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Mingze Song
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Yange Zhang
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Xiangyu Xiao
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Haiying Cao
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Yu Jin
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China.
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Wang D, Zhang J, Dai H, Tong K, Chen M, Peng J, Huang W. Probable targets and mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1 for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a study integrating network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-14. [PMID: 38038388 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2289045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1), a key bioactive component of medicinal herbs, has shown beneficial effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and numerous other conditions. Nevertheless, the specific targets that are actively involved and the potential mechanisms underlying NAFLD treatment remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the therapeutic effects and mechanism of GRg1 in alleviating NAFLD using a combined approach of network pharmacology and molecular biology validation. The analysis yielded 294 targets for GRg1 and 1293 associated with NAFLD, resulting in 89 overlapping targets. Through protein-protein interactions (PPI) network topology analysis, 10 key targets were identified. Upon evaluating the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, GRg1 may exert therapeutic effects on NAFLD by negatively regulating the apoptotic process, insulin and endocrine resistance, the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, and the Estrogen, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK pathways. The three differential gene targets for Akt1, EGFR, and IGF1 were identified through the compound-target network in conjunction with the aforementioned methods. The molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that AKT1 and EGFR had a strong binding affinity with GRg1. Overall, our findings point to a novel therapeutic strategy involving NAFLD, with further in vivo and in vitro studies promising to deepen our comprehension and validate its potential advantages.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danni Wang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jia Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haifeng Dai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kexin Tong
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingjing Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiayi Peng
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenxiang Huang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Tian Z, Li Y, Wang X, Cui K, Guo J, Wang M, Hao Y, Zhang F. Exploring the mechanism of Astragali radix for promoting osteogenic differentiation based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 102:1489-1505. [PMID: 37690812 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The present study used network pharmacology and molecular docking to predict the active ingredients and mechanisms of action of Astragalus radix (AR) to promote osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), and cell experiments were conducted for verification. First, network pharmacology was used to predict the effective components, targets, and mechanisms of action of AR to promote osteogenic differentiation. The effective components and corresponding target proteins of AR, and the target proteins of osteogenic differentiation were collected through the database. The intersection targets of the two were used for the construction and analysis of a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Gene Oncology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes, and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted. Next, molecular docking technology was carried out to verify the interaction between the active ingredient and the target protein, and to select the appropriate effective active ingredient. Finally, the results of network pharmacology analysis were verified by in vitro experiments. A total of 95 potential targets were retrieved by searching the intersection of AR and osteogenic differentiation targets. PPI network analysis indicated that RAC-α-serine-threonine-protein kinase (Akt1) was considered to be the most reliable target for AR to regulate osteogenic differentiation. GO enrichment analysis included 21 biological processes, 21 cellular components and 100 molecular functions. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the class I phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)-serine-threonine kinase (Akt) signaling pathway may play an important role in promoting osteogenic differentiation. The results of molecular docking showed that quercetin's performance was improved compared with that of kaempferol. In vitro experiments showed that quercetin promoted the expression of osteogenic marker proteins (including collagen I, Runt-related transcription factor 2 and osteopontin) in BMSCs and activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. AR acted on Akt1 targets through its main active component quercetin, and promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenghui Tian
- College of First Clinical Medical, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yingying Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoying Wang
- Teaching and Research Department of Internal Medicine, Jinan Vocational College of Nursing, Jinan, China
| | - Kaiying Cui
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Jinxing Guo
- College of First Clinical Medical, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Mingliang Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Rizhao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rizhao, China
| | - Yanke Hao
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Farong Zhang
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Hong T, Chen W, Ren YT, Wang YH, Lu DQ, Zhang KY, Yao XY, Wang XC. Network pharmacology identifies the inhibitory effect of Yiqiyangyinquyu prescription on salivary gland inflammation in Sjögren's syndrome. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e36144. [PMID: 38013284 PMCID: PMC10681419 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000036144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the mode of action of Yiqiyangyinquyu prescription (YP) against Sjögren's syndrome (SS) by combining network pharmacology with molecular docking techniques. YP's active components and target proteins were identified using the BATMAN-traditional Chinese medicine database. Concurrently, targets associated with SS were extracted from databases, including Genecards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, and Therapeutic Target Database. The standard targets were then imported into the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction network. We then conducted gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses, which were succeeded by molecular docking studies to validate core active components and key targets. Finally, in vitro experiments and molecular dynamics simulation were conducted to substantiate the therapeutic efficacy of YP in treating SS. A total of 206 intersection targets and 46 active compounds were identified. Gene ontology analysis unveiled that YP targets were primarily enriched in cellular responses to chemical stress, inflammation, and cell proliferation. Key enriched signaling pathways encompassed the interleukin 17, hypoxia-inducible factor-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and advanced glycation end products-receptor for AGEs (AGE-RAGE) signaling pathways. Molecular docking results demonstrated high-affinity between neotanshinone C, tanshiquinone B, miltionone I, TNF-α, interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Noteworthy, TNF-α, considered the most important gene in YP against SS, binds to YP most stably, which was further validated by molecular dynamics simulation. In vitro experiments confirmed YP's capacity to reduce TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 expression, effectively alleviating SS-related inflammation. YP demonstrated a significant anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β), providing experimental evidence for its clinical application in treating SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Hong
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wu Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Rheumatology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ya-Ting Ren
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi-Han Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ding-Qi Lu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China
| | - Kai-Yuan Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin-Yi Yao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin-Chang Wang
- Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Xu X, Yu Z, Zeng S. Investigating the therapeutic mechanism of Xiaotan Sanjie Formula for gastric cancer via network pharmacology and molecular docking: A review. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35986. [PMID: 37986339 PMCID: PMC10659714 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Xiaotan Sanjie Formula (XTSJF), a traditional Chinese prescription, holds promising potential in addressing gastric cancer (GC). Despite this, the fundamental constituents and underlying mechanisms that define XTSJF's attributes remain enigmatic. Against this backdrop, this study endeavors to unravel the latent mechanisms driving XTSJF's impact on GC, leveraging the synergistic prowess of network pharmacology and molecular docking methodologies. To understand the potential mechanism of XTSJF against GC, this study used network pharmacology, molecular docking, and bioinformatics analytic methodologies. There are 135 active components where the active ingredients with a higher degree value are quercetin, β-sitosterol, naringenin, nobiletin, and kaempferol and 167 intersecting targets in which TP53, MAPK3, MAPK1, STAT3, and AKT1 were key targets were identified in XTSJF in the treatment of GC. According to GO and KEGG analyses, XTSJF is mostly involved in the positive control of transcription from the RNA polymerase II promoter, enzyme interaction, and other biological processes in GC. KEGG analysis shows that XTSJF treated GC primarily by regulating signaling pathways including the TNF, PI3K-Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways. According to the results of the PPI network and molecular docking, quercetin, β-sitosterol, naringenin, nobiletin, and kaempferol exhibit stronger affinity with TP53, MAPK3, MAPK1, STAT3, and AKT1. This study indicates the active components of XTSJF as well as its possible molecular mechanism against GC, and it serves as a foundation for future fundamental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Xu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhihong Yu
- Cancer Institute of Integrated Tradition Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuying Zeng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Hangzhou, China
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Yang F, Yan Y, Gu Y, Qi K, Chen J, Wang G. Multi-target mechanism of Naoshuantong capsule for treatment of Ischemic stroke based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35771. [PMID: 37933045 PMCID: PMC10627680 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Naoshuantong capsule (NST capsule) is a classic Chinese patent medicine, which can treat ischemic stroke (IS) and has good clinical efficacy. However, its pharmacological mechanism remains to be further explored in the treatment of IS. METHODS The bio-active components and potential targets of NST Capsules were obtained by ETCM and TCMSP databases. In addition, the related targets of IS were collected by Genecard, OMIM, DrugBank, TTD and DisGeNET databases. NST-IS common target was obtained by Venn platform. PPI network of NST-IS common target and the composition - target network diagram of NST Capsule were constructed by Cytoscape3.8.1. Finally, AutoDock was used for molecular docking. RESULTS 265 targets were predicted from 32 active compounds in NST Capsule, 109 common targets were identified between NST Capsule and IS. The top 10 key targets of PPI network were ALB, TNF, TP53, VEGFA, CASP3, MYC, etc. Enrichment analysis showed that NST capsules treated IS mainly through lipid and atherosclerosis, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis signaling pathways. CONCLUSION Through the methods of network pharmacology and molecular docking, this study clarified that NST capsules play a role in the treatment of IS, which is multi-target, multi-channel and multi-component regulation. This study further explored the pharmacological mechanism of NST capsule in the treatment of IS, which can provide some references for the subsequent research in the pharmacological mechanism of NST capsule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjiao Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Dali University, Dali, PR China
| | - Ya Yan
- College of Pharmacy, Dali University, Dali, PR China
| | - Yun Gu
- College of Pharmacy, Dali University, Dali, PR China
| | - Kezhen Qi
- College of Pharmacy, Dali University, Dali, PR China
| | - Jianjie Chen
- School of Clinical Medicine, Dali University, Dali, PR China
| | - Guangming Wang
- School of Clinical Medicine, Dali University, Dali, PR China
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Li X, Sun T, Liu J, Wei S, Yang Y, Liu J, Zhang B, Li W. Phloretin alleviates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through regulating Hif3a transcription via targeting transcription factor Fos. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 120:155046. [PMID: 37659297 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Doxorubicin (Dox), a chemotherapeutic agent known for its efficacy, has been associated with the development of severe cardiotoxicity, commonly referred to as doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). The role and mechanism of action of phloretin (Phl) in cardiovascular diseases are well-established; however, its specific function and underlying mechanism in the context of DIC have yet to be fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE This research aimed to uncover the protective effect of Phl against DIC in vivo and in vitro, while also providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS DIC cell and murine models were established. The action targets and mechanism of Phl against DIC were comprehensively examined by systematic network pharmacology, molecular docking, transcriptomics technologies, transcription factor (TF) prediction, and experimental validation. RESULTS Phl relieved Dox-induced cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Through network pharmacology analysis, a total of 554 co-targeted genes of Phl and Dox were identified. Enrichment analysis revealed several key pathways including the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Apoptosis, and the IL-17 signaling pathway. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis identified 24 core co-targeted genes, such as Fos, Jun, Hif1a, which were predicted to bind well to Phl based on molecular docking. Transcriptomics analysis was performed to identify the top 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and 202 transcription factors (TFs) were predicted for these DEGs. Among these TFs, 10 TFs (Fos, Jun, Hif1a, etc.) are also the co-targeted genes, and 3 TFs (Fos, Jun, Hif1a) are also the core co-targeted genes. Further experiments validated the finding that Phl reduced the elevated levels of Hif3a (one of the top 20 DEGs) and Fos (one of Hif3a's predicted TFs) induced by Dox. Moreover, the interaction between Fos protein and the Hif3a promoter was confirmed through luciferase reporter assays. CONCLUSION Phl actively targeted and down-regulated the Fos protein to inhibit its binding to the promoter region of Hif3a, thereby providing protection against DIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; School of Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China
| | - Taoli Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, China
| | - Jiaqin Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Shanshan Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yuanying Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Bikui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; School of Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China.
| | - Wenqun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
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Zhang L, Yang Z, Li X, Hua Y, Fan G, He F. Anti-atherosclerotic effects of naringenin and quercetin from Folium Artemisiae argyi by attenuating Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)/ matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9): network pharmacology-based analysis and validation. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:378. [PMID: 37880698 PMCID: PMC10601115 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04223-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective components and related target genes of Folium Artemisiae argyi were screened from Traditional Chinese Medicines for Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform. The therapeutic targets of atherosclerosis were searched in the MalaCards and OMIM databases. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed in WebGestalt online and verified according to ClueGo and Pedia apps in Cytoscape. Then, the protein-protein interaction network was analyzed using the STRING database and constructed using Cytoscape. Differential expression of target genes was identified in GSE9128 and GSE71226 by GEO2R. And then, molecular docking was performed using the Molecular Operating Environment. Finally, we validated the protein expression of Interleukin-6 (IL-6)/IL-1β /MMP9 by qRT-PCR and Western blot in Raw264.7 which was induced by LPS. A total of 232 potential target genes and 8 ingredients of Folium Artemisiae argyi were identified. Quercetin and naringenin are potential candidate bioactive agents in treating atherosclerosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA), MMP9 and IL-1β could be potential target genes. KEGG analysis demonstrated that the fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis pathway play a crucial role in the anti-atherosclerosis effect of Folium Artemisiae argyi. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) validation demonstrated that VEGFA was downregulated, while MMP9 and IL-1β were upregulated in patients with atherosclerosis. Molecular docking suggested that only MMP9 had a good combination with quercetin. The cell experiment results suggested that naringenin and quercetin have strong anti-inflammation effects, and significantly inhibit the expression of MMP9. Practical ApplicationsArtemisiae argyi is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been widely used for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. This research demonstrated the bioactive ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of Folium Artemisiae argyi in treating atherosclerosis. It also suggests a reliable approach in investigating the therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese herbal medicine in treating Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for the Characteristic Resources Exploitation of Dabie Mountains, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China
| | - Zhihui Yang
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinyi Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China
| | - Yunqing Hua
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, Tianjin, China
| | - Guanwei Fan
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng He
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China.
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for the Characteristic Resources Exploitation of Dabie Mountains, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China.
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Zhang P, Shen L, Chen J, Li Z, Zhao W, Wen Y, Liu H. Comparative study of the toxicity mechanisms of quinolone antibiotics on soybean seedlings: Insights from molecular docking and transcriptomic analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165254. [PMID: 37394075 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The ecological effects of quinolone antibiotics (QNs) on non-target organisms have received widespread attention. The toxicological mechanisms of three common QNs, that is, enrofloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, on soybean seedlings were investigated in this study. Enrofloxacin and levofloxacin caused significant growth inhibition, ultrastructural alterations, photosynthetic suppression, and stimulation of the antioxidant system, with levofloxacin exhibiting the strongest toxic effects. Ciprofloxacin (<1 mg·L-1) did not have a significant effect on the soybean seedlings. As the concentrations of enrofloxacin and levofloxacin increased, antioxidant enzyme activities, malondialdehyde content, and hydrogen peroxide levels also increased. Meanwhile, the chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters decreased, indicating that the plants underwent oxidative stress and photosynthesis was suppressed. The cellular ultrastructure was also disrupted, which was manifested by swollen chloroplasts, increased starch granules, disintegration of plastoglobules, and mitochondrial degradation. The molecular docking results suggested that the QNs have an affinity for soybean target protein receptors (4TOP, 2IUJ, and 1FHF), with levofloxacin having the highest binding energy (-4.97, -3.08, -3.8, respectively). Transcriptomic analysis has shown that genes were upregulated under the enrofloxacin and levofloxacin treatments were mainly involved in ribosome metabolism and processes to synthesize oxidative stress-related proteins. Downregulated genes in the levofloxacin treatment were primarily enriched in photosynthesis-related pathways, indicating that levofloxacin significantly inhibited gene expression for photosynthesis. Genes expression level by quantitative real-time PCR analysis was consistent with the transcriptomic results. This study confirmed the toxic effect of QNs on soybean seedlings, and provided new insights into the environmental risks of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Luoqin Shen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiayao Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhiheng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wenlu Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yuezhong Wen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation & Ecosystem Health, Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huijun Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China.
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Zhou L, Tan J, Dai Y, Zhu K, Xiao Y, Wu D, Wang Z, Tan Y, Qin Y. Jiawei Danxuan Koukang Alleviates Arecoline Induced Oral Mucosal Lesions: Network Pharmacology and the Combined Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS). Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:3085-3101. [PMID: 37854130 PMCID: PMC10581390 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s413897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Arecoline is one of the main toxic components of arecoline to cause oral mucosal lesions or canceration, which seriously affects the survival and life quality of patients. This study analyzed the mechanism of Jiawei Danxuan Koukang (JDK) in alleviating arecoline induced oral mucosal lesions, to provide new insights for the treatment of oral submucosal fibrosis (OSF) or cancerosis. Methods Metabolomics was applied to analyze the composition of JDK and serum metabolites. The active ingredients of JDK were analyzed by the combined ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The target network of JDK, metabolites and OSF was analyzed by network pharmacology, and molecular docking. Oral mucosal lesions and fibrosis were analyzed by HE and Masson staining. Cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis were detected. The expressions of α-SMA, Collagen I, Vimentin, Snail, E-cadherin, AR and NOTCH1 were detected by Western blot. Results Arecoline induced the gradual atrophy and thinning of rat oral mucosal, collagen accumulation, the increase expressions of fibrosis-related proteins and Th17/Treg ratio. JDK inhibited arecoline-induced oral mucosal lesions and inflammatory infiltration. Arecoline induced changes of serum metabolites in Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, Alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism and Arginine biosynthesis pathways, which were reversed by M-JDK. Quercetin and AR were the active ingredients and key targets of JDK, metabolites and OSF interaction. Arecoline promoted the expression of AR protein, and the proliferation of oral fibroblasts. Quercetin inhibited the effect of arecoline on oral fibroblasts, but was reversed by AR overexpression. Arecoline induced NOTCH1 expression in CAL27 and SCC-25 cells, and promoted cell proliferation, but was reversed by M-JDK or quercetin. Conclusion JDK improved the arecoline-induced OSF and serum metabolite functional pathway. Quercetin targeted AR protein to improve arecoline-induced OSF. JDK and quercetin inhibited arecoline-induced NOTCH1 protein expression in CAL27 and SCC-25 cells to play an anti-oral cancer role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linghang Zhou
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jin Tan
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuzhe Dai
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Keke Zhu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanbo Xiao
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zongkang Wang
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yisi Tan
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yijie Qin
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
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Zhu M, He Q, Wang Y, Duan L, Rong K, Wu Y, Ding Y, Mi Y, Ge X, Yang X, Yu Y. Exploring the mechanism of aloe-emodin in the treatment of liver cancer through network pharmacology and cell experiments. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1238841. [PMID: 37900162 PMCID: PMC10600456 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1238841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Aloe-emodin (AE) is an anthraquinone compound extracted from the rhizome of the natural plant rhubarb. Initially, it was shown that AE exerts an anti-inflammatory effect. Further studies revealed its antitumor activity against various types of cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying these properties remain unclear. Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, this study investigated the molecular mechanism of AE in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and evaluated its therapeutic effect through in vitro experiments. Methods: CTD, Pharmmapper, SuperPred and TargetNet were the databases to obtain potential drug-related targets. DisGenet, GeneCards, OMIM and TTD were used to identify potential disease-related targets. Intersection genes for drugs and diseases were obtained through the Venn diagram. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of intersecting genes were conducted by the website of Bioinformatics. Intersection genes were introduced into STRING to construct a protein-protein interaction network, while the Cytoscape3.9.1 software was used to visualize and analyze the core targets. AutoDock4.2.6 was utilized to achieve molecular docking between drug and core targets. In vitro experiments investigated the therapeutic effects and related mechanisms of AE. Results: 63 overlapped genes were obtained and GO analysis generated 3,646 entries by these 63 intersecting genes. KEGG analysis mainly involved apoptosis, proteoglycans in cancer, TNF signaling pathway, TP53 signaling pathway, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, etc. AKT1, EGFR, ESR1, TP53, and SRC have been identified as core targets because the binding energies of them between aloe-emodin were less than -5 kcal/Mol.The mRNA and protein expression, prognosis, mutation status, and immune infiltration related to core targets were further revealed. The involvement of AKT1 and EGFR, as well as the key target of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, indicated the importance of this signaling pathway in the treatment of HCC using AE. The results of the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow analysis demonstrated the therapeutic effect of AE. The downregulation of EGFR, PI3KR1, AKT1, and BCL2 in mRNA expression and PI3KR1, AKT,p-AKT in protein expression confirmed our hypothesis. Conclusion: Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, our study initially showed that AE exerted a therapeutic effect on HCC by modulating multiple signaling pathways. Various analyses confirmed the antiproliferative activity and pro-apoptotic effect of AE on HCC through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. This study revealed the therapeutic mechanism of AE in the treatment of HCC through a novel approach, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical application of AE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Qingmin He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ankang Central Hospital, Ankang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Liying Duan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Kang Rong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yingying Wu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ye Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yang Mi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaoyang Ge
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaocui Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ankang Central Hospital, Ankang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yong Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Li R, Zhu L, Wu M, Tao C, Lu Y, Zhao Y, Jiang X, Zhang C, Wan L. Serum Pharmacochemistry Combined with Network Pharmacology-Based Mechanism Prediction and Pharmacological Validation of Zhenwu Decoction on Alleviating Isoprenaline-Induced Heart Failure Injury in Rats. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:37233-37247. [PMID: 37841161 PMCID: PMC10568591 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Zhenwu decoction (ZWD) is a famous classical formula in the treatment of heart failure (HF) with significant clinical effects. Owing to the complex material basis of ZWD, it is challenging to elucidate the pharmacodynamic substances and pharmacological mechanisms of ZWD against HF. Therefore, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography system coupled with a high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry method was used to profile the chemical components and the absorbed prototype constituents in ISO-induced HF rat serum after oral administration of ZWD, and 33 out of 115 compounds were identified. In the in vivo study, ZWD could improve cardiac function and reduce the content of serum biochemical indexes, which are heart failure markers. With the help of network pharmacology and molecular docking simulation analysis, 112 ZWD targets oriented by HF were obtained, with STAT3, TNF, AKT1, VEGFA, and ALB as the core targets. Furthermore, we found that paeoniflorin and its derivatives may play a bigger role than other serum migrant components. Enriched pathway analysis yielded multiple HF-related signaling pathways, which indicated that ZWD may attenuate HF through the effect of PI3K-Akt, and MAPK pathways by regulating key targets such as STAT3, TNF, and AKT1. Finally, STAT3/MAPK pathways were experimentally validated in the anti-HF effect of ZWD. The phosphorylation levels of p38, JNK, ERK, and STAT3 were significantly increased in the ISO group and reversed by ZWD intervention. The results provided a reasonable strategy for the rapid screening of bioactive components in ZWD and a reference for quality control and further mechanism study of ZWD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyu Li
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
- Sichuan
Engineering Technology Research Centre for Injection of Traditional
Chinese Medicines, China Resources Sanjiu
(Yaan) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yaan, Sichuan 625000, P. R. China
| | - Lv Zhu
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Mengyao Wu
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Chengtian Tao
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Yang Lu
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Yunyan Zhao
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Jiang
- Sichuan
Engineering Technology Research Centre for Injection of Traditional
Chinese Medicines, China Resources Sanjiu
(Yaan) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yaan, Sichuan 625000, P. R. China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Sichuan
Engineering Technology Research Centre for Injection of Traditional
Chinese Medicines, China Resources Sanjiu
(Yaan) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yaan, Sichuan 625000, P. R. China
| | - Li Wan
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| |
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