Exploring the Potential Targets and Mechanisms of Huang Lian Jie Du Decoction in the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Based on Network Pharmacology

Unraveling the treatment effects of huanglian jiedu decoction on drug-induced liver injury based on network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental validation

Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD) is a well-known Traditional Chinese Medicine formula that has been used for liver protection in thousands of years. However, the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of HJD in treating drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remain unknown. In this study, a total of 26 genes related to both HJD and DILI were identified, which are corresponding to a total of 41 potential active compounds in HJD. KEGG analysis revealed that Tryptophan metabolism pathway is particularly important. The overlapped genes from KEGG and GO analysis indicated the significance of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1. Experimental results confirmed that HJD has a protective effect on DILI through Tryptophan metabolism pathway. In addition, the active ingredients Corymbosin, and Moslosooflavone were found to have relative strong intensity in UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis, showing interactions with CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 through molecule docking. These findings could provide insights into the treatment effects of HJD on DILI.

Scutellaria baicalensis: a promising natural source of antiviral compounds for the treatment of viral diseases

Viruses, the smallest microorganisms, continue to present an escalating threat to human health, being the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Over the decades, although significant progress has been made in the development of therapies and vaccines against viral diseases, the need for effective antiviral interventions remains urgent. This urgency stems from the lack of effective vaccines, the severe side effects associated with current drugs, and the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains. Natural plants, particularly traditionally-used herbs, are often considered an excellent source of medicinal drugs with potent antiviral efficacy, as well as a substantial safety profile. Scutellaria baicalensis, a traditional Chinese medicine, has garnered considerable attention due to its extensive investigation across diverse therapeutic areas and its demonstrated efficacy in both preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we mainly focused on the potential antiviral activities of ingredients in Scutellaria baicalensis, shedding light on their underlying mechanisms of action and therapeutic applications in the treatment of viral infections.

Bioinformatics-based investigation on the genetic influence between SARS-CoV-2 infections and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diseases, and drug repurposing

Some recent studies showed that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) disease might stimulate each other through the shared genes. Therefore, in this study, an attempt was made to explore common genomic biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 infections and IPF disease highlighting their functions, pathways, regulators and associated drug molecules. At first, we identified 32 statistically significant common differentially expressed genes (cDEGs) between disease (SARS-CoV-2 and IPF) and control samples of RNA-Seq profiles by using a statistical r-package (edgeR). Then we detected 10 cDEGs (CXCR4, TNFAIP3, VCAM1, NLRP3, TNFAIP6, SELE, MX2, IRF4, UBD and CH25H) out of 32 as the common hub genes (cHubGs) by the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The cHubGs regulatory network analysis detected few key TFs-proteins and miRNAs as the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators of cHubGs. The cDEGs-set enrichment analysis identified some crucial SARS-CoV-2 and IPF causing common molecular mechanisms including biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and signaling pathways. Then, we suggested the cHubGs-guided top-ranked 10 candidate drug molecules (Tegobuvir, Nilotinib, Digoxin, Proscillaridin, Simeprevir, Sorafenib, Torin 2, Rapamycin, Vancomycin and Hesperidin) for the treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infections with IFP diseases as comorbidity. Finally, we investigated the resistance performance of our proposed drug molecules compare to the already published molecules, against the state-of-the-art alternatives publicly available top-ranked independent receptors by molecular docking analysis. Molecular docking results suggested that our proposed drug molecules would be more effective compare to the already published drug molecules. Thus, the findings of this study might be played a vital role for diagnosis and therapies of SARS-CoV-2 infections with IPF disease as comorbidity risk.

Comparative Study of the Flavonoid Content in Radix Scutellaria from Different Cultivation Areas in China

Scutellariabaicalensis Georgi, an important perennial herb, is widely distributed and used all over the world. The root of S. baicalensis (Radix Scutellaria) is rich in flavonoids with a variety of bioactive effects and is widely used in clinic. The different geographical and climatic conditions of different cultivated areas of S. baicalensis lead to the differences of the main components in Radix Scutellaria. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the difference of flavonoid content in Radix Scutellaria from different cultivated areas in China. The mobile phase system, elution gradient, detection wavelength, and other chromatographic conditions for high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) determination of 8 flavonoids in Radix Scutellaria were optimized. The contents of flavonoids in 38 samples of Radix Scutellaria collected from seven main genuine cultivated areas were determined, and the correlation between the content, cultivated area, and the biological activities of Radix Scutellaria was compared. The results implied that baicalin, wogonoside, and baicalein were the three main flavonoids with the highest contents in Radix Scutellaria. The content of flavonoids in different cultivated areas was very different, which had significant regionality and was closely related to the natural conditions of various places. The antioxidant and antitumor activities of the extract of Radix Scutellaria were closely related to the content of flavonoids, and high contents of baicalin, wogonoside, and baicalein positively improved biological activities.

Puerarin: A Potential Therapeutic for SARS-CoV-2 and Hantavirus Co-Infection

Patients with Hantavirus-caused epidemic hemorrhagic fever (EHF) are at risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, there is currently no validated EHF/SARS-CoV-2 strategy. Several studies have recently shown Puerarin, a natural product, has potent antiviral properties. The goal of present study was to determine the mechanism of puerarin in patients with EHF/COVID-19. We use network pharmacology and bioinformatics to investigate the possible pharmacological targets, bioactivities, and molecular mechanisms of puerarin in the treatment of patients with EHF/SARS-CoV-2. The study investigated the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and EHF and the signaling pathway impacted by puerarin. 68 common genes linked to puerarin and EHF/SARS-CoV-2 were discovered during the investigation. By using protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, we identified RELA, JUN, NF-B1, NF-B2, and FOS as potential therapeutic targets. The bioactivity and signaling pathways of puerarin have also been demonstrated in the treatment of EHF and COVID-19. According to present study, puerarin could reduce excessive immune responses and inflammation through the NF-B, TNF, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. This study explored the potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms of Puerarin in the treatment of EHF/COVID-19.