A Network Pharmacology Approach to Investigate the Anticancer Mechanism and Potential Active Ingredients of Rheum palmatum L. Against Lung Cancer via Induction of Apoptosis

Animal-derived natural products for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy: current evidence and future perspectives

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high morbidity and mortality rate, and the survival rate of HCC patients remains low. Animal medicines have been used as potential therapeutic tools throughout the long history due to their different structures of biologically active substances with high affinity to the human body. Here, we focus on the effects and the mechanism of action of animal-derived natural products against HCC, which were searched in databases encompassing Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Science Direct, Springer Link, and EBSCO. A total of 24 natural products from 12 animals were summarized. Our study found that these natural products have potent anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects. The mechanism of action involving apoptosis induction, autophagy induction, anti-proliferation, anti-migration, and anti-drug resistance via phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Ras/extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Wnt/β-catenin, and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways. Huachansu injection and sodium cantharidate have been used in clinical applications with good efficacy. We review the potential of animal-derived natural products and their derivatives in the treatment of HCC to date and summarize their application prospect and toxic side effects, hoping to provide a reference for drug development for HCC.

Prediction of potential mechanisms of rhubarb therapy for colorectal cancer based on network pharmacological analysis and molecular docking

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential targets and mechanism of Rheum palmatum L in the treatment of colorectal cancer based on the network pharmacology and molecular docking, which could provide the theoretical basis for clinical applications. The potential components were screened using TCMSP database and articles. The gene targets of colorectal cancer were screened through the Genecards database and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database. Then, the common targets of components and colorectal cancer were used to construct the network diagram of active components and targets in Cytoscape 3.7.0. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) diagram was generated using String database, and the targets were further analyzed by gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Molecular docking between gene targets and active components was analyzed via AutoDock, and visualized through PyMol. Among this study, main targets might be TP53, EGF, MYC, CASP3, JUN, PTGS2, HSP90AA1, MMP9, ESR1, PPARG. And 10 key elements might associate with them, such as aloe-emodin, beta-sitosterol, gallic acid, eupatin, emodin, physcion, cis-resveratrol, rhein, crysophanol, catechin. The treatment process was found to involve nitrogen metabolism, p53 signaling pathway, and various cancer related pathway, as well as the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, interleukin-17 signaling pathway and thyroid hormone signaling pathway. The molecular docking was verified the combination between key components and their respective target proteins. Network pharmacological analysis demonstrated that R palmatum was could regulated p53, AGE-RAGE, interleukin-17 and related signaling pathway in colorectal cancer, which might provide a scientific basis of mechanism.

Evidence-Based Dampness-Heat ZHENG (Syndrome) in Cancer: Current Progress toward Establishing Relevant Animal Model with Pancreatic Tumor

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases affecting the health of human beings. With limited therapeutic options available, complementary and alternative medicine has been widely adopted in cancer management and is increasingly becoming accepted by both patients and healthcare workers alike. Chinese medicine characterized by its unique diagnostic and treatment system is the most widely applied complementary and alternative medicine. It emphasizes symptoms and ZHENG (syndrome)-based treatment combined with contemporary disease diagnosis and further stratifies patients into individualized medicine subgroups. As a representative cancer with the highest degree of malignancy, pancreatic cancer is traditionally classified into the "amassment and accumulation". Emerging perspectives define the core pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer as "dampness-heat" and the respective treatment "clearing heat and resolving dampness" has been demonstrated to prolong survival in pancreatic cancer patients, as has been observed in many other cancers. This clinical advantage encourages an exploration of the essence of dampness-heat ZHENG (DHZ) in cancer and investigation into underlying mechanisms of action of herbal formulations against dampness-heat. However, at present, there is a lack of understanding of the molecular characteristics of DHZ in cancer and no standardized and widely accepted animal model to study this core syndrome in vivo. The shortage of animal models limits the ability to uncover the antitumor mechanisms of herbal medicines and to assess the safety profile of the natural products derived from them. This review summarizes the current research on DHZ in cancer in terms of the clinical aspects, molecular landscape, and animal models. This study aims to provide comprehensive insight that can be used for the establishment of a future standardized ZHENG-based cancer animal model.

Optimizing the Extraction of Polyphenols from the Bark of Terminalia arjuna and an In-silico Investigation on its Activity in Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

The interconnection between different fields of research has gained interest due to its cutting-edge perspectives in solving scientific problems. Terminalia arjuna is indigenously used in India for curing several diseases, and its pharmacological activities are being revisited in recent drug-repurposing research.

OBJECTIVES

Efficient ultrasound-assisted extraction of phytochemicals from the bark of Terminalia arjuna is highlighted in this study. Following the optimization of the extraction process, the crude hydroethanolic extract is subjected to phytochemical profiling and an in-silico investigation of its anti-cancer properties.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A three-level four-factor Box-Behnken design is exploited to optimize four operational parameters, namely extraction time, ultrasonic power, ethanol concentration (as the extracting solvent) and solute (in g): solvent (in mL) ratio. At the optimum parametric condition, the crude extract is obtained, and its GC-MS analysis is carried out. An analysis of network pharmacology (by constructing and visualizing biological networks using Cytoscape) combined with molecular docking reveals the potential antineoplastic targets of the crude extract.

RESULTS

The ANOVA table exhibits the significance, adequacy and reliability of the proposed second-order polynomial model with the R² value of 0.917 and adjusted R² of 0.865. Experimental results portray the significant antioxidant potential of the prepared extract in its crude form. The GC-MS analysis of the crude extract predicts the extracted phytochemicals, while the constructed biological networks highlight its multi-targeted activity in colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSION

The study identifies three phytochemicals viz. luteolin, β-sitosterol and arjunic acid as potent anti-cancer agents and can be extended with in-vitro and in-vivo experiments to validate the in-silico results, thus establishing lead phytochemicals in multi-targeted colorectal cancer therapies.

Chemistry of Bairui granules and its mechanisms in the protective effect against methotrexate-induced liver injury

BACKGROUND

Bairui granules (BRKL), a traditional Chinese medicine preparation, possess a range of pharmacological effects. However, its impact on methotrexate (MTX)-induced liver damage remains unexplored.

PURPOSE

The present work focused on investigating the potential protection of BRKL on MTX-induced liver damage, along with its potential active ingredients and underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

We evaluated the hepatoprotective activities of BRKL in liver-damaged Wistar rats induced by intraperitoneal MTX injection, observing the liver's morphological and pathological features. Additionally, we measured serum ALT, AST, and LDH levels using kits. Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Q-Exactive Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS) analyzed BRKL composition, and network pharmacology strategy predicted and analyzed BRKL's targets and pathways. Thereafter, we conducted molecular docking for analyzing affinity of bioactive ingredients for targets with Autodock. At last, results were verified through in vitro experiments.

RESULTS

The animal experiments revealed the significant protection of BRKL against MTX-mediated rat liver damage. A total of 64 major chemical constituents were identified in BRKL by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS. We then applied the network-based pharmacological strategy to clarify BRKL's molecular mechanism on liver damage based on the identified components. The targets EGFR, SRC, PIK3R1, AKT1, and ESR1, as well as compounds isorhamnetin 3,7-O-diglucoside, β-ecdysone, chrysoeriol, apigenin, and diosmetin, may play pivotal roles in treating MTX-mediated liver damage. According to our in vitro experiments, isorhamnetin 3,7-O-diglucoside may exert its liver-protective effect via AKT/NF-κB pathway.

CONCLUSION

BRKL protected against MTX-mediated liver injury, and the bioactive ingredients, key pathways, and liver injury-related molecular targets have been identified. These findings provide new insights into using BRKL in treating liver damage and propose a feasible approach to exploring phytomedicine's chemical and pharmacological foundation.

A Review of Herbal Resources Inducing Anti-Liver Metastasis Effects in Gastrointestinal Tumors via Modulation of Tumor Microenvironments in Animal Models

Liver metastases remain a major obstacle for the management of all types of tumors arising from digestive organs, and the tumor microenvironment has been regarded as an important factor in metastasis. To discover herbal candidates inhibiting the liver metastasis of tumors originating from the digestive system via the modulation of the tumor microenvironment and liver environment, we searched three representative public databases and conducted a systematic review. A total of 21 studies that employed experimental models for pancreatic (9), colon (8), and stomach cancers (4) were selected. The herbal agents included single-herb extracts (5), single compounds (12), and multiherbal decoctions (4). Curcuma longa Linn was most frequently studied for its anti-colon-liver metastatic effects, and its possible mechanisms involved the modulation of tumor microenvironment components such as vascular endothelial cells and immunity in both tumor tissues and circulating cells. The list of herbal agents and their mechanisms produced in this study is helpful for the development of anti-liver metastasis drugs in the future.

Single-cell RNA-seq analysis to identify potential biomarkers for diagnosis, and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer by using comprehensive bioinformatics approaches

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Identification of gene biomarkers and their regulatory factors and signaling pathways is very essential to reveal the molecular mechanisms of NSCLC initiation and progression. Thus, the goal of this study is to identify gene biomarkers for NSCLC diagnosis and prognosis by using scRNA-seq data through bioinformatics techniques. scRNA-seq data were obtained from the GEO database to identify DEGs. A total of 158 DEGs (including 48 upregulated and 110 downregulated) were detected after gene integration. Gene Ontology enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis of DEGs were performed by FunRich software. A PPI network of DEGs was then constructed using the STRING database and visualized by Cytoscape software. We identified 12 key genes (KGs) including MS4A1, CCL5, and GZMB, by using two topological methods based on the PPI networking results. The diagnostic, expression, and prognostic potentials of the identified 12 key genes were assessed using the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and a web-based tool, SurvExpress. From the regulatory network analysis, we extracted the 7 key transcription factors (TFs) (FOXC1, YY1, CEBPB, TFAP2A, SREBF2, RELA, and GATA2), and 8 key miRNAs (hsa-miR-124-3p, hsa-miR-34a-5p, hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-155-5p, hsa-miR-449a, hsa-miR-24-3p, hsa-let-7b-5p, and hsa-miR-7-5p) associated with the KGs were evaluated. Functional enrichment and pathway analysis, survival analysis, ROC analysis, and regulatory network analysis highlighted crucial roles of the key genes. Our findings might play a significant role as candidate biomarkers in NSCLC diagnosis and prognosis.

Fructus Zanthoxyli extract improves glycolipid metabolism disorder of type 2 diabetes mellitus via activation of AMPK/PI3K/Akt pathway: Network pharmacology and experimental validation

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the potential mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of Fructus Zanthoxyli (FZ) against type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on network pharmacology and experimental validation.

METHODS

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to identify the constituents of FZ. Next, the differentially expressed genes linked to the treatment of diabetes with FZ were screened using online databases (including Gene Expression Omnibus database and Swiss Target Prediction online database), and the overlapping genes and their enrichment were analyzed by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Finally, the pathway was verified by in vitro experiments, and cell staining with oil red and Nile red showed that the extract of FZ had a therapeutic effect on T2DM.

RESULTS

A total of 43 components were identified from FZ, and 39 differentially expressed overlapping genes were screened as the possible targets of FZ in T2DM. The dug component-target network indicated that PPARA, PPARG, PIK3R3, JAK2 and GPR88 might be the core genes targeted by FZ in the treatment of T2DM. Interestingly, the enrichment analysis of KEGG showed that effects of FZ against T2DM were closely correlated with the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathways. In vitro experiments further confirmed that FZ significantly inhibited palmitic acid-induced lipid formation in HepG2 cells. Moreover, FZ treatment was able to promote the AMPK and PI3K/Akt expressions in HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSION

Network pharmacology combined with experimental validation revealed that FZ extract can improve the glycolipid metabolism disorder of T2DM via activation of the AMPK/PI3K/Akt pathway.

Anti-depression effectiveness of essential oil from the fruits of Zanthoxylum bungeanum maxim. on chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression behavior in mice

The fruits of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. Was a popular traditional Chinese herbal medicine for pain relief, itching prevention, and diarrhea relief. The fruits of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. Essential oil (HEO) had an effect of improving anxiety and other emotional disorders. In this paper, we aim to systematically research the antidepressant effects of HEO on Chronic Mild Unpredictable Stimulation (CUMS) mice and explore the relevant molecular mechanisms. Experimental mice were exposed to CUMS for 8 weeks. Meanwhile, for 8 weeks, Sertraline hydrochloride (20 mg/kg/day) and HEO (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg/day) were administered by gavage. HEO treatment increased residence time of central zone in OFT and open-arm in EPM test but decreased immobility times in FST and TST. Moreover, HEO treatment improved the levels of 5-HT, DA, NE, and BDNF, but reduced CRF and CORT levels of the HPA axis in the hippocampus. Network pharmacology predicted the possible mechanisms for the antidepressant effects of HEO by regulation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The mRNA expression of PI3K and Akt were increased, and immunofluorescence results in the hippocampus indicated that HEO treatment could increase the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt. Besides, the viability of CORT-treated PC12 cells was significantly improved by HEO treatment. The AO-EB staining, MOMP analysis, and flow cytometry analysis results showed HEO inhibiting the CORT-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells significantly. Besides, the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt in COTR-induced PC12 cells could increase by HEO treatment. In conclusion, HEO ameliorated depression behavior induced by CUMS, potentially via regulating HPA axis and activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to reduce neuronal apoptosis.

Investigating the Role of Dahuang in Hepatoma Treatment Using Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Survival Analysis

Hepatoma is one of the most common malignant tumors. The incidence rate is high in developing countries, and China has the most significant number of cases. Dahuang is a classic traditional antitumor drug commonly used in China and has also been applied to treat hepatoma. However, the potential mechanism of Dahuang in treating hepatoma is not clear. Therefore, this study is aimed at elucidating the possible molecular mechanism and key targets of Dahuang using methods of network pharmacology, molecular docking, and survival analysis. Firstly, the active ingredients and key targets of Dahuang were analyzed through public databases, and then the drug-ingredient-target-disease network diagram of Dahuang against hepatoma was constructed. Five main active components and five core targets were determined according to the enrichment degree. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that Dahuang treated hepatoma through the multiple pathways in cancer. Additionally, molecular docking predicted that aloe-emodin and PIK3CG depicted the best binding energy. Survival analysis indicated that a high/ESR1 gene expression had a relatively good prognosis for patients with hepatoma (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the current study results demonstrated that Dahuang could treat hepatoma through a variety of active ingredients, targets, and multiantitumor pathways. Moreover, it effectively improved the prognosis of hepatoma patients. ESR1 is the potential key gene that is beneficial for the survival of hepatoma patients. Also, aloe-emodin and beta-sitosterol are the two main active crucial ingredients for hepatoma treatment. The study also provided some functional bases and references for the development of new drugs, target mining, and experimental animal research of hepatoma in the future.

Metabolomics and integrated network pharmacology analysis reveal attenuates cardiac hypertrophic mechanisms of HuoXin pill

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is maladaptive and contributes to the pathogenesis of heart failure. Huoxin pill (HXP), a Chinese herbal prescription, is widely applied in the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CAD). Its mechanism, however, is unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the mechanism of action for Huoxin pill in the treatment of CH, an important stage of CAD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 60 rats were injected with isoprenaline (ISO) to establish a model of CH. Echocardiography and histopathologic evaluation were performed to evaluate the disease severity, whereas ELISAs were conducted to determine the expression of oxidative stress. Network pharmacology and metabolomic analyses were conducted to identify the key compounds, core targets and pathways that mediate the effects of HXP against CH. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to test apoptosis protein levels.

RESULTS

HXP administration in ISO-treated rats decreased hypertrophy indices, alleviated cardiac pathological damage, and downregulated oxidative stress levels when compared to those of rats subjected to ISO treatment only. Moreover, network pharmacology results suggested that the PI3K-Akt pathway is a main mechanism by which HXP inhibits cardiac hypertrophy, and experimental verification showed that HXP inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis via activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway. The results of metabolomic analysis identified 21 differential metabolites between the HXPH group and ISO group, which were considered to be metabolic biomarkers of HXP in the treatment of CH. Among them, 6 differential metabolites were significantly upregulated, and 15 were significantly downregulated.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study presents an integrated strategy for investigating the mechanisms of HXP in the treatment of CH and sheds new light on the application of HXP as a traditional Chinese medicine.

Prediction of the mechanisms of action of Zhibai Dihaung Granule in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury: A network pharmacology study and experimental validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Zhibai Dihuang Granule (ZDG) is known as traditional Chinese patent medicine with the functions of "Ziyin decrease internal heat" in Traditional Chinses medicine. In clinical, it is also used to treat various kidney diseases.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We aimed to provide a basis for the curative effect of ZDG on acute kidney injury induced by cisplatin (CIAKI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The active compounds and protein targets of ZDG, as well as the potential targets of the CIAKI were searched from the database. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network diagram and the drug-compounds-targets-disease network were constructed. Enrichment analysis was performed by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Subsequently, the effect of ZDG on the prevention and treatment of CIAKI was experimentally validated in vivo and in vitro.

RESULTS

From the database, we screened 22 active compounds of ZDG and 226 related targets. We obtained 498 gene targets related to CIAKI, among which 40 genes overlapped with ZDG-related targets. Go enrichment and KEGG analysis got 339 terms and 64 pathways, respectively. Based on the above study, we speculated that ZDG has the potential effect on treatment CIAKI, and the mechanism may be related to cell apoptosis and inflammation. The results in vitro experiments showed that ZDG reduced the cytotoxicity of cisplatin to HK-2 and 293T cells, but did not affect the antitumor effect of cisplatin. Moreover, in vivo experiments further proved that ZDG effectively controlled kidney damage caused by cisplatin in SD rats. The results showed that ZDG could regulate the expression of CASP3, p65 and MAPK pathway related proteins, suggesting that ZDG's prevention of CIAKI may be related to apoptosis and inflammatory response.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that ZDG could prevent and treat CIAKI by inhibiting cell apoptosis and inflammation, which provided a new efficacy and clinical application for ZDG.

A high-value-added application of the stems of Rheum palmatum L. as a healthy food: the nutritional value, chemical composition, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities

Rhubarb has edible stems or stalks. In this paper, we investigated the nutritional value, chemical composition, and bioactivities of Rheum palmatum stems (SRP) and analyzed the mode of action. SRP exhibited biosafety and had nutritional value, with abundant essential amino acids and minerals. Based on network pharmacology and western blot tests, we found that it showed anti-inflammatory activity via the PI3K-Akt-mediated NF-κB pathway. Out of 20 compounds identified using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS analysis, cirsiliol and hydrangenol were active compounds and they inhibited NO production in RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS. The alleviation of an inflammatory response is combined with a decrease in oxidative stress, and SRP showed antioxidant activity via attenuating antioxidant enzymes, scavenging free radicals, improving the mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreasing the reactive oxygen species level. These results indicated that SRP, with abundant flavonoids and a good nutritional composition, could be used as a dietary supplement for food applications.

Antiplanktonic and Antibiofilm Activity of Rheum palmatum against Streptococcus oralis and Porphyromonas gingivalis

Periodontitis and peri-implantitis are inflammatory conditions with a high global prevalence. Oral pathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis play a crucial role in the development of dysbiotic biofilms associated with both diseases. The aim of our study was to identify plant-derived substances which mainly inhibit the growth of “disease promoting bacteria”, by comparing the effect of Rheum palmatum root extract against P. gingivalis and the commensal species Streptococcus oralis. Antiplanktonic activity was determined by measuring optical density and metabolic activity. Antibiofilm activity was quantified using metabolic activity assays and live/dead fluorescence staining combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy. At concentrations of 3.9 mg/L, R. palmatum root extract selectively inhibited planktonic growth of the oral pathogen P. gingivalis, while not inhibiting growth of S. oralis. Selective effects also occurred in mature biofilms, as P. gingivalis was significantly more stressed and inhibited than S. oralis. Our studies show that low concentrations of R. palmatum root extract specifically inhibit P. gingivalis growth, and offer a promising approach for the development of a potential topical agent to prevent alterations in the microbiome due to overgrowth of pathogenic P. gingivalis.

Screening tumor specificity targeted by arnicolide D, the active compound of Centipeda minima and molecular mechanism underlying by integrative pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Herb-derived anti-tumor agents, such as paclitaxel and vincristine, exert significant but varied effectivenesses towards different cancer types. Similarly, Centipeda minima (CM) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that has been used to treat rhinitis, relieve pain and reduce swelling, and recently found to exert overwhelming anti-tumor effects against breast cancer, colon cancer, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma with different response rates. However, what is the optimizing cancer model that benefits most from CM, and what is the specific target underlying still require more exclusive and profound investigations.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to explore the dominant tumor model and specific target of CM by integrative pharmacology and biological experiments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The most predominant and specific cancer types that are sensitive to CM were screened and identified based on a combination network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis. Compound-target network and protein-protein interaction of CM-related cancer targets were carried out to determine the most abundant active compound. Simultaneously, the priority target responsible for CM-related anti-tumor efficacy was further validated by molecular docking and in vitro experiments.

RESULTS

In total, approximately 42% (8/19) of the targets were enriched in prostate cancer (p = 1.25E-09), suggesting prostate cancer would be the most sensitive tumor response to CM-related efficacy. Furthermore, we found that arnicolide D (ARD), the most abundant and representative active compound of CM, could directly bind to Src with binding energy of -7.3 kcal/mol, implying Src would be the priority target responsible for CM-related anti-tumor efficacy. Meanwhile, the results were further validated by solvent-induced protein precipitation (SIP) assay. In addition, PCR and WB results also revealed that either CM or ARD could not influence the gene expression of Src, while significantly decreased its protein expression instead, which further suggested that ARD might markedly shortene the Src protein half-life to promote Src protein degradation, thereby achieving significant anti-prostate cancer efficacy.

CONCLUSION

Our findings not only suggest CM as a promising Src-targeting candidate for prostate cancer treatment, but also bring up a strategy for understanding the personalization of herbal medicines by using integrative pharmacology.

Research on the mechanisms of taraxerol for the treatment of gastric cancer effect based on network pharmacology

BACKGROUND

Modern pharmacological studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Taraxacum mongolicum possesses anti-cancer activity. Taraxerol (TRX) is a pentacyclic triterpene isolated from T. mongolicum, which is widely used in clinical treatment, and its anti-cancer effects have been extensively studied. However, the effects and molecular mechanism of TRX in gastric cancer (GC) have not been fully explicated.

METHODS

We used public databases to derive information on potential targets of TRX and proteins related to GC. Also, STRING and R3.6.2 software were used to analyze the protein-protein interaction (PPI). The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were done to explain the potential mechanism underlying the regulatory role of TRX in GC. The role of TRX in GC was verified by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di- phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay, apoptosis analysis, Transwell assay, and wound healing assay, and the key signaling pathways were verified.

RESULTS

We identified 135 potential targets for the treatment of GC via network pharmacological analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that steroid hormone receptor activity and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were the biological processes and pathways with the highest degree of enrichment. Additionally, cellular experiments revealed that TRX inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells as well as induced G1 phase arrest and apoptosis in GC cells.

CONCLUSION

Here, we used multi-target and multi-pathway network pharmacological analysis to verify the anti-cancer activity of TRX in GC. Also, in vitro experimental data were used to derive the potential molecular mechanism.

Tanshinone IIA suppresses the progression of lung adenocarcinoma through regulating CCNA2-CDK2 complex and AURKA/PLK1 pathway

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) belongs to a subgroup of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with an increasing incidence all over the world. Tanshinone IIA (TSA), an active compound of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge., has been found to have anti-tumor effects on many tumors, but its anti-LUAD effect and its mechanism have not been reported yet. In this study, bio-information analysis was applied to characterize the potential mechanism of TSA on LUA, biological experiments were used to verify the mechanisms involved. TCGA, Pubchem, SwissTargetPrediction, Venny2.1.0, STRING, DAVID, Cytoscape 3.7.2, Omicshare, GEPIA, RSCBPDB, Chem Draw, AutoDockTools, and PyMOL were utilized for analysis in the bio-information analysis and network pharmacology. Our experiments in vitro focused on the anti-LUAD effects and mechanisms of TSA on LUAD cells (A549 and NCI-H1975 cells) via MTT, plate cloning, Annexin V-FITC and PI dual staining, flow cytometry, and western blot assays. A total of 64 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of TSA for treatment of LUAD were screened out. Gene ontology and pathway analysis revealed characteristic of the DEGs network. After GEPIA-based DEGs confirmation, 46 genes were considered having significant differences. Further, 10 key DEGs (BTK, HSD11B1, ADAM33, TNNC1, THRA, CCNA2, AURKA, MIF, PLK1, and SORD) were identified as the most likely relevant genes from overall survival analysis. Molecular Docking results showed that CCNA2, CDK2 and PLK1 had the lowest docking energy. MTT and plate cloning assays results showed that TSA inhibited the proliferation of LUAD cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Annexin V-FITC and PI dual staining and flow cytometry assays results told that TSA promoted the apoptosis of the two LUAD cells in different degrees, and induced cycle arrest in the G1/S phase. Western blot results showed that TSA significantly down-regulated the expression of CCNA2, CDK2, AURKA, PLK1, and p-ERK. In summary, TSA could suppress the progression of LUAD by inducing cell apoptosis and arresting cell cycle, and these were done by regulating CCNA2-CDK2 complex and AURKA/PLK1 pathway. These findings are the first to demonstrate the molecular mechanism of TSA in treatment of LUAD combination of network bio-information analysis and biological experiments in vitro.

Pharmacokinetic study of Tangwang Mingmu granule for the management of diabetic retinopathy based on network pharmacology

CONTEXT

Tangwang Mingmu granule (TWMM), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR), the most common microvascular complication in diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a method to select target compounds from herbs for a pharmacokinetic study using network pharmacology, which could be applied in clinical settings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, UPLC/Q Exactive Q-Orbitrap and GCMS 2010 were used to determine the non-volatile and volatile ingredients of TWMM. Based on the identified compounds, network pharmacology was used to screen the key compounds and targets of TWMM in the treatment of DR. Based on the compound-target-pathway network and identification of components emigrant into blood, the potential compound markers in vivo were chosen. Then, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were administrated of TWMM at a 9.6 g/kg dose to investigating pharmacokinetic parameters using the UPLC-QQQ-MS.

RESULTS

Ninety and forty-five compounds were identified by UPLC-MS and GC-MS, respectively. Based on the network pharmacology, nine compounds with a degree value above 15 were screened and implied that these compounds are the most active in DR treatment. Moreover, criteria of degree value greater than 7 were applied, and PTGS2, NOS2, AKT1, ESR1, TNF, and MAPK14 were inferred as the core targets in treating DR. After identification of components absorbed into blood, luteolin and formononetin were selected and used to investigate the pharmacokinetic parameters of TWMM after its oral administration.

CONCLUSIONS

The reported strategy provides a method that combines ingredient profiling, network pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics to determine luteolin and formononetin as the pharmacokinetic markers of TWMM. This strategy provides a clinically relevant methodology that allows for the screening of pharmacokinetic markers in Chinese medicines.

Network Pharmacology Analysis on the Mechanism of Huangqi Sijunzi Decoction in Treating Cancer-Related Fatigue

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the active ingredients of Huangqi Sijunzi Decoction (HQSJZD) and the targets in treating cancer-related fatigue (CRF) so as to investigate the treatment mechanism of HQSJZD for CRF.

METHODS

This study adopted the method of network pharmacology. The active ingredients and targets of HQSJZD were retrieved, and the targets of HQSJZD in treating CRF were obtained using a Venn diagram. Next, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the String database. The core targets of HQSJZD in treating CRF were identified through topological analysis, and functional annotation analysis and pathway enrichment analysis were carried out. Subsequently, a compound-disease-target regulatory network was constructed using Cystoscape 3.8.0 software.

RESULTS

A total of 250 targets of HQSJZD ingredients, 1447 CRF-related genes, and 144 common targets were obtained. Through topological analysis, 61 core targets were screened. Bioinformatics annotation of these genes identified 2366 gene ontology (GO) terms and 172 enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways.

CONCLUSION

The active ingredients in HQSJZD, that is, quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and naringenin, may act on AKT1, IL-6, VEGFA, MAPK3, CASP3, JUN, and EGFR to regulate the PI3K-Akt, TNF, and IL-17 signaling pathways, thereby suppressing inflammatory response, tumor gene expression, and tumor angiogenesis to treat CRF. This study investigated the pharmacological basis and mechanism of HQSJZD in the treatment of CRF using systematic pharmacology, which provides an important reference for further elucidation of the anti-CRF mechanism and clinical applications of HQSJZD, and also provides a method protocol for similar studies in the future.

Systems pharmacology to reveal multi-scale mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine for gastric cancer

Because of the complex etiology, the treatment of gastric cancer is a formidable challenge for contemporary medical. The current treatment method focuses on traditional surgical procedures, supplemented by other treatments. Among these other treatments, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) plays an important role. Here, we used the systems pharmacology approach to reveal the potential molecular mechanism of PRGRC on gastric cancer which composes of Pinellia ternata(Thunb.) Breit., Rheum palmatumL., Gentiana scabraBunge, Radix Aucklandiae and Citrus aurantium L. This approach combines pharmacokinetics analysis with pharmacodynamics evaluation for the active compounds screening, targets prediction and pathways assessing. Firstly, through pharmacokinetic evaluation and target prediction models, 83 potential compounds and 184 gastric cancer-related targets were screened out. Then, the results of network analysis suggested that the targets of PRGRC were mainly involved two aspects: apoptosis and inflammation. Finally, we verified the reliability of the above analysis at the cellular level by using naringenin and luteolin with good pharmacokinetic activity as representative compounds. Overall, we found that PRGRC could influence the development of gastric cancer from a multi-scale perspective. This study provided a new direction for analyzing the mechanism of TCM.

Inhibition effect of oxyepiberberine isolated from Coptis chinensis franch. On non-small cell lung cancer based on a network pharmacology approach and experimental validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

As an important Chinese herb, Coptis chinensis Franch. (Huanglian, HL) has a long history of usage for clearing heat, eliminating dampness, purging fire and detoxification in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). HL, also called goldthread, was frequently used for the treatment of typhoid, tuberculosis, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, pertussis, and other lung-related diseases. Modern research has shown that HL and its main compounds also have anti-tumor effects. However, studies have not reported whether its main compounds inhibit Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development and progression.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to find out the potential targets and mechanisms of Oxyepiberberine (OPB) isolated from HL in the treatment of NSCLC, using network pharmacology and biological experimental.

METHODS

Silica gel chromatography column was used to isolate OPB from HL, and the structure of OPB was elucidated using different spectroscopic analysis methods, including ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ¹³C-NMR and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS). MTT assay was performed to determine cell proliferation of OPB on A549, H1975 and BEAS-2B cells. Then, the potential targets, pathways and hub genes of OPB for treating NSCLC were screened out through network pharmacology. Based on the results of network pharmacology, core targets of OPB for treating NSCLC were docking with OPB via molecular docking. Wound healing, plate clone, Hoechst staining, and western blot assay were used to verify the function of OPB in treatment of NSCLC.

RESULTS

OPB was isolated from the HL, its molecular formula was identified as C₂₀H₁₇NO₅. Through MTT, OPB significantly inhibited the proliferation of H1975 cells and A549 cells, and A549 was chosen as the test cancer cell. Through network pharmacology, 22 potential targets, 156 related-pathways, and 6 hub genes were screened out. The results of molecular docking showed that SRC, BRAF, and MMP9 were the core targets of OPB against NSCLC. Through biological experimental, it was found that OPB inhibited growth and migration of A549 cells. In addition, OPB induced apoptosis in A549 cells. Through western blot assay, the expressions of Src, ERK1/2 and other four proteins were down-regulated, which suggested that OPB inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells by down-regulating SRC-FAK-RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway, so as to achieve the anti-NSCLC effect.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that anti-NSCLC effect of OPB through network and experiments, which provided a theoretical basis for the clinical antitumor of OPB, and provided a foundation for further study of OPB.

Isatis indigotica: a review of phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and clinical applications

OBJECTIVES

Isatis indigotica Fort. (I. indigotica) is an herbaceous plant belonging to Cruciferae family. Its leaf (IIL) and root (IIR) are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) with good clinical efficacies such as clearing away heat and detoxification, cooling blood and reducing swelling. This review aimed to provide a systematic summary on the phytochemistry, pharmacology and clinical applications of I. indigotica.

KEY FINDINGS

This plant contains alkaloids, organic acids, flavonoids, lignans, nucleosides, amino acids, and steroids. Previous pharmacological researches indicated that I. indigotica possesses promising antivirus, antibacterial, immunoregulatory, anti-inflammation, and cholagogic effects. Importantly, it can inhibit various viruses, such as influenza, hepatitis B, mumps, herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus, and coxsachievirus. Clinically, it is frequently used to treat various viral diseases like viral influenza, parotitis and viral hepatitis. Consequently, I. indigotica may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

SUMMARY

This paper reviewed the chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications of I. indigotica which may guide further research and application of this plant.

The Cyr61 Is a Potential Target for Rotundifuran, a Natural Labdane-Type Diterpene from Vitex trifolia L., to Trigger Apoptosis of Cervical Cancer Cells

Cervical cancer is a common female malignant tumor that seriously threatens human health. This study explored the anticervical cancer effects and potential mechanisms of Rotundifuran (RTF), a natural product isolated from Vitex trifolia L. In this study, we found that RTF can suppress the proliferation of cervical cancer cell lines, including HeLa and SiHa cells (with the IC₅₀ less than 10 μM), via induction of apoptosis in vitro, and the antitumor effect of RTF is further confirmed on the HeLa cell-inoculated xenograft model. In addition, our results proved that the antitumor effects of RTF might be related with the reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) induced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis through MAPK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways. Using proteomics analysis and the drug affinity responsive target stability- (DARTS-) combined mass spectrometry (DARTS-MS), Cyr61 was indicated as a potential target for RTF in cervical cancer cells. Our present study would be beneficial for the development of RTF as a candidate for treatment of cervical cancer in the future.

The Mechanism of Lavender Essential Oil in the Treatment of Acute Colitis Based on "Quantity-Effect" Weight Coefficient Network Pharmacology

This study aimed to introduce a new weight coefficient combined with network pharmacology to predict the potential active components, action targets, and signal pathways of lavender essential oil and to investigate the therapeutic effect of lavender essential oil on colitis through animal experiments. The component targets of lavender essential oil were mined from the Pubchem and SwissTargetPrediction databases, and the relative content of lavender essential oil was compared with OB (oral bioavailability) to establish a “quantity–effect” weight coefficient. Online databases such as GeneCards and String were used to construct a “lavender essential oil compound target disease target” network to extract the key targets of core compounds acting on diseases. The clusterProfiler package in R language programming of Rstudio software was used to analyze the enrichment of the related targets by Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and the enriched pathways were reordered according to the “quantity–effect” weight coefficient of the targets they participated in. Following up on the findings, the pharmacodynamic test showed that, after injecting lavender essential oil into mice, the levels of inflammatory cytokines including EGFR, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in serum and colon tissue decreased, and lavender essential oil could mediate Th17 cell differentiation by reducing dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) colonic mucosal damage. The results indicated that lavender essential oil can alleviate DSS-induced colonic mucosal injury in ulcerative Colitis mice. Based on the network pharmacology of the “quantity–effect” weight coefficient, this study indicated that lavender essential oil can regulate the level of inflammatory factors, inhibit inflammatory reactions through a multicomponent and multitarget strategy, and ultimately alleviate the colonic mucosal injury of UC mice. Through the weight coefficient network pharmacology mining, it was concluded that the Th17 cell differentiation, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation of lavender essential oil in the treatment of UC may be the key pathway for the treatment of the disease. Through the establishment of a weight coefficient combined with network pharmacology and the combination of dose and effect, it shows that network pharmacology may provide a better basis for the treatment of disease mechanism.

The Volatile Oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Pericarp Improved the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Gut Microbiota to Attenuate Chronic Unpredictable Stress-Induced Anxiety Behavior in Rats

Background

Anxiety disorders (ADs) are the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. Stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and dysbiosis of gut microbiota seem to contribute to the onset of ADs. This study was designed to investigate the ameliorative effect of volatile oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum (VOZB) on chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) induced anxiety behavior, as well as the altered HPA axis and gut microbiota.

Methods

Experimental rats were exposed to the CUS for 14 consecutive days. Meanwhile, VOZB was administered at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day for 14 days. The anxiety behavior was evaluated by elevated plus-maze (EPM) and open field (OF). The protein expressions and mRNA levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in hypothalamus was determined, as well the hormone levels of HPA axis in serum. Furthermore, gut microbiota was detected by16S rRNA gene sequencing. The chemical constituents of VOZB were identified by GC-MS analysis.

Results

VOZB treatment (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) increased the ratio of open-arm entries and time in EPM test, as well as the central zone entries and time in OF test. Moreover, VOZB treatment reduced the protein expressions and mRNA levels of CRH, but elevated those of GR in hypothalamus. Similarly, the hormone levels of the HPA axis in serum were decreased by VOZB treatment. Besides, VOZB treatment restored the CUS-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota, raising the Sobs and Chao indexes, inhibiting Lachnospiraceae, but facilitating Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, Lactobacillaceae, and Prevotellaceae. Additionally, Sobs and Chao indexes were negatively correlated to the serum corticosterone and CRH levels.

Conclusion

VOZB showed an ameliorative effect on CUS-induced anxiety behavior, potentially via inhibiting activation of the HPA axis and restoring the dysbiosis of gut microbiota, thus improving the stress-induced abnormality of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Natural Medicines for the Treatment of Epilepsy: Bioactive Components, Pharmacology and Mechanism

Epilepsy is a chronic disease that can cause temporary brain dysfunction as a result of sudden abnormal discharge of the brain neurons. The seizure mechanism of epilepsy is closely related to the neurotransmitter imbalance, synaptic recombination, and glial cell proliferation. In addition, epileptic seizures can lead to mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, and the disorder of sugar degradation. Although the mechanism of epilepsy research has reached up to the genetic level, the presently available treatment and recovery records of epilepsy does not seem promising. Recently, natural medicines have attracted more researches owing to their low toxicity and side-effects as well as the excellent efficacy, especially in chronic diseases. In this study, the antiepileptic mechanism of the bioactive components of natural drugs was reviewed so as to provide a reference for the development of potential antiepileptic drugs. Based on the different treatment mechanisms of natural drugs considered in this review, it is possible to select drugs clinically. Improving the accuracy of medication and the cure rate is expected to compensate for the shortage of the conventional epilepsy treatment drugs.

Maxing Shigan Decoction Mitigates Mycoplasma pneumonia-Induced Pyroptosis in A549 Cells via the NLRP3 Inflammasome

Background

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a predominant cause of community-acquired respiratory infections. We recently discovered the clinical efficacy of Maxing shigan decoction (MXSG) in M. pneumoniae infection and designed a study to explore the mechanism of action.

Methods

Serum IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and transcript expression of the NLR Family, Pyrin Domain Containing Protein 3 (NLRP3) were measured in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 30 children with M. pneumoniae infection and 30 healthy donors. An in vitro model of M. pneumoniae infection in A549 cell culture was used to explore the curative effects and mechanisms of MXSG. Pyroptosis was measured by flow cytometry with activated caspase-1 and propidium iodide staining. IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and NLRP3 transcript expression were measured by qRT-PCR. Protein expression of NLRP3, Caspase-1, pro-caspase-1, IL-1β, pro-IL-1β, and GSDMD-N was determined by Western blotting. Experimental confirmation was performed in NLRP3-overexpressing A549 cells and in the presence of an NLRP3 inhibitor, INF39.

Results

M. pneumoniae infection-induced IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and mRNA expression of NLRP3 in PBMCs and promoted pyroptosis in A549 cells. It also induced IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and up-regulated NLRP3, ro-IL-1β, Caspase-1, Pro-Caspase-1, and GSDMD-N in culture. Similar to the NLRP3 inhibitor INF39, MXSG (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/mL) suppressed pyroptosis induced by M. pneumoniae infection and decreased IL-1β (P < 0.001), IL-18, TNF-α in culture. MXSG down-regulated NLRP3, pro-IL-1β, Caspase-1, pro-Caspase-1, and GSDMD-N in infected cultures and mitigated NLRP3 overexpression-induced pyroptosis.

Conclusion

MXSG mitigates M. pneumoniae-induced pyroptosis in A549 cells via the NLRP3 inflammasome.

An Integrated Approach Based on Network Pharmacology Combined with Experimental Verification Reveals AMPK/PI3K/Akt Signaling is an Important Way for the Anti-Type 2 Diabetic Activity of Silkworm Excrement

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed to investigate the potential active components, targets and mechanisms of silkworm excrement (SE) in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T₂D) based on THE network pharmacology combined with experimental verification.

METHODS

Firstly, the inhibitory effects of SE on α-glucosidase were measured in vitro. Then, the potential active components and potential targets of SE and the targets of T₂D were collected and screened using bioinformatics databases. Then, the R language, Cytoscape, Perl software were used to screen and visualize important components, targets, biological processes and signaling pathways. Finally, the predicted results by network pharmacology were verified via glucose absorption assay, oil red O staining assay and Western blot assay.

RESULTS

Our results showed SE effectively inhibited the activities of α-glucosidase. The results of network pharmacology suggested there were 33 potential active ingredients and 42 potential targets in SE. The molecular pathways of SE against T₂D were further predicted, including response to insulin-like growth factor receptor binding, protein serine/threonine kinase activity, and MAP kinase activity. KEGG pathway analyses predicted potential targets were involved in multiple signaling pathways, such as insulin signaling pathway, insulin resistance pathway and AMPK signaling pathway. In IR HepG2 cells, SE treatments increased glucose consumption and decreased lipogenesis. The insulin resistance (IR)-related AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling was further studied and the results showed SE could significantly up-regulate the phosphorylation levels of AMPK, PI3K, and Akt proteins in IR-HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested AMPK/PI3K/Akt signaling is an important way for the anti-type 2 diabetic activity of silkworm excrement by using an integrated approach based on network pharmacology combined with experimental verification.