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Chen T, Zhou X, Zhu M, Chen X, Chang D, Lin Y, Xu W, Zheng Y, Li S, Song J, Huang M. Phytochemical determination and mechanistic investigation of Polygala tenuifolia root (Yuanzhi) extract for bronchitis: UPLC-MS/MS analysis, network pharmacology and in vitro/in vivo evaluation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 333:118418. [PMID: 38838926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118418] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Bronchitis is a respiratory disease characterized by a productive cough. Polygala tenuifolia Willd., commonly known as Yuan zhi, is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for relieving cough and removing phlegm. Despite its historical use, studies are lacking on the effectiveness of P. tenuifolia in treating bronchitis. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of its bioactive compounds remain unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aims to identify the main bioactive compounds responsible for the effects of P. tenuifolia liquid extract (PLE) in treating bronchitis and to elucidate the associated molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS The main chemical compounds in PLE were identified and determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The antitussive, expectorant and anti-inflammatory activities of PLE were evaluated in an ammonia-induced mouse cough model, a tracheal phenol red excretion mouse model, and a xylene-induced ear swelling mouse model, respectively. A network pharmacology analysis was conducted to investigate the associated gene targets, gene ontology, and KEGG pathways related to the main bioactives in PLE targeting bronchitis. PLE and its five bioactive compounds were assessed for their potential anti-inflammatory activities in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Western blot analysis was conducted to elucidate the associated molecular mechanisms. RESULTS Thirty-seven compounds in PLE were identified, and twelve main compounds were further quantified in PLE using UPLC-MS/MS. PLE oral gavage administrations (0.6 and 0.12 mg/kg) for 7 days markedly reduced cough frequency, prolonged latency period of cough, reduced phlegm and inflammation in mice. The network pharmacology analysis identified 57 gene targets of PLE against bronchitis. The PI3K/AKT and MAPK signalling pathways were the top two modulated pathways. In RAW264.7 cells, PLE (12.5-50 μg/mL) significantly reduced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. PLE downregulated LPS-elevated protein targets in both PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. In PLE, tenuifolin, polygalaxanthone ⅠⅠⅠ, polygalasaponin ⅩⅩⅤⅢ, tenuifoliside B, and 3,6'-Disinapoyl sucrose, were identified as the top five core components responsible for treating bronchitis. These compounds were also found to modulate the protein targets in the PI3K/AKT and MAPK signalling pathways. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated the potential therapeutic effects of PLE on bronchitis by reducing cough, phlegm and inflammation. The anti-inflammatory action and molecular mechanisms of the 5 main bioactive compounds in PLE were partly validated through the in vitro assays. The findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the traditional use of PLE for bronchitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Xian Zhou
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Mingxing Zhu
- College of Chinese Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Xueting Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Dennis Chang
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Yifan Lin
- Fujian Institute for Food and Drug Quality Control, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Wen Xu
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Yanfang Zheng
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
| | - Shaohua Li
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
| | - Jianyuan Song
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian province, 350001, China.
| | - Mingqing Huang
- College of Pharmacy, Fujian Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
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Wang L, Wang Z, Ni Y, Wang X, Zhang T, Hu M, Lian C, Wang X, Zhang J. Elucidating the mechanism of action of Isobavachalcone induced autophagy and apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer by network pharmacology and experimental validation methods. Gene 2024; 918:148474. [PMID: 38670393 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148474] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for the majority of lung cancer-related mortality. In recent years, there have been numerous treatments for non-small cell lung cancer, but the cure and survival rates are still extremely low. Isobavachalcone (IBC) belongs to the chalcone component of the traditional Chinese medicine Psoralea corylifolia L., and is a unique Protein kinase B (AKT) pathway inhibitor with significant anticancer effects. Previous studies have shown that IBC possess a variety of biological properties, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This study focused on the use of network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking technology and experimental validation to elucidate the potential mechanisms of IBC for the treatment of NSCLC. METHODS Screening key genes and pathways of IBC action in NSCLC using network pharmacology. The IBC target genes were from The Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ETCM) and BATMAN-TCM databases, the NSCLC target genes were from GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and The Therapeutic Target database (TTD) databases, both of which were taken as intersecting genes for protein-protein interaction network analysis and enrichment analysis, and the binding energies of the compounds to the core targets were further verified by molecular docking. Cell lines in vitro experiments were then performed to further unravel the mechanism of IBC for NSCLC. RESULTS A total of 279 potential targets were retrieved by searching the intersection of IBC and NSCLC targets. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis indicated that 6 targets, including AKT1, RXRA, NCOA1, RXRB, RARA, PPARG were hub genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis suggested that IBC treatment of NSCLC mainly involves steroid binding, transcription factor activity, Pathways in cancer, cAMP signaling pathway, Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. Among them, the AMPK signaling pathway, which contained the largest number of enriched genes, may play a greater role in the treatment of NSCLC. Then, the results of in vitro experiment indicated that IBC could inhibit proliferation of NSCLC cells and induce cell autophagy and apoptosis. The results also showed that IBC could increase the protein expression of AMPK and decrease the protein expression of AKT and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), suggesting that IBC can treat NSCLC by inducing cellular autophagy and apoptosis as well as modulating AMPK and AKT signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this study provided a new insight into the protective mechanism of IBC against NSCLC through network pharmacology and experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China; Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - Ziqiang Wang
- Research Center of Clinical Laboratory Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - Yuhan Ni
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Digestive Department, Xi'an Fifth Hospital, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - Mengling Hu
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - Chaoqun Lian
- Research Center of Clinical Laboratory Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China.
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China; Joint Research Center for Regional Diseases of IHM, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu 233030, China.
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China.
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Shi M. The Efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum Extracts on Treating Endometrial Cancer: A Network Pharmacology Approach. Reprod Sci 2024; 31:1881-1894. [PMID: 38448739 PMCID: PMC11217070 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-024-01500-3] [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: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is a prominent medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine, known for its potent antitumor properties. This study aimed to illustrate the efficacy of GL extracts (GLE) on treating endometrial cancer (EC) and explore the underlying mechanisms via network pharmacology and experimental validation. Network pharmacological analysis was conducted to explore the therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of GL on EC. In vitro experimental validation was performed on human endometrial cancer cell lines HEC-1-A and KLE. Network pharmacology revealed that key targets of GL against EC were primarily associated with the Rap1 signaling pathway. In in vitro experiments, GLE or GGTI-298 (a GTPase inhibitor) treatment inhibited cell proliferation and migration, promoted cell apoptosis, increased caspase-3 level, and arrested cell cycle in G1 phase in HEC-1-A and KLE cells. GLE increased the protein expression of Rap1-GTP, p-AKT, and p-ERK2 in HEC-1-A and KLE cells. Moreover, GGTI-298 enhanced the effects of GLE on suppressing the malignant progression of EC cells and on activating Rap1 signaling pathway. GLE inhibited the malignant progression of EC cells probably via activating the Rap1 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Shi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Putuo Hospital, Zhoushan, 316100, Zhejiang Province, China.
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Gao J, Xiang X, Yan Q, Ding Y. CDCS-TCM: A framework based on complex network theory to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation of substances in the metabolic process of traditional Chinese medicine. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 328:118100. [PMID: 38537843 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118100] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional Chinese medicine, with the feature of synergistic effects of multi-component, multi-pathway and multi-target, plays an important role in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, etc. However, chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine are complex and most of the pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear, especially the relationships of chemical components change during the metabolic process. AIM OF STUDY Our aim is to provide a method based on complex network theory to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation of substances in the metabolic process of traditional Chinese medicine. MATERIALS AND METHODS We proposed a framework named CDCS-TCM to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation between substances in the metabolic process of traditional Chinese medicine. Our method mainly consists two parts. The first part is to discover the local and global causality by the causality network. The second part is to investigate the dynamic correlations and identify the essential substance by dynamic substance correlation network. RESULTS We developed a CDCS-TCM method to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation of substances. Using the XiangDan Injection for ischemic stroke as an example, we have identified the important substances in the metabolic process including substance pairs with strong causality and the dynamic changes of the core effector substance clusters. CONCLUSION The proposed framework will be useful for exploring the correlations of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine more effectively and will provide a new perspective for the elucidation of drug action mechanisms and the new drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxuan Gao
- School of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Xiaoyang Xiang
- School of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Qunfang Yan
- School of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Yanrui Ding
- School of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, PR China.
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Zhao Y, Zhu S, Li Y, Niu X, Shang G, Zhou X, Yin J, Bao B, Cao Y, Cheng F, Li Z, Wang R, Yao W. Integrated component identification, network pharmacology, and experimental verification revealed mechanism of Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo against lung cancer. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 243:116077. [PMID: 38460276 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116077] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (DO), a valuable Chinese herbal medicine, has been reported to exhibit potential effects in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. However, its material basis and mechanism of action have not been comprehensively analyzed. PURPOSE The objective of this study was to preliminarily elucidate the active components and pharmacological mechanisms of DO in treating lung cancer, according to UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, HPAEC-PAD, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental verification. METHODS The chemical components of DO were identified via UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, while the monosaccharide composition of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) was determined by HPAEC-PAD. The prospective active constituents of DO as well as their respective targets were predicted in the combined database of Swiss ADME and Swiss Target Prediction. Relevant disease targets for lung cancer were searched in OMIM, TTD, and Genecards databases. Further, the active compounds and potential core targets of DO against lung cancer were found by the C-T-D network and the PPI network, respectively. The core targets were then subjected to enrichment analysis in the Metascape database. The main active compounds were molecularly docked to the core targets and visualized. Finally, the viability of A549 cells and the relative quantity of associated proteins within the major signaling pathway were detected. RESULTS 249 ingredients were identified from DO, including 39 flavonoids, 39 bibenzyls, 50 organic acids, 8 phenanthrenes, 27 phenylpropanoids, 17 alkaloids, 17 amino acids and their derivatives, 7 monosaccharides, and 45 others. Here, 50 main active compounds with high degree values were attained through the C-T-D network, mainly consisting of bibenzyls and monosaccharides. Based on the PPI network analysis, 10 core targets were further predicted, including HSP90AA1, SRC, ESR1, CREBBP, MAPK3, AKT1, PIK3R1, PIK3CA, HIF1A, and HDAC1. The results of the enrichment analysis and molecular docking indicated a close association between the therapeutic mechanism of DO and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. It was confirmed that the bibenzyl extract and erianin could inhibit the multiplication of A549 cells in vitro. Furthermore, erianin was found to down-regulate the relative expressions of p-AKT and p-PI3K proteins within the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS This study predicted that DO could treat lung cancer through various components, multiple targets, and diverse pathways. Bibenzyls from DO might exert anti-lung cancer activity by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and modulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. A fundamental reference for further studies and clinical therapy was given by the above data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Shuaitao Zhu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Yuan Li
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Xuan Niu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Guanxiong Shang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Xiaoqi Zhou
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Jiu Yin
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Beihua Bao
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Yudan Cao
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Fangfang Cheng
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Zhipeng Li
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China.
| | - Ran Wang
- China Tobacco Anhui Industrial Co., Ltd., Hefei, Anhui 210088, China.
| | - Weifeng Yao
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
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Wang X, Mei J, Zhang F, Wei M, Xie Y, Bayoude A, Liu X, Zhang B, Yu B. A ternary correlation multi-symptom network strategy based on in vivo chemical profile identification and metabolomics to explore the molecular basis of Ephedra herb against viral pneumonia. J Sep Sci 2024; 47:e2400090. [PMID: 38819782 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202400090] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Ephedra herb (EH), an important medicine prescribed in herbal formulas by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, has been widely used in the treatment of viral pneumonia in China. However, the molecular basis of EH in viral pneumonia remains unclear. In this study, a ternary correlation multi-symptom network strategy was established based on in vivo chemical profile identification and metabolomics to explore the molecular basis of EH against viral pneumonia. Results showed that 143 compounds of EH and 70 prototype components were identified in vivo. EH could reduce alveolar-capillary barrier disruption in rats with viral pneumonia and significantly downregulate the expression of inflammatory factors and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Plasma metabolomics revealed that EH may be involved in the regulation of arachidonic acid, tryptophan, tyrosine, nicotinate, and nicotinamide metabolism. The multi-symptom network showed that 12 compounds have an integral function in the treatment of viral pneumonia by intervening in many pathways related to viruses, immunity and inflammation, and lung injury. Further verification demonstrated that sinapic acid and frambinone can regulate the expression of related genes. It has been shown to be a promising representative of the pharmacological constituents of ephedra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Mei
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Miaomiao Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yujun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Alamusi Bayoude
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiufeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Boli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Boyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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Hu S, Li S, Xu Y, Huang X, Mai Z, Chen Y, Xiao H, Ning W, Gaus S, Savkovic V, Lethaus B, Zimmerer R, Acharya A, Ziebolz D, Schmalz G, Huang S, Zhao J, Hu X. The antitumor effects of herbal medicine Triphala on oral cancer by inactivating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway: based on the network pharmacology, molecular docking, in vitro and in vivo experimental validation. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 128:155488. [PMID: 38493718 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155488] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This research aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects and underlying genetic mechanisms of herbal medicine Triphala (TRP) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS The target genes of Triphala (TRP) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were identified, and subsequent functional enrichment analysis was conducted to determine the enriched signaling pathways. Based on these genes, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed to identify the top 10 genes with the highest degree. Genes deregulated in OSCC tumor samples were identified to be hub genes among the top 10 genes. In vitro experiments were performed to investigate the influence of TRP extracts on the cell metabolic activity, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and proliferation of two OSCC cell lines (CAL-27 and SCC-9). The functional rescue assay was conducted to investigate the effect of applying the inhibitor and activator of an enriched pathway on the phenotypes of cancer cells. In addition, the zebrafish xenograft tumor model was established to investigate the influence of TRP extracts on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. RESULTS The target genes of TRP in OSCC were prominently enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, with the identification of five hub genes (JUN, EGFR, ESR1, RELA, and AKT1). TRP extracts significantly inhibited cell metabolic activity, migration, invasion, and proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in OSCC cells. Notably, the application of TRP extracts exhibited the capacity to downregulate mRNA and phosphorylated protein levels of AKT1 and ESR1, while concomitantly inducing upregulation of mRNA and phosphorylated protein levels in the remaining three hub genes (EGFR, JUN, and RELA). The functional rescue assay demonstrated that the co-administration of TRP and the PI3K activator 740Y-P effectively reversed the impact of TRP on the phenotypes of OSCC cells. Conversely, the combination of TRP and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 further enhanced the effect of TRP on the phenotypes of OSCC cells. Remarkably, treatment with TRP in zebrafish xenograft models demonstrated a significant reduction in both tumor growth and metastatic spread. CONCLUSIONS Triphala exerted significant inhibitory effects on cell metabolic activity, migration, invasion, and proliferation in OSCC cell lines, accompanied by the induction of apoptosis, which was mediated through the inactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaonan Hu
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Simin Li
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Yuzhen Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian 271000, China
| | - Xiuhong Huang
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Zhaoyi Mai
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Yuanxin Chen
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Hui Xiao
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Wanchen Ning
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Sebastian Gaus
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Vuk Savkovic
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Bernd Lethaus
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Zimmerer
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Aneesha Acharya
- Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College & Hospital, Pune 411018, India
| | - Dirk Ziebolz
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Gerhard Schmalz
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Shaohong Huang
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China.
| | - Jianjiang Zhao
- Shenzhen Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518118, China.
| | - Xianda Hu
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Beijing Tibetan Hospital, China Tibetology Research Center, Beijing 100029, China; Institute for the History of Chinese Medicine and Medical Literature, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
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Abdel-Maksoud MA, Askar MA, Abdel-rahman IY, Gharib M, Aufy M. Integrating Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Approach to Elucidate the Mechanism of Commiphora wightii for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Bioinform Biol Insights 2024; 18:11779322241247634. [PMID: 38765022 PMCID: PMC11102677 DOI: 10.1177/11779322241247634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered a notable prolonged inflammatory condition with no proper cure. Synovial inflammation and synovial pannus are crucial in the onset of RA. The "tumor-like" invading proliferation of new arteries is a keynote of RA. Commiphora wightii (C wightii) is a perennial, deciduous, and trifoliate plant used in several areas of southeast Asia to cure numerous ailments, including arthritis, diabetes, obesity, and asthma. Several in vitro investigations have indicated C wightii's therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of arthritis. However, the precise molecular action is yet unknown. Material and methods In this study, a network pharmacology approach was applied to uncover potential targets, active therapeutic ingredients and signaling pathways in C wightii for the treatment of arthritis. In the groundwork of this research, we examined the active constituent-compound-target-pathway network and evaluated that (Guggulsterol-V, Myrrhahnone B, and Campesterol) decisively donated to the development of arthritis by affecting tumor necrosis factor (TNF), PIK3CA, and MAPK3 genes. Later on, docking was employed to confirm the active components' efficiency against the potential targets. Results According to molecular-docking research, several potential targets of RA bind tightly with the corresponding key active ingredient of C wightii. With the aid of network pharmacology techniques, we conclude that the signaling pathways and biological processes involved in C wightii had an impact on the prevention of arthritis. The outcomes of molecular docking also serve as strong recommendations for future research. In the context of this study, network pharmacology combined with molecular docking analysis showed that C wightii acted on arthritis-related signaling pathways to exhibit a promising preventive impact on arthritis. Conclusion These results serve as the basis for grasping the mechanism of the antiarthritis activity of C wightii. However, further in vivo/in vitro study is needed to verify the reliability of these targets for the treatment of arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa A Abdel-Maksoud
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mostafa A Askar
- Radiation Biology Department, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim Y Abdel-rahman
- Radiation Biology Department, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mustafa Gharib
- Radiation Biology Department, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohammed Aufy
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Wang Y, Liu M, Jafari M, Tang J. A critical assessment of Traditional Chinese Medicine databases as a source for drug discovery. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1303693. [PMID: 38738181 PMCID: PMC11082401 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1303693] [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: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used for thousands of years to treat human diseases. Recently, many databases have been devoted to studying TCM pharmacology. Most of these databases include information about the active ingredients of TCM herbs and their disease indications. These databases enable researchers to interrogate the mechanisms of action of TCM systematically. However, there is a need for comparative studies of these databases, as they are derived from various resources with different data processing methods. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the existing TCM databases. We found that the information complements each other by comparing herbs, ingredients, and herb-ingredient pairs in these databases. Therefore, data harmonization is vital to use all the available information fully. Moreover, different TCM databases may contain various annotation types for herbs or ingredients, notably for the chemical structure of ingredients, making it challenging to integrate data from them. We also highlight the latest TCM databases on symptoms or gene expressions, suggesting that using multi-omics data and advanced bioinformatics approaches may provide new insights for drug discovery in TCM. In summary, such a comparative study would help improve the understanding of data complexity that may ultimately motivate more efficient and more standardized strategies towards the digitalization of TCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinyin Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Minxia Liu
- Faculty of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Mohieddin Jafari
- Department Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jing Tang
- Department Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Park SY, Lee YY, Kim MH, Kim CE. Deciphering the Systemic Impact of Herbal Medicines on Allergic Rhinitis: A Network Pharmacological Approach. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:553. [PMID: 38792575 PMCID: PMC11122645 DOI: 10.3390/life14050553] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a systemic allergic disease that has a considerable impact on patients' quality of life. Current treatments include antihistamines and nasal steroids; however, their long-term use often causes undesirable side effects. In this context, traditional Asian medicine (TAM), with its multi-compound, multi-target herbal medicines (medicinal plants), offers a promising alternative. However, the complexity of these multi-compound traits poses challenges in understanding the overall mechanisms and efficacy of herbal medicines. Here, we demonstrate the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of these multi-compound herbal medicines specifically used for AR at a systemic level. We utilized a modified term frequency-inverse document frequency method to select AR-specific herbs and constructed an herb-compound-target network using reliable databases and computational methods, such as the Quantitative Estimate of Drug-likeness for compound filtering, STITCH database for compound-target interaction prediction (with a high confidence score threshold of 0.7), and DisGeNET and CTD databases for disease-gene association analysis. Through this network, we conducted AR-related targets and pathway analyses, as well as clustering analysis based on target-level information of the herbs. Gene ontology enrichment analysis was conducted using a protein-protein interaction network. Our research identified 14 AR-specific herbs and analyzed whether AR-specific herbs are highly related to previously known AR-related genes and pathways. AR-specific herbs were found to target several genes related to inflammation and AR pathogenesis, such as PTGS2, HRH1, and TBXA2R. Pathway analysis revealed that AR-specific herbs were associated with multiple AR-related pathways, including cytokine signaling, immune response, and allergic inflammation. Additionally, clustering analysis based on target similarity identified three distinct subgroups of AR-specific herbs, corroborated by a protein-protein interaction network. Group 1 herbs were associated with the regulation of inflammatory responses to antigenic stimuli, while Group 2 herbs were related to the detection of chemical stimuli involved in the sensory perception of bitter taste. Group 3 herbs were distinctly associated with antigen processing and presentation and NIK/NF-kappa B signaling. This study decodes the principles of TAM herbal configurations for AR using a network pharmacological approach, providing a holistic understanding of drug effects beyond specific pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sa-Yoon Park
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Yeol Lee
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Hee Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, and Dermatology, Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Eop Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
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Jiao JY, Cheng CS, Cao ZQ, Chen LY, Chen Z. Evidence-Based Dampness-Heat ZHENG (Syndrome) in Cancer: Current Progress toward Establishing Relevant Animal Model with Pancreatic Tumor. Chin J Integr Med 2024; 30:85-95. [PMID: 35723813 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-022-3675-8] [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] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Ying Jiao
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chien-Shan Cheng
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhang-Qi Cao
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lian-Yu Chen
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhen Chen
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Wang L, Liu Y, Shen G, He G, Qiu S, Li B. Mechanisms of Si-Wu Decoction in the treatment of ulcerative colitis revealed by network pharmacology and experimental verification. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 317:116847. [PMID: 37356743 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116847] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Si-Wu Decoction (SWD) is a traditional Chinese medicine decoction. SWD is commonly used to treat blood deficiency syndrome. It is also used to treat some ulcerative colitis (UC) patients now, but the mechanism of action remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY This study explored the efficacy and mechanism of action of SWD in treating UC based on network pharmacology and related experimental validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Several databases were used to screen SWD for major active ingredients, targets of the ingredients, and UC disease genes. Cytoscape 3.8.2 software was used for topological analysis to construct the drug-compound-disease gene-target relationship network. The String database platform was used to construct the target protein interaction network. The DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery) database was used to perform the GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment analysis for the key targets. DSS (Dextran Sulfate Sodium)-induced UC mouse model was used to evaluate the in-vivo activity of SWD. Western Blot analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were performed to verify the targets in the related pathways. RESULTS Network pharmacology revealed that the SWD targeted pathway network involved 12 core targets and 15 major pathways. SWD may play a part by targeting key targets such as nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway, and several mitogenic pathways. We showed that SWD largely restored the colorectal structure in UC model mice. Compared to the model group, the SWD group showed reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells. SWD significantly decreased the mRNA levels of IL-6 (Interleukin-6), TNF-α (Tumor necrosis factor-alpha), IL-1b (Interleukin-1beta) and other pro-inflammatory factors. Western Blot results showed that SWD concentration-dependently inhibited STAT3 and NF-κB activation in DSS-treated colon tissue. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that SWD treats UC by inhibiting STAT3 and NF-κB signaling pathways, reducing the expression of inflammatory cytokines, and improving epithelial repair in experimental colitis, thus shedding light on the mechanisms by which SWD exerts its effects on UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China.
| | - Ya Liu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China.
| | - Guiyan Shen
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China.
| | - Guanlin He
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Stem Cell Research, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China.
| | - Shoutao Qiu
- Bio-X Institutes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Baojie Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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Qayoom H, Alshehri B, Ul Haq B, Almilaibary A, Alkhanani M, Ahmad Mir M. Decoding the molecular mechanism of stypoldione against breast cancer through network pharmacology and experimental validation. Saudi J Biol Sci 2023; 30:103848. [PMID: 37964781 PMCID: PMC10641555 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2023.103848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the primary factor contributing to female mortality worldwide. The incidence has overtaken lung cancer. It is the most difficult illness due to its heterogeneity and is made up of several subtypes, including Luminal A and B, basal-like, Her-2 overexpressed and TNBC. Amongst different breast carcinoma subtypes, TNBC is the most deadly breast cancer subtype. The hostile nature of TNBC is mainly attributed to its lack of three hormonal receptors and hence lack of targeted therapy. Furthermore, the current diagnostic options like radiotherapy, surgery and chemotherapy render unsuccessful due to recurrence, treatment side effects and drug resistance. The majority of anticancer drugs come from natural sources or is developed from them, making nature a significant source of many medicines. Marine-based constituents such as nucleotides, proteins, peptides, and amides are receiving a lot of interest in the field of cancer treatment due to their bioactive properties. The role of stypoldione in this study as a prospective treatment for breast carcinoma was examined, and we sought to comprehend the molecular means/pathways this chemical employs in breast carcinoma. The most promising possibility for an anti-cancer treatment is stypoldione, a marine chemical produced from the brown alga Stypopodium zonale. We investigated stypoldione's mode of action in breast cancer using the network pharmacology method, and we confirmed our research by using a number of computational tools, including UALCAN, cBioportal, TIMER, docking, and simulation. The findings revealed 92 common targets between the chemical and breast cancer target network. Additionally, we found that stypoldione targets a number of unregulated genes in breast cancer, including: ESR1, HSP90AA1, CXCL8, PTGS2, APP, MDM2, JAK2, KDR, LCK, GRM5, MAPK14, KIT, and several signaling pathways such as FOXO signaling pathway, VEGF pathway, calcium signaling pathway, MAPK/ERK pathway and Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. The examined medication demonstrated a strong affinity for the major targets, according to a docking analysis. The best hit compound produced a stable protein-ligand pair, as predicted by molecular dynamics simulations. Our results are supported by the fact that when in-vitro assays were done on melanoma using stypoldione compound it was found that its mechanisms of action involved the PI3K/mTOR/Akt and NF-kB pathways. This study was set out to inspect the possible value of stypoldione as a breast cancer cure and to get a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which this drug acts on breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hina Qayoom
- Department of Bioresources, School of Biological Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, India
| | - Bader Alshehri
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Almajmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Burhan Ul Haq
- Department of Bioresources, School of Biological Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, India
| | - Abdullah Almilaibary
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Albaha 65511, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mustfa Alkhanani
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Hafr Al Batin University of Hafr Al-Batin, 31991, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manzoor Ahmad Mir
- Department of Bioresources, School of Biological Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, India
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14
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Li L, Yang L, Yang L, He C, He Y, Chen L, Dong Q, Zhang H, Chen S, Li P. Network pharmacology: a bright guiding light on the way to explore the personalized precise medication of traditional Chinese medicine. Chin Med 2023; 18:146. [PMID: 37941061 PMCID: PMC10631104 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-023-00853-2] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Network pharmacology can ascertain the therapeutic mechanism of drugs for treating diseases at the level of biological targets and pathways. The effective mechanism study of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) characterized by multi-component, multi-targeted, and integrative efficacy, perfectly corresponds to the application of network pharmacology. Currently, network pharmacology has been widely utilized to clarify the mechanism of the physiological activity of TCM. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the application of network pharmacology in TCM to reveal its potential of verifying the phenotype and underlying causes of diseases, realizing the personalized and accurate application of TCM. We searched the literature using "TCM network pharmacology" and "network pharmacology" as keywords from Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, as well as Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure in the last decade. The origins, development, and application of network pharmacology are closely correlated with the study of TCM which has been applied in China for thousands of years. Network pharmacology and TCM have the same core idea and promote each other. A well-defined research strategy for network pharmacology has been utilized in several aspects of TCM research, including the elucidation of the biological basis of diseases and syndromes, the prediction of TCM targets, the screening of TCM active compounds, and the decipherment of mechanisms of TCM in treating diseases. However, several factors limit its application, such as the selection of databases and algorithms, the unstable quality of the research results, and the lack of standardization. This review aims to provide references and ideas for the research of TCM and to encourage the personalized and precise use of Chinese medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- School of Comprehensive Health Management, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Lele Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
- Zhuhai UM Science and Technology Research Institute, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Liuqing Yang
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunrong He
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxin He
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Liping Chen
- School of Comprehensive Health Management, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qin Dong
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huaiying Zhang
- School of Comprehensive Health Management, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shiyun Chen
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Peng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
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15
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Qiu Y, Wang Y, Lu J, Zhu Q, Jia L, Lei F, Shen L, Jiang L, Wu A. Synthesis, spectroscopic analysis, DFT, docking, MD and antioxidant activity of tetrahydrocurcumin. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-13. [PMID: 37902569 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2275189] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, numerous researchers have made local chemical modifications to the structure of curcumin while its basic structure remains unchanged, thus, producing curcumin derivatives. In this article, tetrahydrocurcumin was obtained by hydrogenation of curcumin, DFT calculation and characterization at the theoretical level of B3LYP/6 -311++G(d,p) were carried out. The observed IR and Raman spectra are in good agreement with the theoretical spectra. The FMO and ESP of tetrahydrocurcumin are predicted. The interaction in the system is shown graphically and analyzed by IGMH. Compared with curcumin, tetrahydrocurcumin lacks the unsaturated C = C bond, which makes it more stable and more bioavailable. Molecular docking with antioxidant targets elucidated the ligand-protein interaction and molecular dynamics simulation showed the antioxidant activity of tetrahydrocurcumin. The antioxidant activity of tetrahydrocurcumin was proved by DPPH• and •OH radical scavenging experiments. In essence, these derivatives exhibit enhanced physiological activity in certain aspects compared to the original curcumin. Moreover, the computational pharmacology techniques lay a theoretical groundwork for the development and modification of high-efficiency, low-toxicity drugs that interface with various targets of curcumin in the future.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqi Qiu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
| | - Yuanmeng Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
| | - Jiahao Lu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
| | - Qinghua Zhu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
| | - Li Jia
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
| | - Fuhou Lei
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
| | - Liqun Shen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
| | - Lihe Jiang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
- Medical College, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Aiqun Wu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, GUANGXI MINZU UNIVERSITY, Key Laboratory of universities in Guangxi for Excavation and Development of ancient ethnomedicinal recipes, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Nanning, China
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Park SY, Kim KS, Lee WY, Kim CE, Lee S. Integrative Approach to Identifying System-Level Mechanisms of Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Hwan's Influence on Respiratory Tract Diseases: A Network Pharmacological Analysis with Experimental Validation. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3024. [PMID: 37687271 PMCID: PMC10489874 DOI: 10.3390/plants12173024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Hwan (CSBHH) is an herbal prescription widely used to treat various chronic respiratory diseases. To investigate the system-level treatment mechanisms of CSBHH in respiratory tract diseases, we identified 56 active ingredients of CSBHH and evaluated the degree of overlap between their targets and respiratory tract disease-associated proteins. We then investigated the respiratory tract disease-related signaling pathways associated with CSBHH targets. Enrichment analysis showed that the CSBHH targets were significantly associated with various signaling pathways related to inflammation, alveolar structure, and tissue fibrosis. Experimental validation was conducted using phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated NCI-H292 cells by analyzing the mRNA expression levels of biomarkers (IL-1β and TNF-α for inflammation; GSTP1, GSTM1, and PTEN for apoptosis) derived from network pharmacological analysis, in addition to the mucin genes MUC5AC and MUC2, to investigate the phlegm-expelling effect of CSBHH. The mRNA expression levels of these genes were consistent with network pharmacological predictions in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that the therapeutic mechanisms of CSBHH in respiratory tract diseases could be attributed to the simultaneous action of multiple active ingredients in the herbal prescription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sa-Yoon Park
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea; (S.-Y.P.); (W.-Y.L.)
| | - Kang-Sub Kim
- College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea;
| | - Won-Yung Lee
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea; (S.-Y.P.); (W.-Y.L.)
| | - Chang-Eop Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea; (S.-Y.P.); (W.-Y.L.)
| | - Sullim Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Bio-Nano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
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Wu X, Li Z, Chen G, Yin Y, Chen CYC. Hybrid neural network approaches to predict drug-target binding affinity for drug repurposing: screening for potential leads for Alzheimer's disease. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1227371. [PMID: 37441162 PMCID: PMC10334190 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1227371] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects elderly individuals. Recent studies have found that sigma-1 receptor (S1R) agonists can maintain endoplasmic reticulum stress homeostasis, reduce neuronal apoptosis, and enhance mitochondrial function and autophagy, making S1R a target for AD therapy. Traditional experimental methods are costly and inefficient, and rapid and accurate prediction methods need to be developed, while drug repurposing provides new ways and options for AD treatment. In this paper, we propose HNNDTA, a hybrid neural network for drug-target affinity (DTA) prediction, to facilitate drug repurposing for AD treatment. The study combines protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, the HNNDTA model, and molecular docking to identify potential leads for AD. The HNNDTA model was constructed using 13 drug encoding networks and 9 target encoding networks with 2506 FDA-approved drugs as the candidate drug library for S1R and related proteins. Seven potential drugs were identified using network pharmacology and DTA prediction results of the HNNDTA model. Molecular docking simulations were further performed using the AutoDock Vina tool to screen haloperidol and bromperidol as lead compounds for AD treatment. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) evaluation results indicated that both compounds had good pharmacokinetic properties and were virtually non-toxic. The study proposes a new approach to computer-aided drug design that is faster and more economical, and can improve hit rates for new drug compounds. The results of this study provide new lead compounds for AD treatment, which may be effective due to their multi-target action. HNNDTA is freely available at https://github.com/lizhj39/HNNDTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xialin Wu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuojian Li
- Artificial Intelligence Medical Research Center, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guanxing Chen
- Artificial Intelligence Medical Research Center, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yiyang Yin
- Artificial Intelligence Medical Research Center, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Calvin Yu-Chian Chen
- Artificial Intelligence Medical Research Center, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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18
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Chen S, Li B, Chen L, Jiang H. Uncovering the mechanism of resveratrol in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation. J Transl Med 2023; 21:380. [PMID: 37308949 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04233-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has been the leading cause of chronic kidney disease in developed countries. Evidence of the benefits of resveratrol (RES) for the treatment of DKD is accumulating. However, comprehensive therapeutic targets and underlying mechanisms through which RES exerts its effects against DKD are limited. METHODS Drug targets of RES were obtained from Drugbank and SwissTargetPrediction Databases. Disease targets of DKD were obtained from DisGeNET, Genecards, and Therapeutic Target Database. Therapeutic targets for RES against DKD were identified by intersecting the drug targets and disease targets. GO functional enrichment analysis, KEGG pathway analysis, and disease association analysis were performed using the DAVID database and visualized by Cytoscape software. Molecular docking validation of the binding capacity between RES and targets was performed by UCSF Chimera software and SwissDock webserver. The high glucose (HG)-induced podocyte injury model, RT-qPCR, and western blot were used to verify the reliability of the effects of RES on target proteins. RESULTS After the intersection of the 86 drug targets and 566 disease targets, 25 therapeutic targets for RES against DKD were obtained. And the target proteins were classified into 6 functional categories. A total of 11 cellular components terms and 27 diseases, and the top 20 enriched biological processes, molecular functions, and KEGG pathways potentially involved in the RES action against DKD were recorded. Molecular docking studies showed that RES had a strong binding affinity toward PPARA, ESR1, SLC2A1, SHBG, AR, AKR1B1, PPARG, IGF1R, RELA, PIK3CA, MMP9, AKT1, INSR, MMP2, TTR, and CYP2C9 domains. The HG-induced podocyte injury model was successfully constructed and validated by RT-qPCR and western blot. RES treatment was able to reverse the abnormal gene expression of PPARA, SHBG, AKR1B1, PPARG, IGF1R, MMP9, AKT1, and INSR. CONCLUSIONS RES may target PPARA, SHBG, AKR1B1, PPARG, IGF1R, MMP9, AKT1, and INSR domains to act as a therapeutic agent for DKD. These findings comprehensively reveal the potential therapeutic targets for RES against DKD and provide theoretical bases for the clinical application of RES in the treatment of DKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Chen
- Department of Critical Care Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, West Yanta Road No.277, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Nephrology, Ningxia Medical University Affiliated People's Hospital of Autonomous Region of Ningxia, Yinchuan, 750002, Ningxia, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Critical Care Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, West Yanta Road No.277, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hongli Jiang
- Department of Critical Care Nephrology and Blood Purification, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, West Yanta Road No.277, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
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19
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Choi NR, Jung D, Kim SC, Park JW, Choi WG, Kim BJ. Analysis of Network Pharmacological Efficacy and Therapeutic Effectiveness in Animal Models for Functional Dyspepsia of Foeniculi fructus. Nutrients 2023; 15:2644. [PMID: 37375548 DOI: 10.3390/nu15122644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
For centuries, Foeniculi fructus (F. fructus) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine in China and Europe and is widely used as a natural therapy for digestive disorders, including indigestion, flatulence, and bloating. The mechanism of F. fructus that alleviates functional dyspepsia was analyzed through network pharmacology, and its therapeutic effect on an animal model of functional dyspepsia were investigated. The traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database was used to investigate the compounds, targets, and associated diseases of F. fructus. Information on the target genes was classified using the UniProtdatabase. Using the Cytoscape 3.9.1 software, a network was constructed, and the Cytoscape string application was employed to examine genes associated with functional dyspepsia. The efficacy of F. fructus on functional dyspepsia was confirmed by treatment with its extract in a mouse model of loperamide-induced functional dyspepsia. Seven compounds targeted twelve functional dyspepsia-associated genes. When compared to the control group, F. fructus exhibited significant suppression of symptoms in a mouse model of functional dyspepsia. The results of our animal studies indicated a close association between the mechanism of action of F. fructus and gastrointestinal motility. Based on animal experimental results, the results showed that F. fructus provided a potential means to treat functional dyspepsia, suggesting that its medical mechanism for functional dyspepsia could be described by the relationship between seven key compounds of F. fructus, including oleic acid, β-sitosterol, and 12 functional dyspepsia-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Ri Choi
- Department of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Daehwa Jung
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Daegu Hanny University, Gyeongsan 38610, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Chan Kim
- College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Gyeongsan 38610, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Woo Park
- Department of Gastroenterology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Clinical Korean Medicine, Graduate School of Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Gyun Choi
- Department of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Joo Kim
- Department of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
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20
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Bae SJ, Lee WY, Bak SB, Kim YE, Kim MJ, Kim YW. Unraveling the Antioxidant Capacity of Spatholobi caulis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Multiscale Network Approach Integrated with Experimental Validation. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12051097. [PMID: 37237962 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12051097] [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: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem that is closely associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Spatholobi caulis (SC) is a herbal medicine with potential hepatoprotective effects; however, its active compounds and underlying mechanisms have not been fully explored. In this study, we combined a multiscale network-level approach with experimental validation to investigate SC's antioxidant properties and their impact on NAFLD. Data collection and network construction were performed, and active compounds and key mechanisms were identified through multi-scale network analysis. Validation was conducted using in vitro steatotic hepatocyte models and in vivo high-fat diet-induced NAFLD models. Our findings revealed that SC treatment improved NAFLD by modulating multiple proteins and signaling pathways, including AMPK signaling pathways. Subsequent experiments showed that SC treatment reduced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress. We also validated SC's effects on AMPK and its crosstalk pathways, emphasizing their role in hepatoprotection. We predicted procyanidin B2 to be an active compound of SC and validated it using a lipogenesis in vitro model. Histological and biochemical analyses confirmed that SC ameliorated liver steatosis and inflammation in mice. This study presents SC's potential use in NAFLD treatment and introduces a novel approach for identifying and validating active compounds in herbal medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Jin Bae
- School of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeonju 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Yung Lee
- School of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeonju 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Been Bak
- School of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeonju 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Eun Kim
- School of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeonju 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jin Kim
- School of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeonju 38066, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Woo Kim
- School of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeonju 38066, Republic of Korea
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
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21
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Li X, Wang X, Wang K, Yang X, Liu X, Chen J, Li J, Wang J, Guo Q, Wang H. Black rice anthocyanin extract enhances the antioxidant capacity in PC12 cells and improves the lifespan by activating IIS pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 265:109533. [PMID: 36549628 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2022.109533] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Black rice is rich in anthocyanins, and the antioxidant effect of anthocyanins is recognized by consumers. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the antioxidant activity of black rice anthocyanin extract (BRAE) in PC12 cells and C. elegans. Results showed that BRAE increased antioxidant enzyme activities and decreased the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde in PC12 cells induced by H2O2. Meanwhile, BRAE extended the lifespan, enhanced resistance to stress, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduced lipofuscin, ROS, and MDA accumulation in wild-type C. elegans. The polyQ40 aggregation in AM141, paralysis in CL4176, and chemotaxis deficit in CL2355 were alleviated by BRAE administration. BRAE downregulated the mRNA expression of age-1 and daf-2, while upregulated the daf-16 mRNA level and SOD-3, CTL-1, and GST-4 protein expression. Mutational lifespan tests and molecular docking showed that insulin pathway might be involved in the mechanism of lifespan extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xinxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Kexin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xu Yang
- National Center of Inspection and Testing for Processed Food Quality, Tianjin Institute for Food Safety Inspection Technology, Tianjin 300308, China.
| | - Xiaozhi Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Epigenetics for Organ Department in Preterm Infants, the Fifth Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin 300450, China
| | - Jingnan Chen
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Jilite Wang
- Department of Agriculture, Hetao College, Inner Mongolia, Bayannur, China.
| | - Qingbin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), Tianjin 300457, China.
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), Tianjin 300457, China.
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22
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Chellathurai BJ, Anburose R, Alyami MH, Sellappan M, Bayan MF, Chandrasekaran B, Chidambaram K, Rahamathulla M. Development of a Polyherbal Topical Gel for the Treatment of Acne. Gels 2023; 9:gels9020163. [PMID: 36826332 PMCID: PMC9956052 DOI: 10.3390/gels9020163] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The present work aimed to formulate and evaluate a polyherbal gel using Aloe barbadensis and extract of Vigna radiata for the treatment of acne, a disorder of the skin in which hair follicles and sebaceous glands are blocked, causing inflammation and redness of the skin. Aloe barbadensis pulp was collected and mixed with the extract of Vigna radiata and formulated into a gel using Carbopol 940, triethanolamine, and propylene glycol as the gelling agent, viscosity modifier, and pH modifier, respectively. The gel was evaluated for its antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. Antimicrobial agents, such as gentamycin and fluconazole, were used as the standards. The developed formulation showed promising zone of inhibition. The gel was further evaluated for its physicochemical properties. The formulation showed a promising effect on acne together with the additive effect of Aloe barbadensis on skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedict Jose Chellathurai
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Karpagam College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore 641 032, Tamil Nadu, India
- Correspondence: or (B.J.C.); (M.H.A.)
| | - Ramyadevi Anburose
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Karpagam College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore 641 032, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mohammad H. Alyami
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Najran University, Najran 66462, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: or (B.J.C.); (M.H.A.)
| | - Mohan Sellappan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Karpagam College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore 641 032, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mohammad F. Bayan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Philadelphia University, P.O. Box 1, Amman 19392, Jordan
| | | | - Kumarappan Chidambaram
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Rahamathulla
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62421, Saudi Arabia
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23
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The Sesquiterpene Lactone-Rich Fraction of Inula helenium L. Enhances the Antitumor Effect of Anti-PD-1 Antibody in Colorectal Cancer: Integrative Phytochemical, Transcriptomic, and Experimental Analyses. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030653. [PMID: 36765611 PMCID: PMC9913754 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030653] [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: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment strategies combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with sesquiterpene lactones have attracted much attention as a promising approach for cancer treatment. We systemically analyzed gene expression profiles of cells in response to two major sesquiterpene lactones, alantolactone and isoalantolactone, and determined whether the sesquiterpene lactone-rich fraction of Inula helenium L. (SFIH) enhances the antitumor effect of anti-PD-1 antibody in MC38 colorectal cancer-bearing mice. Gene expression and pathway analysis using RNA sequencing data were used to identify the SFIH-driven combined activity with anti-PD-1 antibody. The results showed that SFIH significantly enhanced the antitumor effect of anti-PD-1 antibody by reducing tumor growth and increasing the survival time of mice. Specifically, SFIH exhibited antitumor activity when combined with anti-PD-1 antibody, and the effects were further enhanced compared with monotherapy. An analysis of immune cells indicated that combination treatment with SFIH and anti-PD-1 antibody significantly increased the proportion of CD8+ T cells. Moreover, combination treatment enhanced antitumor immunity by decreasing the population of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and increasing the number of M1-like macrophages. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that combination therapy activated immune-related pathways to a greater extent than monotherapy. In conclusion, our integrative analysis demonstrates that SFIH enhances the response of murine tumors to anti-PD-1 antibody. These findings provide insight into developing integrative therapeutics and molecular data for the use of natural products as an adjunct treatment for colorectal cancer.
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Jang D, Lee MJ, Kim KS, Kim CE, Jung JH, Cho M, Hong BH, Park SJ, Kang KS. Network Pharmacological Analysis on the Herbal Combinations for Mitigating Inflammation in Respiratory Tracts and Experimental Evaluation. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11010143. [PMID: 36611603 PMCID: PMC9819683 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11010143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulation of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and leukotriene B4, could play a crucial role in suppressing inflammatory diseases such as COVID-19. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms of drug combinations comprising Ephedrae Herba, Schisandra Fructus, Platycodonis Radix, and Ginseng Radix; validated the anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs; and determined the optimal dose of the drug combinations. By constructing a herb-compound-target network, associations were identified between the herbs and tissues (such as bronchial epithelial cells and lung) and pathways (such as the TNF, NF-κB, and calcium signaling pathways). The drug combinations exerted anti-inflammatory effects in the RAW264.7 cell line treated with lipopolysaccharide by inhibiting the production of nitric oxide and inflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and leukotriene B4. Notably, the drug combinations inhibited PMA-induced MUC5AC mRNA expression in NCI-H292 cells. A design space analysis was carried out to determine the optimal herbal medicine combinations using the design of experiments and synergy score calculation. Consequently, a combination study of the herbal preparations confirmed their mitigating effect on inflammation in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyeop Jang
- College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Myong Jin Lee
- College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang Sub Kim
- College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Eop Kim
- College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Ho Jung
- Chong Kun Dang (CKD) Pharm Research Institute, Yongin 16995, Republic of Korea
| | - Minkwan Cho
- Chong Kun Dang (CKD) Pharm Research Institute, Yongin 16995, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo-Hee Hong
- Chong Kun Dang (CKD) Pharm Research Institute, Yongin 16995, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin Jung Park
- Chong Kun Dang (CKD) Pharm Research Institute, Yongin 16995, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (S.J.P.); (K.S.K.); Tel.: +82-32-749-4514 (S.J.P.); +82-31-750-5402 (K.S.K.)
| | - Ki Sung Kang
- College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (S.J.P.); (K.S.K.); Tel.: +82-32-749-4514 (S.J.P.); +82-31-750-5402 (K.S.K.)
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25
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Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Elucidate the Mechanism of Yiqi Yangyin Decoction in Suppressing Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 2023:4967544. [PMID: 36874921 PMCID: PMC9980286 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4967544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Yiqi Yangyin Decoction (YYD) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation to treat lung cancer in clinic. Nevertheless, the active ingredients, key targets, and molecular mechanisms for YYD are still poorly understood. This study is focused on elucidating the pharmacological mechanism of YYD in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by using a combined network pharmacology approach and biological experiment validation. Online bioinformatics tools showed that 40 bioactive compounds and 229 putative targets of YYD were associated with anti-NSCLC activity. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network demonstrated AKT1, SRC, JUN, TP53, and EGFR as the top five key targets for YYD against NSCLC. Through enrichment analysis, YYD was found to affect cell proliferation and apoptosis in NSCLC possibly by PI3K-AKT signaling. Molecular docking confirmed a strong binding between the main compounds (quercetin or luteolin) and EGFR. As demonstrated by CCK-8, EdU, and colony formation assays, we found a significant inhibition of YYD on cell proliferation. Moreover, YYD treatment induced cell cycle arrest by affecting p53, p21, and cyclin D1 expression. YYD administration enhanced apoptosis by changing the expression of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2. Mechanistically, YYD resulted in a significant inactivation of EGFR-PI3K-AKT signaling. Furthermore, EGFR activator significantly reversed YYD-mediated proliferation inhibition and apoptosis. YYD also showed an inhibitory effect on tumor growth in mice. Together, YYD might target the EGFR-PI3K-AKT pathway to repress NSCLC progression.
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26
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Yang P, Lang J, Li H, Lu J, Lin H, Tian G, Bai H, Yang J, Ning K. TCM-Suite: A comprehensive and holistic platform for Traditional Chinese Medicine component identification and network pharmacology analysis. IMETA 2022; 1:e47. [PMID: 38867910 PMCID: PMC10989960 DOI: 10.1002/imt2.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
DNA-based biological ingredient identification and downstream pharmacology network analysis are commonly used in research for Traditional Chinese Medicine preparations (TCM formulas). Advancements in bioinformatics tools and the accumulation of related data have become driving forces for progress in this field. However, a lack of a platform integrating biological ingredient identification and downstream pharmacology network analysis hinders the deep understanding of TCM. In this study, we developed the TCM-Suite platform composed of two sub-databases, Holmes-Suite and Watson-Suite, for TCM biological ingredient identification and network pharmacology investigation, respectively, both are among the most complete: In the Holmes-Suite, we collected and processed six types of marker gene sequences, accounting for 1,251,548 marker gene sequences. In the Watson-Suite, we curated and integrated a massive number of entries from more than 10 public databases. Importantly, we developed a comprehensive pipeline to integrate TCM biological ingredient identification and downstream network pharmacology research, allowing users to simultaneously identify components of a TCM formula and analyze its potential pharmacology mechanism. Furthermore, we designed search engines and a user-friendly platform to better search and visualize these rich resources. TCM-Suite is a comprehensive and holistic platform for TCM-based drug discovery and repurposing. TCM-Suite website: http://TCM-Suite.AImicrobiome.cn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengshuo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular‐imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems BiologyCollege of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Jidong Lang
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd.BeijingChina
- Department of sciencesQingdao Genesis Institute of Big Data Mining and PrecisionQingdaoShandongChina
- Academician WorkstationChangsha Medical UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Hongjun Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular‐imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems BiologyCollege of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Jinxiang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular‐imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems BiologyCollege of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Hanyang Lin
- Sequenxe Biological Technology Co., Ltd.XiamenChina
| | - Geng Tian
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd.BeijingChina
- Department of sciencesQingdao Genesis Institute of Big Data Mining and PrecisionQingdaoShandongChina
| | - Hong Bai
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular‐imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems BiologyCollege of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Jialiang Yang
- Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd.BeijingChina
- Department of sciencesQingdao Genesis Institute of Big Data Mining and PrecisionQingdaoShandongChina
- Academician WorkstationChangsha Medical UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Kang Ning
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular‐imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems BiologyCollege of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
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27
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Yu D, Shao Z, Fu Y, Tang X, Chen Q, Deng Z. Metabolomics- and systems toxicology-based hepatotoxicity mechanism of Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma in rats. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1015008. [DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1015008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a major challenge to the development and clinical application of drugs, especially limits the global application of Chinese herbal medicines, because the material basis and mechanisms of some Chinese herbal medicines are not well clear. In this study, a comprehensive method integrating metabolomics and systems toxicology (SysT) was used to investigate how the main substances in Sophorae TonkinensisRadix et Rhizoma (STRER) influence the metabolic pathways and molecular mechanisms of hepatotoxicity. Through a 28-day continuous oral administration toxicity study combined with serum metabolomics analyses, the aqueous, ethanol-precipitation and dichloromethane extracts of STRER exhibited significant hepatotoxic effects. In addition, 19 differential metabolites with a time-dose-effect relationship were identified in rats. The primary bile acid biosynthesis pathway was significantly altered, which was consistent with the findings of the SysT analysis. Furthermore, through the quantification of bile acids in serum, 16 differential bile acids were identified as being significantly changed; moreover, 21 relevant targets which intersected with the hepatotoxic targets of STRER were identified. Molecular docking was used to confirm the validation of bindings between targets and corresponding compounds, and finally, six important compounds and 14 potential targets were identified to be involved in STRER-induced liver injury in relation to bile acid metabolism.
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Tian S, Wei Y, Hu H, Zhao H. Mixed computational-experimental study to reveal the anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis effects of Astragalin in human breast cancer. Comput Biol Med 2022; 150:106131. [PMID: 36195046 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most aggressive malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. Astragalin, a flavonoid widely found in a variety of edible and medicinal plants, is recorded to possess multiple biological and pharmacological activities. However, its effect of anti-breast cancer has been unknown. METHODS Computational pharmacology was employed to explore the potential mechanism of anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis effects of Astragalin on breast cancer. The targets of Astragalin were obtained from TCMSP, Swiss Target Prediction, SEA, BATMAN-TCM, ChemMapper and STITCH databases, and targets of breast cancer were got from OMIM, GeneCards, and DisGeNET databases. Protein-protein interaction network (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to elucidate the interactions of these two groups of targets. Moreover, the anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis effects of Astragalin were validated by in vitro and in vivo experiments using wound healing assay, transwell migration and invasion assay, gelatin zymography assay, tube formation assay, and chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane model. RESULTS Computational pharmacology analysis indicated that the effects of Astragalin against breast cancer were mainly related to the regulation of the cell movement, migration, and angiogenesis, and taking AKT, ZEB1, VEGF, and MMP9 as the promising targets. Further experimental pharmacology indicated that Astragalin exerted anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis activities on breast cancer, and verified AKT, ZEB1, VEGF, and MMP9 as the key targets. CONCLUSION Astragalin suppresses the metastasis and angiogenesis of breast cancer, and AKT, ZEB1, VEGF, and MMP9 are the promising targets for Astragalin against breast cancer. Thus, Astragalin is a potential therapeutic agent for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Tian
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yingying Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongtao Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huajun Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Wang YX, Yang Z, Wang WX, Huang YX, Zhang Q, Li JJ, Tang YP, Yue SJ. Methodology of network pharmacology for research on Chinese herbal medicine against COVID-19: A review. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 20:477-487. [PMID: 36182651 PMCID: PMC9508683 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine, as a complementary and alternative medicine, has been practiced for thousands of years in China and possesses remarkable clinical efficacy. Thus, systematic analysis and examination of the mechanistic links between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and the complex human body can benefit contemporary understandings by carrying out qualitative and quantitative analysis. With increasing attention, the approach of network pharmacology has begun to unveil the mystery of CHM by constructing the heterogeneous network relationship of "herb-compound-target-pathway," which corresponds to the holistic mechanisms of CHM. By integrating computational techniques into network pharmacology, the efficiency and accuracy of active compound screening and target fishing have been improved at an unprecedented pace. This review dissects the core innovations to the network pharmacology approach that were developed in the years since 2015 and highlights how this tool has been applied to understanding the coronavirus disease 2019 and refining the clinical use of CHM to combat it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-xuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China,Department of Scientific Research, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an 710068, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Zhen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Wen-xiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yu-xi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Qiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jia-jia Li
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yu-ping Tang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Shi-jun Yue
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for TCM Compatibility, State Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Characteristic Qin Medicine Resources (Cultivation), and Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi Province, China,Corresponding author
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Musa HH, Musa TH, Oderinde O, Musa IH, Shonekan OO, Akintunde TY, Onasanya AK. Traditional herbal medicine: overview of research indexed in the scopus database. ADVANCES IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE 2022. [PMCID: PMC9616399 DOI: 10.1007/s13596-022-00670-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Traditional herbal medicine has been playing an essential role in primary health care globally. The aim of this work is to present an overview of traditional herbal medicine research productivity over the past years. The data was accessed from the Scopus database (www.scopus.com), while VOSviewer.Var1.6.6, Bibliometrix, and R studio were used for further analysis of the obtained data. The results showed that researches on traditional herbal medicine increased annually after 1990, followed by a corresponding increase in global citations during the period, with a total of 22,071 authors contributing to all the publications. Yiling Wang of Shanghai Institute of Drug Control, Shanghai, China was the most productive author (TNP = 303), while Journal of “Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine”, and “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” were the top ranked journals, respectively. Also, China, Japan, and India were found to be the top Corresponding Author's Countries for researches on traditional herbal medicine, as Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and China Medical University were top affiliations. Moreover, National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, and Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan were top funding agencies, with more than 100 documents. The bibliometric research study has revealed an annual increasing trend in traditional herbal medicine, while also revealing that the topmost ranked authors and funding agencies were from Asia especially China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Hussein Musa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
- Biomedical Research Institute, Darfur University College, Nyala, Sudan
| | - Taha Hussein Musa
- Biomedical Research Institute, Darfur University College, Nyala, Sudan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 China
| | - Olayinka Oderinde
- Department of Chemical Sciences (Chemistry Unit), Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Tosin Yinka Akintunde
- Department of Sociology, School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
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The Molecular Mechanisms of Panax ginseng in Treating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Network Pharmacology Analysis and Molecular Docking Validation. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:3082109. [PMID: 36159557 PMCID: PMC9507733 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3082109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder with a high global incidence. Panax ginseng has been used to treat T2DM in traditional medicine, with previous in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trial studies demonstrating its efficacy. This study aimed to determine the mechanism of P. ginseng in treating T2DM by network pharmacology. Methods The bioactive compounds of P. ginseng and corresponding targets of P. ginseng-T2DM were retrieved across multiple databases. The protein-protein interaction network was established using the STRING database and topological analysis helped identify the core target. Using the DAVID tool, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Finally, we checked the binding of core targets and bioactive compounds using molecular docking. Results The P. ginseng-T2DM networks mainly contained 22 bioactive compounds and 314 overlapping targets. The five most significant core targets were SRC, STAT3, MAPK1, AKT1, and PIK3R1. There were 244 GO terms and 95 KEGG pathways (adjusted p < 0.01) that were strongly correlated with diabetes-related signaling pathways, such as insulin resistance, the HIF-1 signaling pathway, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, the prolactin signaling pathway, the Rap1 signaling pathway, the Ras signaling pathway, the calcium signaling pathway, and the FoxO signaling pathway. Molecular docking results revealed that the top five core targets had a high binding affinity with the bioactive compounds of P. ginseng. Conclusion The bioactive compounds and targets in P. ginseng ameliorate T2DM by regulating insulin resistance and multiple signaling pathways.
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Investigation of Anti-Liver Cancer Activity of the Herbal Drug FDY003 Using Network Pharmacology. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:5765233. [PMID: 36118098 PMCID: PMC9481369 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5765233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Globally, liver cancer (LC) is the sixth-most frequently occurring and the second-most fatal malignancy, responsible for 0.83 million deaths annually. Although the application of herbal drugs in cancer therapies has increased, their anti-LC activity and relevant mechanisms have not been fully studied from a systems perspective. To address these issues, we conducted a system-perspective network pharmacological investigation into the activity and mechanisms underlying the action of the herbal drug. FDY003 reduced the viability of human LC treatment. FDY003 reduced the viability of human LC cells and elevated their chemosensitivity. There were a total of 16 potential bioactive chemical components in FDY003 and they had 91 corresponding targets responsible for the pathological processes in LC. These FDY003 targets were functionally involved in regulating the survival, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of LC cells. Additionally, we found that FDY003 may target key signaling cascades connected to diverse LC pathological mechanisms, namely, PI3K-Akt, focal adhesion, IL-17, FoxO, MAPK, and TNF pathways. Overall, this study contributed to integrative mechanistic insights into the anti-LC potential of FDY003.
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Lee HS, Lee IH, Park SI, Jung M, Yang SG, Kwon TW, Lee DY. Unveiling the Mechanism of the Traditional Korean Medicinal Formula FDY003 on Glioblastoma Through a Computational Network Pharmacology Approach. Nat Prod Commun 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x221126311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common type of primary malignant tumor that develops in the brain, with 0.21 million new cases per year globally and a median survival period of less than 2 years after diagnosis. Traditional Korean medicines have been increasingly suggested as effective and safe therapeutic strategies for GBM. However, their pharmacological effects and mechanistic characteristics remain to be studied. In this study, we employed a computational network pharmacological approach to determine the effects and mechanisms of the traditional Korean medicinal formula FDY003 on GBM. We found that FDY003 treatment decreased the viability of human GBM cells and increased their response to chemotherapeutics. We identified 10 potential active pharmacological compounds of FDY003 and 67 potential GBM-related target genes and proteins. The GBM-related targets of FDY003 were signaling components of various crucial GBM-associated pathways, such as PI3K-Akt, focal adhesion, MAPK, HIF-1, FoxO, Ras, and TNF. These pathways are functional regulators for the determination of cell growth and proliferation, survival and death, and cell division cycle of GBM cells. Together, the overall analyses contribute to the pharmacological basis for the anti-GBM roles of FDY003 and its systematic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Sung Lee
- The Fore, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Forest Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Hee Lee
- The Fore, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Forest Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Minho Jung
- Forest Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | - Dae-Yeon Lee
- The Fore, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Forest Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis Explores the Mechanisms of Cordyceps sinensis in the Treatment of Oral Lichen Planus. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:3156785. [PMID: 36072973 PMCID: PMC9444403 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3156785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Objective Oral lichen planus (OLP) is the most common potentially malignant disorder of the oral cavity. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of Cordyceps sinensis in the treatment of OLP and provides a theoretical support for improving current treatment regimens for OLP. Methods The active components and therapeutic targets of Cordyceps sinensis were predicted and screened using the TCMSP, SymMap, PubMed, HIT 2.0, and PharmMapper databases, while the relevant OLP targets were predicted and screened using the DisGeNET and GeneCards databases. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) were examined using the String database, and Cytoscape was used to combine and illustrate the findings. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were carried out using RStudio, and AutoDock Vina and Pymol were used for molecular docking and visualization, respectively. Results A total of 404 potential target genes were discovered after evaluating 21 active compounds from Cordyceps sinensis. Potential therapeutic targets included 67 targets that matched and overlapped with OLP, including TNF, IL-6, CD4, EGFR, and IL1B. Key targets were predominantly engaged in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the MAPK signaling pathway, according to the GO and KEGG analyses. These targets have a connection to biological processes including apoptosis signaling pathway regulation, T cell activation, and oxidative stress response. The molecular docking results showed that TNF, IL-6, CD4, EGFR, and IL1B could bind to their corresponding active components. Conclusions Cordyceps sinensis contains multiple components and acts on multiple targets and multiple pathways. Particularly, Cordyceps sinensis targets TNF, IL-6, CD4, EGFR, and IL1B, regulates PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, as well as takes part in biological processes including apoptosis, T cell activation, and oxidative stress. Cordyceps sinensis could be a crucial choice in the therapy of OLP.
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Systems Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Reveals the Mechanisms of Nux Vomica for the Prevention of Myasthenia Gravis. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:9043822. [PMID: 35795289 PMCID: PMC9251099 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9043822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune disease with clinical symptoms of fluctuating muscle weakness. Due to the side effects of current therapies, there is an urgent need for a new medication for MG treatment. Nux vomica is a traditional Chinese medicine used in various diseases. However, the mechanism of action of Nux vomica against MG remains unclear. Methods Network pharmacology was used to explore the underlying mechanisms of Nux vomica in MG treatment, which was validated using molecular docking and in vivo experiments in mice. Results Twelve bioactive compounds and 72 targets in Nux vomica were screened. Seventy-nine myasthenia-related targets were obtained from the GENECARD and DisGeNET databases. PPI networks of Nux vomica- and myasthenia-related targets were constructed using Bisogenet, and these two networks were subsequently merged into an intersection to establish a core-target PPI network that consisted of 204 nodes and 4,668 edges. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that 132 pathways were enriched in 204 core targets. In addition, we obtained 50 docking pairs via molecular docking. In vivo experiments revealed that Nux vomica can improve the symptoms of MG. Conclusion Nux vomica is involved in the pathogenesis of MG through the “multicomponent-target-pathway” mechanism.
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Modern research thoughts and methods on bio-active components of TCM formulae. Chin J Nat Med 2022; 20:481-493. [DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(22)60206-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Wang T, Zhou Y, Wang K, Jiang X, Wang J, Chen J. Prediction and validation of potential molecular targets for the combination of Astragalus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis in the treatment of atherosclerosis based on network pharmacology. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e29762. [PMID: 35776988 PMCID: PMC9239660 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000029762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the 20th century, mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases has increased, posing a substantial economic burden on society. Atherosclerosis is a common cardiovascular disease that requires urgent and careful attention. This study was conducted to predict and validate the potential molecular targets and pathways of Astragalus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis (A&A) in the treatment of atherosclerosis using network pharmacology. The active ingredients of A&A were obtained using the TCMSP database, while the target genes of atherosclerosis were acquired using 2 databases, namely GeneCards and DrugBank. The disease-target-component model map and the core network were obtained using Cytoscape 3.8.2 and MCODE plug-in, respectively. The core network was then imported into the STRING database to obtain the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network diagram. Moreover, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed using the HIPLOT online website. Finally, the small molecules related to key signaling pathways were molecularly docked and visualized. Under the screening conditions of oral bioavailability ≥ 30% and drug-likeness ≥ 0.18, 22 active ingredients were identified from A&A, and 174 relevant targets were obtained. Additionally, 54 active ingredients were found in the extracted core network. Interleukin (IL)-17 signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, and Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway were selected as the main subjects through KEGG enrichment analysis. Core targets (RELA, IKBKB, CHUK, and MMP3) and active ingredients (kaempferol, quercetin, and isorhamnetin) were selected and validated using molecular docking. This study identified multiple molecular targets and pathways for A&A in the treatment of atherosclerosis. A&A has the potential to treat atherosclerosis through an antiinflammatory approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyue Wang
- The 2nd Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Kaina Wang
- The 1st Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Jiang
- The 1st Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingbo Wang
- Library, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of life science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Chen, School of life science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548, Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou City 310053, Zhejiang Province, China (e-mail: )
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Network pharmacology approach and molecular docking to explore the potential mechanism of Wu-Wei-Wen-Tong Chubi capsules in rheumatoid arthritis. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2022; 395:1061-1073. [PMID: 35670824 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-022-02260-0] [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: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Network pharmacology, a holistic approach based on the theory of biological network technology, integrates information from biological systems, drugs, and diseases. Here, this theory was used to predict the targets of Wu-Wei-Wen-Tong Chubi capsule (WWWT) to explore the mechanism in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The ingredients of each herbal medicine in WWWT were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and the active ingredients were screened through bioavailability (OB) ≥30% and drug-likeness (DL) ≥ 0.18. SwissTargetPrection and TCMSP were utilized to calculate and predict the targets of active ingredients. RA-related targets were obtained by searching the Genecards and OMIM databases. The common targets of RA and WWWT were used for gene ontology (GO), KEGG pathway enrichment, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, and molecular docking. And then, four key genes were screened for subsequent verification experiments. In total, 90 active compounds and 330 potential targets of WWWT, 1310 targets of RA, and 135 intersection targets were found. Additionally, GO and pathway analysis identified 4610 significant GO terms and 147 significant KEGG pathways. Based on the PPI network, 11 key genes including IL-6, MMP-9, and TNF-α were screened out for molecular docking. Molecular docking showed that these key genes have good binding activities to active compounds of WWWT such as oroxylin a, kaempferol, and luteolin. Simultaneously, Western blot experimental validation demonstrated that the protein expressions of IL-6, MMP-9, TNF-α, and VEGFA significantly decreased after WWWT treatment. The mechanism of WWWT in treating RA involves multiple active compounds acting on multiple targets, and multiple pathways, which provides an important reference for further elucidation the mechanism and clinical applications of WWWT in the treatment of RA.
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Jang D, Lee E, Lee S, Kwon Y, Kang KS, Kim CE, Kim D. System-level investigation of anti-obesity effects and the potential pathways of Cordyceps militaris in ovariectomized rats. BMC Complement Med Ther 2022; 22:132. [PMID: 35550138 PMCID: PMC9102749 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-022-03608-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cordyceps species have been used as tonics to enhance energy, stamina, and libido in traditional Asian medicine for more than 1600 years, indicating their potential for improving reproductive hormone disorders and energy metabolic diseases. Among Cordyceps, Cordyceps militaris has been reported to prevent metabolic syndromes including obesity and benefit the reproductive hormone system, suggesting that Cordyceps militaris can also regulate obesity induced by the menopause. We investigated the effectiveness of Cordyceps militaris extraction (CME) on menopausal obesity and its mechanisms. METHODS We applied an approach combining in vivo, in vitro, and in silico methods. Ovariectomized rats were administrated CME, and their body weight, area of adipocytes, liver and uterus weight, and lipid levels were measured. Next, after the exposure of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells to CME, cell proliferation and the phosphorylation of estrogen receptor and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) were measured. Finally, network pharmacological methods were applied to predict the anti-obesity mechanisms of CME. RESULTS CME prevented overweight, fat accumulation, liver hypertrophy, and lowered triglyceride levels, some of which were improved in a dose-dependent manner. In MCF-7 cell lines, CME showed not only estrogen receptor agonistic activity through an increase in cell proliferation and the phosphorylation of estrogen receptors, but also phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase and p38. In the network pharmacological analysis, bioactive compounds of CME such as cordycepin, adenine, and guanosine were predicted to interact with non-overlapping genes. The targeted genes were related to the insulin signaling pathway, insulin resistance, the MARK signaling pathway, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and the estrogen signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that CME has anti-obesity effects in menopause and estrogenic agonistic activity. Compounds in CME have the potential to regulate obesity-related and menopause-related pathways. This study will contribute to developing the understanding of anti-obesity effects and mechanisms of Cordyceps militaris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyeop Jang
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Korea
| | - Eunjoo Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Bio-Nano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Korea
| | - Sullim Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Bio-Nano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Korea
| | - Yongsam Kwon
- Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co., LTD, Yongin, 17073, Korea
| | - Ki Sung Kang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Korea
| | - Chang-Eop Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Korea.
| | - Daeyoung Kim
- Department of Life Science, College of Bio-Nano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Korea.
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Noor F, Tahir ul Qamar M, Ashfaq UA, Albutti A, Alwashmi ASS, Aljasir MA. Network Pharmacology Approach for Medicinal Plants: Review and Assessment. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:572. [PMID: 35631398 PMCID: PMC9143318 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products have played a critical role in medicine due to their ability to bind and modulate cellular targets involved in disease. Medicinal plants hold a variety of bioactive scaffolds for the treatment of multiple disorders. The less adverse effects, affordability, and easy accessibility highlight their potential in traditional remedies. Identifying pharmacological targets from active ingredients of medicinal plants has become a hot topic for biomedical research to generate innovative therapies. By developing an unprecedented opportunity for the systematic investigation of traditional medicines, network pharmacology is evolving as a systematic paradigm and becoming a frontier research field of drug discovery and development. The advancement of network pharmacology has opened up new avenues for understanding the complex bioactive components found in various medicinal plants. This study is attributed to a comprehensive summary of network pharmacology based on current research, highlighting various active ingredients, related techniques/tools/databases, and drug discovery and development applications. Moreover, this study would serve as a protocol for discovering novel compounds to explore the full range of biological potential of traditionally used plants. We have attempted to cover this vast topic in the review form. We hope it will serve as a significant pioneer for researchers working with medicinal plants by employing network pharmacology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Noor
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Aqel Albutti
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ameen S. S. Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia; (A.S.S.A.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Mohammad Abdullah Aljasir
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia; (A.S.S.A.); (M.A.A.)
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Mechanism of Fructus Mume Pills Underlying Their Protective Effects in Rats with Acetic Acid-Inducedulcerative Colitis via the Regulation of Inflammatory Cytokines and the VEGF-PI3K/Akt-eNOS Signaling Pathway. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:4621131. [PMID: 35620404 PMCID: PMC9129976 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4621131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Fructus mume pills (FMPs) have been clinically proven to be effective for treating ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the therapeutic and protective mechanisms have not been fully studied. Aim We aimed to explore the mechanism of FMPs in an acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis rat model. Methods The targets, GO terms, and KEGG pathways for the FMPs and UC were screened and constructed using network pharmacology. A possible mechanism was verified in a 4% AA-induced colitis rat model. Colitis activity and state were evaluated using the disease activity index, and colon ulceration and intestinal mucosal damage were determined by histopathological observation through HE, AB-PAS, and Masson pathological staining. The concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MPO, MMP9, CXCR1, eNOS, and VEGF were measured to evaluate vascular permeability effects. Results The network pharmacology results showed 108 active compounds, and 139 FMP-related targets were identified. Twenty-nine targets were identified for FMPs against UC, which included MMP9, MMP3, ESR1, PTGS1, PPARA, MPO, and NOS2. A total of 1,536 GO terms and 41 pathways were associated with FMP treatment of UC. The pharmacological evaluation showed that FMPs attenuated inflammation in AA-induced colitis by reducing the serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 and the colonic concentrations of MPO, MMP9, and CXCR1. FMPs ameliorated hyperpermeability by reducing the colonic VEGF and eNOS concentrations. FMPs also significantly decreased the VEGFA, VEGFR2, Src, and eNOS protein expressions in colon tissue through the VEGF-PI3K/Akt-eNOS signaling pathway. Conclusion These results suggest that FMPs control UC inflammation by regulating inflammatory cytokine concentrations. FMPs alleviate AA-induced UC by regulating microvascular permeability through the VEGF-PI3K/Akt-eNOS signaling pathway.
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Qin C, Wu M, Wang X, Zhang W, Qi G, Wu NY, Liu X, Lu Y, Zhang J, Chai Y. Study on the mechanism of Danshen-Guizhi drug pair in the treatment of ovarian cancer based on network pharmacology and in vitro experiment. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13148. [PMID: 35411258 PMCID: PMC8994495 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Our study aims to explore the active components and mechanisms of the Danshen-Guizhi drug pair in treating ovarian cancer by network pharmacology and in vitro experiment. The "component-target-pathway" diagram of the Danshen-Guizhi drug pair was established by network pharmacology, and the effective active components, important targets as well as potential mechanisms of the Danshen-Guizhi drug pair were analyzed. The predicted results were verified by molecular docking and in vitro experiments. The main active components of the Danshen-Guizhi drug pair in the treatment of ovarian cancer are salviolone, luteolin, β-sitosterol and tanshinone IIA. The main core target is PTGS2. The pathways involved mainly include the cancer pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway. The molecular docking results showed that salviolone and tanshinone IIA had good binding ability to the target. The expression of PTGS2 mRNA and PGE2 in ovarian cells were significantly inhibited by salviolone. The mechanism of the Danshen-Guizhi drug pair in the treatment of ovarian cancer may be regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis and tumor immunity. This provides a theoretical basis for the clinical development and application of the Danshen-Guizhi drug pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongzhen Qin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Menglin Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xinru Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenda Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guangzhao Qi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Na-Yi Wu
- Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoting Liu
- The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Yaoyao Lu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jingmin Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuna Chai
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Xu A, Wen ZH, Su SX, Chen YP, Liu WC, Guo SQ, Li XF, Zhang X, Li R, Xu NB, Wang KX, Li WX, Guan DG, Duan CZ. Elucidating the Synergistic Effect of Multiple Chinese Herbal Prescriptions in the Treatment of Post-stroke Neurological Damage. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:784242. [PMID: 35355727 PMCID: PMC8959705 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.784242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used in the treatment of human diseases. However, the synergistic effects of multiple TCM prescriptions in the treatment of stroke have not been thoroughly studied. Objective of the study: This study aimed to reveal the mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects of these TCM prescriptions in stroke treatment and identify the active compounds. Methods: Herbs and compounds in the Di-Tan Decoction (DTD), Xue-Fu Zhu-Yu Decoction (XFZYD), and Xiao-Xu-Ming Decoction (XXMD) were acquired from the TCMSP database. SEA, HitPick, and TargetNet web servers were used for target prediction. The compound-target (C-T) networks of three prescriptions were constructed and then filtered using the collaborative filtering algorithm. We combined KEGG enrichment analysis, molecular docking, and network analysis approaches to identify active compounds, followed by verification of these compounds with an oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) model. Results: The filtered DTD network contained 39 compounds and 534 targets, the filtered XFZYD network contained 40 compounds and 508 targets, and the filtered XXMD network contained 55 compounds and 599 targets. The filtered C-T networks retained approximately 80% of the biological functions of the original networks. Based on the enriched pathways, molecular docking, and network analysis results, we constructed a complex network containing 3 prescriptions, 14 botanical drugs, 26 compounds, 13 targets, and 5 pathways. By calculating the synergy score, we identified the top 5 candidate compounds. The experimental results showed that quercetin, baicalin, and ginsenoside Rg1 independently and synergistically increased cell viability. Conclusion: By integrating pharmacological and chemoinformatic approaches, our study provides a new method for identifying the effective synergistic compounds of TCM prescriptions. The filtered compounds and their synergistic effects on stroke require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo-Hua Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Xing Su
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Peng Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Chao Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shen-Quan Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi-Feng Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ran Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ning-Bo Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke-Xin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Xing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dao-Gang Guan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuan-Zhi Duan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, National Key Clinical Specialty/Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Neurosurgery Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Xu D, Wang X, Huang D, Chen B, Lin X, Liu A, Huang J. Disclosing targets and pharmacological mechanisms of total bioflavonoids extracted from Selaginella doederleinii against non-small cell lung cancer by combination of network pharmacology and proteomics. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 286:114836. [PMID: 34793885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Previously, the total bioflavonoids extract from Selaginella doederleinii (SDTBE) presented favorable in vitro and in vivo activities against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), hinting at its medicinal potential. However, up to nowadays, targets and integrative action mechanisms of SDTBE are still not very clear, which presents an obstacle to the development of herbal medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY The present study aimed to disclose the potential targets and integrative action mechanism of SDTBE against NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS A system pharmacology-based strategy including target fishing, network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking were applied to predict the potential targets and pathways for the seven main active ingredients in SDTBE. A proteomics study was subsequently performed for validating the affected pathways and possible targets. Western blot assay, mouse xenograft tumor model and immunofluorescence assays were used to further confirm the key targets and integrative action mechanisms of SDTBE against NSCLC. RESULTS By system pharmacology, it was inferred that SDTBE could mainly act on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways by targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), protein kinase B (AKT) and mitogen-activated or extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (MEK), which was validated by proteomics results, and further confirmed in vitro and in vivo by Western blot and immunofluorescence assays. CONCLUSION SDTBE targeting multi-targets including EGFR, AKT and MEK could exert its anti-NSCLC effect mainly via MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafen Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Nano Medical Technology Research Institute, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Higher Educational Key Laboratory for NanoBiomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xuewen Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Nano Medical Technology Research Institute, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Higher Educational Key Laboratory for NanoBiomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Dandan Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Nano Medical Technology Research Institute, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Higher Educational Key Laboratory for NanoBiomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Nano Medical Technology Research Institute, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Higher Educational Key Laboratory for NanoBiomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xinhua Lin
- Department of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China.
| | - Ailin Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Nano Medical Technology Research Institute, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Higher Educational Key Laboratory for NanoBiomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
| | - Jianyong Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Nano Medical Technology Research Institute, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Higher Educational Key Laboratory for NanoBiomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
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Wang S, Huang Z, Lei Y, Han X, Tian D, Gong J, Liu M. Celastrol Alleviates Autoimmune Hepatitis Through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway Based on Network Pharmacology and Experiments. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:816350. [PMID: 35359864 PMCID: PMC8960436 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.816350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: This work aims to explore the potential targets and underlying therapeutic mechanisms of celastrol in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) through network pharmacology and experiments on Laboratory Animals. Methods: A drug-target interaction network was constructed to predict the possible targets of celastrol and their potential relationship with the drug; docking studies were also performed for validation. This study used both acute and chronic rodent models of autoimmune hepatitis. Gross appearance of liver and spleen were obtained from murine models, hematoxylin-eosin staining and Sirius red staining were performed to examine hepatic inflammation and fibrosis respectively. By combining molecular docking and enrichment analysis results, the most prominent signaling pathway was selected and further confirmed by Western blot in AIH models administered with celastrol. Results: In total, 82 common targets of celastrol and AIH were obtained from databases, identified by network pharmacology, and adequately enriched. Among them, PIK3R1, SRC, MAPK1, AKT1, and HRAS were selected as the top 5 closely related targets to celastrol. They all performed effectively in molecular docking, with AKT1 and PIK3R1 exhibiting more-prominent binding energy. Subsequently, celastrol administration significantly ameliorated hepatitis and liver fibrosis by reducing AKT1 and PI3K phosphorylation in both acute liver injury and chronic models of autoimmune hepatitis. Conclusion: In summary, celastrol significantly attenuates autoimmune hepatitis by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, confirmed by validated animal models. These findings may help identify the mechanism involved in the anti-inflammatory action of celastrol in autoimmune hepatitis and provide ideas for future comprehensive studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jin Gong
- *Correspondence: Jin Gong, ; Mei Liu,
| | - Mei Liu
- *Correspondence: Jin Gong, ; Mei Liu,
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A network pharmacology-based approach to explore mechanism of action of medicinal herbs for alopecia treatment. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2852. [PMID: 35181715 PMCID: PMC8857194 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06811-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair loss is one of the most common skin problems experienced by more than half of the world's population. In East Asia, medicinal herbs have been used widely in clinical practice to treat hair loss. Recent studies, including systematic literature reviews, indicate that medicinal herbs may demonstrate potential effects for hair loss treatment. In a previous study, we identified medical herbs used frequently for alopecia treatment. Herein, we explored the potential novel therapeutic mechanisms of 20 vital medicinal herbs for alopecia treatment that could distinguish them from known mechanisms of conventional drugs using network pharmacology analysis methods. We determined the herb-ingredient–target protein networks and ingredient-associated protein (gene)-associated pathway networks and calculated the weighted degree centrality to define the strength of the connections. Data showed that 20 vital medicinal herbs could exert therapeutic effects on alopecia mainly mediated via regulation of various target genes and proteins, including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), phospholipase A2 (PLA2) subtypes, ecto-5-nucleotidase (NTE5), folate receptor (FR), nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), and quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (QPRT). Findings regarding target genes/proteins and pathways of medicinal herbs associated with alopecia treatment offer insights for further research to better understand the pathogenesis and therapeutic mechanism of medicinal herbs for alopecia treatment with traditional herbal medicine.
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Lee HS, Lee IH, Kang K, Park SI, Jung M, Yang SG, Kwon TW, Lee DY. A Network Pharmacology Study to Uncover the Mechanism of FDY003 for Ovarian Cancer Treatment. Nat Prod Commun 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x221075432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the deadliest gynecological tumors responsible for 0.21 million deaths per year worldwide. Despite the increasing interest in the use of herbal drugs for cancer treatment, their pharmacological effects in OC treatment are not understood from a systems perspective. Using network pharmacology, we determined the anti-OC potential of FDY003 from a comprehensive systems view. We observed that FDY003 suppressed the viability of human OC cells and further chemosensitized them to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Through network pharmacological and pharmacokinetic approaches, we identified 16 active ingredients in FDY003 and their 108 targets associated with OC mechanisms. Functional enrichment investigation revealed that the targets may coordinate diverse cellular behaviors of OC cells, including their growth, proliferation, survival, death, and cell cycle regulation. Furthermore, the FDY003 targets are important constituents of diverse signaling pathways implicated in OC mechanisms (eg, phosphoinositide 3-kinase [PI3K]-Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK], focal adhesion, hypoxia-inducible factor [HIF]-1, estrogen, tumor necrosis factor [TNF], erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog [ErbB], Janus kinase [JAK]-signal transducer and activator of transcription [STAT], and p53 signaling). In summary, our data present a comprehensive understanding of the anti-OC effects and mechanisms of action of FDY003.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Sung Lee
- The Fore, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Forest Hospital, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Hee Lee
- The Fore, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungrae Kang
- Forest Hospital, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-In Park
- Forestheal Hospitalo, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minho Jung
- Forest Hospital, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Gu Yang
- Kyunghee Naro Hospital, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Wook Kwon
- Forest Hospital, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Yeon Lee
- The Fore, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Forest Hospital, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Xiong W, Zhao J, Ma X, Feng Z. Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of BuShenHuoXue Formula for Osteoarthritis. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:4703-4713. [PMID: 35155962 PMCID: PMC8830072 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The aim was to identify latent mechanism of BuShenHuoXue (BSHX) formula for the management of osteoarthritis (OA) through the network pharmacology approach and experimental validation. We obtained OA-related targets through the Gene Expression Omnibus database and bioactive ingredients with corresponding targets in the formula via the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. Subsequently, networks of the protein-protein interaction and compound-disease target were created and enrichment analysis was implemented. Furthermore, in vitro, IL-1β was applied to rat chondrocytes to mediate apoptosis through inflammation and the Alcian blue and type II collagen staining was used to observe cell morphology. The TUNEL and DAPI staining was performed to observe chondrocyte apoptosis, and the apoptosis rates were gauged via flow cytometry. In addition, we utilized Western blot and PCR to detect the protein and mRNA expression, respectively. A total of 104 potential chemicals and 42 intersecting targets were screened out. Quercetin and luteolin from BSHX formula were principal ingredients. The experiment validated quercetin might suppress chondrocyte apoptosis mediated by IL-1β and reduce SELE, MMP2, and COL1 expression. Via the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, quercetin could aim at SELE, MMP2, and COL1 and exert antagonistic effects against OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Xiong
- Department
of Orthopedics, Wuhan Fourth Hospital; Puai Hospital, Tongji Medical
College, Huazhong University of Science
and Technology, 473 Street, Wuhan, Hubei 430033, China
| | - Jiazheng Zhao
- Department
of Orthopedics, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei
Medical University, 12
Health Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China
| | - Xiaowei Ma
- Department
of Orthopedics, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei
Medical University, 12
Health Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China
| | - Zhangying Feng
- Department
of Clinical Pharmacology, The Fourth Hospital
of Hebei Medical University, 12 Health Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China
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Choi WG, Choi NR, Park EJ, Kim BJ. A study of the therapeutic mechanism of Jakyakgamcho-Tang about functional dyspepsia through network pharmacology research. Int J Med Sci 2022; 19:1824-1834. [PMID: 36438925 PMCID: PMC9682510 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.77451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Herbal medicines have traditionally been used as an effective digestive medicine. However, compared to the effectiveness of Herbal medicines, the treatment mechanism has not been fully identified. To solve this problem, a system-level treatment mechanism of Jakyakgamcho-Tang (JGT), which is used for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD), was identified through a network pharmacology study. The two components, paeoniae radix alba and licorice constituting JGT were analyzed based on broad information on chemical and pharmacological properties, confirming 84 active chemical compounds and 84 FD-related targets. The JGT target confirmed the relationship with the regulation of various biological movements as follows: cellular behaviors of muscle and cytokine, calcium ion concentration and homeostasis, calcium- and cytokine-mediated signalings, drug, inflammatory response, neuronal cells, oxidative stress and response to chemical. And the target is enriched in variety FD-related signaling as follows: MAPK, Toll-like receptor, NOD-like receptor, PI3K-Akt, Apoptosis and TNF signaling pathway. These data give a new approach to identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying the digestive effect of JGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo-Gyun Choi
- Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Na Ri Choi
- Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Jung Park
- Department of Food and Nutrition, College of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Joo Kim
- Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
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Zhou W, Sha Y, Zeng J, Zhang X, Zhang A, Ge X. Computational Systems Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and Experiments Reveal the Protective Mechanism of Li-Da-Qian Mixture in the Treatment of Glomerulonephritis. J Inflamm Res 2021; 14:6939-6958. [PMID: 34949932 PMCID: PMC8689049 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s338055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Glomerulonephritis is a common urinary system disease among children. Growing evidence suggests that traditional Chinese medicine has potential in treating glomerulonephritis, such as Li-Da-Qian mixture. Although its anti-glomerulonephritis and alleviating hematuria effects have been reported, the exact mechanism of Li-Da-Qian mixture devoting to glomerulonephritis remains unexplored. It was necessary to explore the mechanism of Li-Da-Qian mixture against glomerulonephritis using modern technology, such as Chinese medicine database and molecular biological experiments. Methods Online databases were used to look up ingredients and predict targets of Li-Da-Qian mixture against glomerulonephritis. The intersecting targets of Li-Da-Qian mixture and glomerulonephritis were selected for enrichment analysis. Cytoscape software was applied to establish network and MCODE analysis. Molecular docking was used for the primary validation. Furthermore, we examined the function of the core compounds analyzed from Li-Da-Qian mixture to rescue LPS-induced inflammation in vivo and vitro. We also explored whether the core compounds can alleviate TGFβ1-induced renal fibrosis in mouse proximal tubular cells. Results Network pharmacological analysis of Li-Da-Qian evaluated 20 active ingredients including baicalein, luteolin and quercetin. A total of 113 key targets were screened, including IL6, VEGFA, TP53, EGF, MMP2, etc, and they were enriched in AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways. Moreover, the core ingredients succeeded in binding to the main targets via molecular docking, further identifying the anti-glomerulonephritis effects and improvement of vascular injury. Western blotting and qPCR also suggested that baicalein and luteolin can improve inflammation and restore disturbance of mesangial cells or kidney induced by LPS. In addition, baicalein and luteolin inhibited renal fibrosis in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Nanjing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yugen Sha
- Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingxia Zeng
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyue Zhang
- Department of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | - Aihua Zhang
- Nanjing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuhua Ge
- Nanjing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.,Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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