ABSTRACT
Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui) and Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuan Xiong) herb-pair (DC) have been frequently used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions for hundreds of years to prevent vascular diseases and alleviate pain. However, the mechanism of DC herb-pair in the prevention of liver fibrosis development was still unclear. In the present study, the effects and mechanisms of DC herb-pair on liver fibrosis were examined using network pharmacology and mouse fibrotic model. Based on the network pharmacological analysis of 13 bioactive ingredients found in DC, a total of 46 targets and 71 pathways related to anti-fibrosis effects were obtained, which was associated with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway, hepatic inflammation and fibrotic response. Furthermore, this hypothesis was verified using carbon tetrachloride (CCl
ABSTRACT
Objective: Using network pharmacology analysis method to explore the efficacy network and mechanism of Pediatric Xiaoji Zhike Oral Liquid (PXZOL) in treating children with food accumulation cough. Methods: We collected main components in PXZOL and their targets by using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Database (TCM-ID) combined with literature. Functional constipation related targets were searched from Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), PubMed, Drugbank, and other databases combined with literature. The herb-component-target network and ingredient-target-disease interaction Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of PXZOL were constructed by Cytoscape 3.6.0 software. A core target network was constructed by screening targets in the PPI network. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Pathway analysis of the core target network were performed by using the ClueGO plugin. Organ localization of core targets was detected using the BioGPS database. Results: GO analysis showed that PXZOL exerted antitussive effect mainly by regulating nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling. The role of depletion is mainly achieved by the synthesis and regulation of related proteins. Pathway results showed that PXZOL exerts antitussive effects mainly through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptor signaling pathway, interleukin 17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, and TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6)-mediated NF-κB activation. The role of elimination is mainly achieved through a variety of immune and inflammatory signaling pathways. In terms of organ localization, nearly 50% of target sites for antitussive targets, targets for elimination, and common targets have more expression in the lungs and large intestine. Conclusion: PXZOL is based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine "lung and large intestine phase" and the prescription of latent medicine, modern pharmacology research showed that the effect of "resolving accumulation and relieving cough" mostly concentrated on immunity and inflammation, and network pharmacology research found that the target and its common target have nearly 50% more expression in the lungs and large intestine. From the infective disease and the network of action, we suggest that the efficacy of PXZOL is manifested by mucosal immunity and inflammation-mediated pathways. The scientific nature of the theory with the large intestine also lays the foundation for further in-depth research and verification of the model and clinical practice of pediatric food accumulation cough.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Based on the network pharmacology research method, combined with the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, to explore the mechanism of the interaction of Huobahuagen Tablets (HBHGT) for treating different diseases with same method between the lupus erythematosus (LE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: The components in HBHGT and their targets were collected by using TCMSP, Chinese Herb Dictionary, and other databases in combination with literature. Disease-related targets for lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis were collected using databases such as CTD, PubMed, and Drugbank in conjunction with literature. The herb-ingredient-target network and drug-target-disease interaction PPI network were constructed by Cytoscape software, and the gene function and signaling pathway of the constructed network were analyzed. ClueGO plugin in Cytoscape software was used for GO analysis and Pathway analysis. Results: The main components of torch flower roots were epicatechin, triptolide and triptonide, and 138 key targets were obtained. Through GO analysis and Pathway analysis, it was found that HBHGT for treating different diseases with same method between the lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis involved 17 common targets such as EGFR, CRK, and LCK, and its mechanism may be related to biological processes such as phosphoprotein binding, ERBB2 signaling pathway, peptidyl tyrosine autophosphorylation, and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway, FGFR3 signaling pathway, Fcε receptor (FCERI) signaling pathway and other pathways. Receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway was the main pathway of HBHGT for treating different diseases with same method. Conclusion: This study confirmed from the two aspects of target and pathway that HBHGTs had great similarities in the treatment of RA and LE. Among them, EGFR, CBL, LCK, and other targets and EGFR-related signaling pathways were the key targets and pathways of HBHGT for "different diseases with the same treatment".