ABSTRACT
This study is to explore the mechanism of Xueshuantong improving cerebral microcirculation disorder through the combination of network pharmacology and experimental validation in vivo. Structural formulas of main Panax notoginseng saponins, including notoginsenoside R1, and ginsenoside Rg1, Re, Rb1 and Rd were obtained from Pubchem website and their potential targets were predicted by Swiss Target Prediction database. Potential molecular targets of brain microcirculation disorder were acquired from OMIM and GeneCards database. The overlapped molecular targets between the drug and disease were analyzed. Protein interaction analysis and topology maps were constructed through the STRING online analysis platform and Cytoscape software. Core action targets were selected. GO function and KEGG pathway were analyzed by DAVID database. Immunohistochemical method was used to examine the expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31) in the ischemic cortex of middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) rats. The levels of mRNA and protein expressions of core action targets in MCAO/R model rats′ brain microvessels were verified by RT-qPCR and Western blot. Based on network pharmacology, 242 targets of Xueshuantong, 425 targets of brain microcirculation disorder, and 35 overlapped targets were obtained. The potential key targets of Xueshuantong, protein kinase B (AKT1), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), caspase 3 (CASP3), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) involved in the alleviation of cerebral microcirculation disorder were obtained by setting degree and betweenness centrality as screening parameters. Xueshuantong at the dose of 48 mg·kg-1 was shown to significantly improve the injury of neurological behaviors, as well as the density and morphology of microvessels of MCAO/R model rats. Xueshuantong could down-regulate the mRNA levels of AKT1, MMP-9, and STAT3, increase the protein expression levels of CD31, phosphorylated AKT and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K), and the ratio of B-cell lymphoma 2/Bcl-2-associated X (Bcl-2/Bax), but decrease the protein expression levels of MMP-9, cleaved caspase-3 and phosphorylated STAT3. In summary, Xueshuantong could improve ischemic cerebral microcirculation disorder and thereby reduce nerve damage in ischemia-reperfusion rats by regulating signaling pathways related with PI3K, AKT, MMP-9, STAT3 and caspase-3 in microvessels. The study strictly adhered to all ethical protocols that experimental animals should follow in the course of medical research.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveMetabolic syndrome is the inherent phenotype of many diseases， which seriously endangers the cardio-cerebrovascular system. Prunellae Spica can regulate lipid metabolism disorder in high-fat mice and inhibit the metabolic disorder of liver injury. This study analyzed the effect of Prunellae Spica on metabolic syndrome and its mechanism， and it is of great significance to find potential safe drugs from natural products. MethodIn this study， the metabolic syndrome model was induced by fructose. The metabolomics method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） was used to explore the effect and mechanism of Prunellae Spica on rats with metabolic syndrome. ResultPharmacological results showed that Prunellae Spica significantly reduced the body weight， blood lipid level and lipid peroxidation level and inhibited the release of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in rats with metabolic syndrome. Thus， Prunellae Spica protected the liver and maintained its normal functions. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that metabolites in the serum of rats with metabolic syndrome changed significantly， which was improved after Prunellae Spica treatment. Compared with the metabolites in normal group， 11 differential metabolic markers were found in rats with metabolic syndrome. Compared with model group， Prunellae Spica group had 8 significantly different metabolic markers， among which phosphate， pyruvic acid and succinic acid were common markers. Pathway analysis indicated that the regulatory effect of Prunellae Spica was mainly related to citrate cycle， glycolysis and gluconeogenesis， serine/threonine and glycine metabolic pathways. ConclusionPrunellae Spica can be used as a potential natural source for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. It can regulate the metabolic disorder in metabolic syndrome via energy and amino acid metabolism.