ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the mechanism of Chaiqin Qingning capsule in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection by network pharmacology.Methods:Baicalin, radix bupleuri and artificial bezoar were selected as the main ingredients of Chaiqin Qingning capsules. The active ingredients were screened in Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and Chinese Traditional Medicine Integrated Database (TCMID) databases, and the target prediction and analysis were carried out through Drugbank and TCMSP databases. Genecards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and MalaCards databases were used to screen out the genes related to upper respiratory tract infection. Omicshare platform was employed to gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of the targets. Uniprot database and Cystoscope software were used to construct protein interaction network. The network diagram of " compound-target-action pathway" was constructed with Cytoscape software to analyze the biological function and metabolism pathway of the key targets of Chaiqin Qingning capsule.Results:A total of 20 pharmacodynamic compounds in Chaiqin Qingning capsules were extracted, corresponding to 215 targets. 102 genes related to upper respiratory tract infection. A total of 18 common target genes were obtained by intersecting the corresponding targets of the compounds with disease-related targets. There were 986 protein interactions among 56 targets in the interaction network of Chaiqin qingning capsule in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection, of which 673 were ≥0.9, which was a highly reliable interaction. According to the analysis of topological parameters, 18 genes were identified as the target of Chaiqin Qingning capsule in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection. Using GO analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analysis, it was found that Chaiqin Qingning capsule may exert the pharmacological effect in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection by regulating biological processes and related signaling pathways such as immune system, inflammatory response, cell apoptosis and proliferation process.Conclusions:Through multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways, Chaiqin Qingning capsule can affect immune system activation, stress response, inflammatory factor release, apoptosis process, cell proliferation, intracellular oxidation metabolism and other signal pathways and pathophysiological process, thus playing a role in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection.