ABSTRACT
Objective::In this study, a network pharmacology-based method was applied to analyze the mechanism of modified Erzhiwan combined with epimedium in treatment of atherosclerosis. Method::The compounds and targets of modified Erzhiwan combined with epimedium were screened in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP) and bioinformatics analysis tool for molecular mechanism of TCM (BATMAN-TCM). Mang related databases were applied to find the target-related to atherosclerosis.The common targets of modified Erzhiwan combined with epimedium and atherosclerosis were got by venn diagrams.Cytoscape 3.6.1 was used to construct ingredients-disease-targets networks.Then protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis of ingredients-disease-targets was builed in STRING database, and was visualized by Cytoscape 3.6.1, then important modules were analyzed with Moleculaar complex detection(MCODE). Biological information annotation databases (DAVID) was used to carry on gene ontology (GO) analysis and enrichment analysis of gene encyclopedia kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway. Result::A total of 38 active ingredients and 266 potential targets of modified Erzhiwan combined with epimedium were obtained from TCMSP and BATMAN-TCM, 254 atherosclerosis-related targets were retrieved from disease database.Then 52 common targets were obtained and 14 core genes were screened.Biological processes were related to inflammatory response, regulation of insulin secretion, positive regulation of nitric oxide biosynthetic process, etc.The biological pathways mainly included tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, NF-kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathway, peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors signaling pathway and so on. Conclusion::Modified Erzhiwan combined with epimedium may play the anti-atherosclerosis role by estrogen-like effect through attach estrogen receptor, inhibiting inflammation and improving insulin resistance, which may provide guidance for further experimental research.