ABSTRACT
Objective:By the method of network pharmacology， the mechanism of Pinelliae Rhizoma and Citri Exocarpium Rubrum in the treatment of metabolic syndrome was explored. Method:Effective components of Pinelliae Rhizoma and Citri Exocarpium Rubrum were retrieved by TCMSP database，and then selected by ADME parameters. TCMID，BATMAN-TCM，SymMap，TCM-MESH database were used to supplement effective components of TCMSP. TCMSP target prediction model was used to predict potential targets of drugs. DRUGBANK，DisGeNET，CTD，GeneCards，OMIM，PharmGkb，KEGG，DiGSeE databases were retrieved to obtain the targets of metabolic syndrome，and the chips were downloaded and analyzed through GEO database No.GSE98895 to screen out the differential genes of normal people and patients with metabolic syndrome，and supplement the target databases of metabolic syndrome. The intersections of Pinelliae Rhizoma-Citri Exocarpium Rubrum and metabolic syndrome disease targets were obtained by Rstudio 3.6.2. The above intersection targets were imported into the Metascape database for module analysis and overall GO（Biological Process），KEGG and Reactome pathway analysis. The core targets were selected from the intersection targets by using the cytohubba plug-in，the core genes were input into the database of BioGPS，Genecards to analyze the tissue distribution and subcellular distribution，and the core targets were assigned by using the database of DisGeNET. Result:A total of 34 active components and 120 targets of Pinelliae Rhizoma and Citri Exocarpium Rubrum were screened out，and 115 targets were obtained after the intersection of Rstudio 3.6.2. The results of Metascape module analysis and whole analysis were mostly the same，mainly involving the biological processes， such as ligand receptor interaction，calcium ion，cGMP-PKG，cholinergic synapse，thyroid hormone，insulin. The cytohubba plug-in was used to screen out 17 targets，involving 17 key genes， such as VEGFA and NOS3. The tissue and subcellular distribution of the core targets mainly included lymphoblasts，CD33+_myeloid cells，amygdala，pineal and cytoplasmic matrix，mitochondria. The main proteins were signal molecules，kinases and nucleic acids. Conclusion:Pinelliae Rhizoma and Citri Exocarpium Rubrum could treat metabolic syndrome through complex biological processes and pathways，such as blood circulation，ligand receptor interaction of nerve activity，cGMP-PKG，interleukin-related action，calcium ion. This indicates that traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） treated diseases through multi-component，multi-target，multi biological processes，multi-channel and other ways（which is also proved by the distribution of core genes in the tissue，subcellular and protein ascription information），indicating the superiority of the holism concept of TCM. Erchetang and its similar prescriptions are suitable for treating metabolic syndrome，which also indicates that the principle of "treating different diseases with the same therapy" of TCM is not only reflected at the theoretical level； and network pharmacology needs to be further proved in the combination with experimental verification.