ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the anti-hepatoma active components of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and their molecular mechanisms through GEO database, integrative pharmacology platform and molecular docking technology. Method: The active ingredients of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma were screened by TCMIP and the corresponding targets of these components were predicted through TCMIP and Swisstarget databases. The hepatoma gene chip database was downloaded from GEO databases, and the differentially expressed genes between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and normal liver tissue were analyzed by GEO2R. Based on the matching results of potential targets of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and the targets of hepatoma, the key targets of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma against hepatoma were screened, and GO function enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the key targets were performed. Main components and core targets of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma against hepatoma were analyzed and screened by constructing PPI network, component-target network and traditional Chinese medicine-component-target-pathway network. Furthermore, the molecular docking between the core targets and the main active components was performed by Schrodinger-Maestro software to virtually verify their binding ability and analyze their binding mode. Result: A total of 20 anti-hepatoma active components of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma were collected and related 86 targets were obtained, including CDK1, AKR1C3, PTGS2, AR and CCNB1, etc. The results of GO functional enrichment mainly focused on the cell cycle, G2/M transition of mitotic cell cycle, oxidation-reduction process, drug reactions and steroid metabolism processes, etc. The results of KEGG pathway enrichment mainly involved cell cycle, cell senescence, complement system, arachidonic acid metabolism and bile metabolism, and these metabolic pathways were related to cell apoptosis, metastasis, inflammation and immunity. The results of molecular docking showed that 92.2% of the active components had good binding ability with the 10 core proteins, and the main combination forms mainly were hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic bonds, π-π bonds and cation-π. Conclusion: The active components of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma including rhein, emodin, chrysophanol-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, chrysophanol-1-O-β-D-glucoside and rhapontigenin can act on multiple targets such as CDK1, CCNB1, CYP2C9, MMP9 and PTGS2, by regulating signaling pathways related to cell apoptosis, metastasis, inflammation and immunity to play an anti-hepatoma effect.