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ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism of Sanhuang Xiexintang （SHXXT） in protecting stress gastric ulcer （SGU） in rats through network pharmacology， molecular docking， and animal experiments. MethodThe active ingredients and corresponding targets in SHXXT were collected and screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Database （TCMID）， Bioinformation Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine （BATMAN-TCM）， and Swiss Target Prediction database. SGU-related targets were screened from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， Therapeutic Target Database （TTD）， GeneCards database， and PharmGKB database. Herbal-ingredient-target （H-C-T） network was constructed by using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. Protein-protein interaction （PPI） of drug and disease intersection targets was analyzed by using the Protein Interaction Platform （STRING） database. Gene ontology （GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway analysis were conducted through the Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery （DAVID）. The active ingredients and key targets were validated using AutodockVina 1.2.2 molecular docking software， and the experimental results were further validated through animal experiments. ResultThe 55 active ingredients were screened， and 255 potential target genes for SHXXT treatment of SGU were predicted. The PPI analysis showed that protein kinase B （Akt）， phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten （PTEN）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） are the core targets of SHXXT for protecting SGU. GO and KEGG analyses showed that SHXXT may affect the development of SGU by regulating various biological processes such as the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/Akt signaling pathway and inflammatory processes. The molecular docking results showed that both the active ingredients and key targets had good binding ability. Animal experiments showed that compared with the blank group， the ulcer index （UI） of the model group was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β significantly increased （P<0.01）. The phosphorylation level of PTEN in gastric mucosal tissue was significantly down-regulated （P<0.05）. The phosphorylation levels of PI3K， Akt， and nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） were significantly up-regulated （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the UI of the treatment group was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. The phosphorylation level of PTEN in gastric mucosal tissue was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）， and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K， Akt， and NF-κB were significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe application of network pharmacology prediction， molecular docking simulation， and animal experimental validation confirms that SHXXT regulates the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway to regulate the inflammatory response of rats and thus protects the gastric mucosa of SGU rats.
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<b>Objective::To study whether Sanhuang Xiexintang (SHXXT) can restore endothelial function by inhibiting the activation of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NIRP3) induced by 7-ketocholesterol (7-keto) in vascular endothelial cells. <b>Method::The aortic rings of mice were cultured in normal group, model (7-keto) group, SHXXT groups (1%, 2% and 5% drug-containing serum). Vasodilation function of mice was observed. Microvascular endothelial cells were cultured according to the above experimental groups, and NIRP3 inhibitor isoglycyrrhizin (ISO) group, was also set. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), NIRP3, cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1), interleukin-1<italic>β</italic> (IL-1<italic>β</italic>) protein. In addition, nitric oxide (NO) quantitative kit was used to detect the concentration of NO. <b>Result::Compared with the normal group, the endothelium-dependent vasodilation function of vascular rings was significantly reduced in model group (<italic>P</italic><0.01), and the drug group significantly restored the endothelium-dependent vasodilation function in a concentration-dependent manner (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01). Meanwhile, microvascular endothelial cells were also studied. Compared with the normal group, the content of eNOS protein in the model group decreased (<italic>P</italic><0.05), while the concentration of NO decreased significantly (<italic>P</italic><0.01). After treatment with SHXXT serum, eNOS and NO could be restored, with significant differences in the concentration of NO with 5% (<italic>P</italic><0.05) and 10% (<italic>P</italic><0.01) SHXXT serum. At the same time, the expressions of NIRP3 (<italic>P</italic><0.05), cle-Caspase-1 activation (<italic>P</italic><0.01) and IL-1<italic>β</italic> production (<italic>P</italic><0.01) in endothelium were significantly increased under 7-keto stimulation, and the SHXXT serum could significantly inhibit the expression and activation of relevant proteins. Subsequently, endothelial cells were treated with NIRP3 inhibitor ISO. Compared with the model group, eNOS expression increased, and NO concentration increased significantly (<italic>P</italic><0.01) after treatment with ISO, but ISO had no synergistic effect on SHXXT serum. <b>Conclusion::SHXXT can improve endothelium-dependent vascular dysfunction induced by 7-keto, which is achieved by NO signaling pathway mediated by inhibiting the activation of endothelial NIRP3-related proteins.