RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To predict the action targets of the hypoglycemic bioactive components of Gegen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), and investigate the “multi-components, multi-targets and multi-pathways” mechanism. METHODS: Based on the network pharmacology, the reported 27 active ingredients in Gegen were used to predict the action target and reveal the action mechanism via reversed pharmacophore matching method, database mining, and some other methods. The PharmMapper database and DrugBank database were applied to screen the hypoglycemic drug targets approved by FDA. Additionlly, the information of these targets and their intentions were revealed by the String database. At last the ingredients-targets-pathways network was constructed via the Cytoscape software. RESULTS: Studies found that Gegen contained hypoglycemic components, such as:puerarin, 3'-hydroxypuerarin, 3'-methoxypuerarin, daidzein and so on. Their actions involved in 9 potential targets and 25 energy metabolism or signal transmutation relevant biological processes, e.g. insulin receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). While the mainly metabolism and signal transmutation pathways were HIF-1 signaling pathway, renin-angiotensin system, FoxO signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway and so on. CONCLUSION: From the view of molecular network, this study applied provides network pharmacology methods and technologies to clarify the multi-components, multi-targets and multi-pathways of Gegen on the hypoglycemic effect, and it provides a theoretical basis and a clue for further exploration of the hypoglycemic mechanism of Gegen.