Research on molecular mechanism of Qiwei Tongbi Oral Liquid in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis via network pharmacology / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the major active components and potential molecular mechanism of Qiwei Tongbi Oral Liquid in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: After protein targets related with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were collected by mining literature, DrugBank, TTD and OMIM database, the potentional protein targets based on molecular docking were projected into KEGG databases to illustrate the molecular mechanism of Qiwei Tongbi Oral Liquid. Then RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS were employed to test the predict results. Results: Data analysis showed that 107 potential components acted on 116 RA related targets and 237 pathways. Herb-compound-target-pathway network analysis showed that triterpenoid, flavonoids, sterols and alkaloids isolated from Qiwei Tongbi Oral Liquid were the main active ingredients. These compounds could interact with a group of targets and pathways that might participate in anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immune regulation, proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of synovial fibroblasts, osteoclast differentiation, migration and bone resorption. Some compounds against anti-inflammatory activity were verified by in vitro. Conclusion: The active components of Qiwei Tongbi Oral Liquid could regulate multiple biological pathways by acting with multiple target proteins, playing a role in reducing inflammation and swelling of joints, preventing and reducing the destruction of joint bones, and promoting the repair of damaged joint bones. The research results not only reveal its molecular mechanism and pharmacodynamic components, but also provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent experimental research of Qiwei Tongbi Oral Liquid.