Mechanism of Huangqi Jianzhong Decoction in treating chronic atrophic gastritis based on network pharmacology / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To predict the active ingredients and their potential targets of Huangqi Jianzhong Decoction (HQJZ) against chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) based on the “single drug-active ingredient-action targets” network. Methods: Using pharmacokinetic parameters [oral bioavailability (OB) and drug likeness (DL)] of traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology platform (TCMSP) to screen the active ingredient of HQJZ, and then integrating target prediction database (STPD), human gene database (Genecard), and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) to predict and screen its target genes for the treatment of CAG, and using Cytoscape software to construct the network of “single drug-active ingredient-action targets”. The molecular docking of those main active ingredient and action targets were confirmed through Systems Dock Web Site. String database and Cytoscape software were used to draw the protein interaction network, and DisGeNET database was used to assign their target type. Finally the biological function and metabolic pathway of these targets were analyzed by DAVID database. Results: A total of 118 potential active ingredients were screened based on their OB and DL parameters, and 16 CAG-related genes were involved, 52 active ingredients were related to disease target, which mainly involved in the regulations of cancer pathway, focal adhesion, arginine and proline metabolism, vascular endothelial growth factor signal transduction and neurotrophic factor signaling pathway in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis. Conclusion: The therapeutic mechanism of HQJZ reflects the characteristics of multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway of traditional Chinese medicines, which provides a scientific basis for further explaining the action mechanism and the material basis of HQJZ against CAG.