A combined network pharmacology and molecular biology approach to investigate the active ingredients and potential mechanisms of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf on obesity.
Phytomedicine
; 92: 153714, 2021 Nov.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1370665
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
As one of traditional Chinese medicine, mulberry leaf is abundant in diverse active ingredients and widely used for the treatment of metabolic disease and its complications. However, there are a few of reports on its application in the prevention and treatment of obesity. And the molecular mechanism on the anti-obesity of mulberry leaf are unknown till now.PURPOSE:
The present study aimed to evaluate the potential ingredients and targets of mulberry leaf and uncover the anti-obesity mechanisms by using the network pharmacology tactics and verify its effect by biological experiments. STUDYDESIGN:
Active ingredients and key targets of mulberry leaf, genes related to obesity were screened through public database. Based on the results of network pharmacology, the flavonoids-enriched fraction of mulberry leaf (MLF) was extracted and composition of this fraction was identified. After that, HepG2 cells model of lipid accumulation was established for verifying the effect of MLF and related mechanisms.RESULTS:
A total of 37 active ingredients in mulberry leaf, 192 predicted biological targets and 8813 obesity-related targets were determined, of which 180 overlapping targets might have obvious curative effects on obesity. The networks showed that mulberry leaf might play a role through key targets, such as AKT, MAPK and IL-6, and regulated PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Based on HPLC-ESI-QQQ-MS analysis, 13 constituents of MLF were identified, including 9 flavonoids. Furthermore, HepG2 cells model of lipid accumulation was established. The results indicated that MLF treatment could down-regulate the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, as well as clearly inhibited lipid droplets formation and alleviated TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C levels. Positive effect was observed on hypolipidemic efficacy due to the regulation of PI3K/Akt/Bcl-xl pathway, as indicated by the amelioration of PI3K, Akt and Bcl-xl gene and protein expression.CONCLUSION:
This study firstly systematically disclose the multi-ingredients, multi-targets mechanisms of mulberry leaf on obesity by using network pharmacology approach, and validate in HepG2 cells that the protective effect of MLF against obesity involved both inflammation response and lipid metabolism involving PI3K/Akt/Bcl-xl signaling pathway. It provides indications for further mechanistic research of mulberry leaf and also for the development as a potential candidate for the therapy for obese patients.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Morus
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Traditional medicine
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Phytomedicine
Journal subject:
Complementary Therapies
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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