Investigating mechanism of Qing-Fei-Pai-Du-Tang for treatment of COVID-19 by network pharmacology

ABSTRACT

Objective: To collect main ingredients and targets of Qing-Fei-Pai-Du-Tang (QFPDT), and to investigate the relationship between the targets and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the multi-component, multi-target mechanism of QFPDT for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: The meridian tropisms, compounds and targets of each herb in QFPDT were collected from ETCM, TCMID and NPASS databases. Cytoscape software was used to construct and analyze networks. DAVID and STRING were applied for functional enrichment analysis of targets. Results: The top meridian tropism of herbs in QFPDT was lung meridian. Among QFPDT’s 790 putative targets, 232 targets were co-expressed with ACE2, the receptor of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The targets included seven densely interacting ribosomal proteins. Important targets were enriched on two classes of disease pathways, i.e., virus infection and lung injury. In addition, many targets interacted with six proteins of HIV virus. Important targets regulated a series of pathways belong to translation, endocrine system, immune system, nervous system and signal transduction. Conclusion: The main targeting organ of QFPDT is the lung and the second is the spleen. By regulating a series of proteins co-expressed with ACE2 and a series of signaling pathways closely related to the occurrence and development of diseases, it plays a role in balancing immunity and eliminating inflammation. It may act as an antiviral agent by targeting ribosomal proteins that are necessary for viral replication to inhibit viral mRNA translation and inhibiting a group of proteins that interact with viral proteins.