ABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Peach kernel (taoren: TR) is the dried mature seed of peach, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, which belongs to the Rosaceae family. Rhubarb (dahuang: DH) is the dried root and rhizome of rhubarb (Rheum palmatum L., Rheum officinale Baill., or Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf.). TR-DH (TD) is a traditional Chinese medicine herb pair that promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis. In recent years, TD has shown definite benefits in the cardio-cerebrovascular system, but its specific mechanism is not very clear. AIM OF STUDY: The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism by which TD affects cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and to optimize the mixture ratio. METHODS: The affected metabolic pathways in rat brain tissues after I/R were analysed by network pharmacology and verified with animal pharmacological experiments. RESULTS: TD had a certain therapeutic effect on cerebral I/R injury. TD with a TR:DH ratio of 1:1 had the best therapeutic effect. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that the protective mechanism of TD against I/R injury involves mainly regulation of brain tissue ADORA2A protein levels and action on the arachidonic acid (AA) pathway. CONCLUSION: TD can ameliorate cerebral I/R injury by regulating ADORA2A degradation in the AA metabolic pathway to attenuate AA metabolic dysfunction and the inflammatory response.
