Discussion on mechanism of modified Biminkang Granules in treatment of allergic rhinitis based on network pharmacology and experimental verification

Lanlan CHEN; Rongchen LIU; Anqi WANG; Guihua WU; Li LI

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To predict the molecular mechanism of Biminkang Granules in the treatment of allergic rhinitis using network pharmacological methods combined with animal experiments.

Methods:

Active component targets and allergic rhinitis targets were screened from TCMSP, OMIM, GeneCards, TTD, DrugBank and PharmGKB databases; R language software was used to map the intersection of drug and disease targets; Cytoscape software and String platform were used to construct intersection target PPI network and conduct network topology analysis; DAVID platform was used to perform GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis, and perform molecular docking verification on the main active components and key targets. 32 rats were divided into a blank group of 8 and a model group of 24 using a random number table method. Model rats were induced by ovalbumin to establish an allergic rhinitis model. 24 SD rats that were successfully modeled and were randomly divided into model group, Western medicine group, and Biminkang Granules group using a random number table method, with 8 rats in each group. The Western medicine group was gavaged with 1 mg/kg of loratadine solution, the Biminkang Granules group was gavaged with 4.1 g/kg of Biminkang Granules solution, and the blank group and model group rats were gavaged with the same volume of physiological saline once a day for 2 consecutive weeks. The symptoms of rhinitis in each group of rats for 30 minutes were observed and recorded, and the pathological changes of the rat nasal mucosa were observed using HE staining. ELISA method was used to detect the levels of IL-17 and IL-6 in rat serum, and Western blot method was used to determine the expressions of TNF and STAT3 proteins in rat tissues.

Results:

A total of 41 target proteins of BiMinKang Dranule in the treatment of allergic rhinitis were predicted, and TNF, STAT3 and other core target proteins were obtained by PPI network topology analysis. The biological process of GO involved drug response, inflammatory response, cytokine response, etc.KEGG enrichment is involved in Th17 cell differentiation, lipid and atherosclerosis, IL-17, toll-like receptor and other pathways. Molecular docking results indicated that the main active components had good binding activity to key target proteins.Animal experiments showed that BiMinKang Dranule could improve the inflammatory symptoms of allergic rhinitis rats, down-regulate the expression of IL-17 and IL-6 in blood, and inhibit the expression of TNF and STAT3 proteins.

Conclusion:

Biminkang Granules can treat allergic rhinitis through multiple active components, multiple target proteins and multiple pathways, and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of Th17 cell differentiation pathway related proteins.