Network pharmacology study on Drynariae Rhizoma in treatment of osteoarthritis

Di LUO

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To investigate the potential molecular mechanism of Drynariae Rhizoma in the treatment of osteoarthritis based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics.

Methods:

The potential active constituents and targets of Drynariae Rhizoma were screened and predicted through the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP). Using TTD and four other osteoarthritis related disease databases, combining the topological analysis, the specific target of Drynariae Rhizoma in the treatment of osteoarthritis was filtered. And the further possible molecular mechanism of Drynariae Rhizoma was analyzed through ClueGo method.

Results:

Seventy-one corresponding compounds of Drynariae Rhizoma were retrieved from TCMSP. According to the values of oral bioavailability (OB) and drug likeness (DL), 18 possible bioactive components were screened out, and 92 potential targets were obtained by using the related target prediction technique. A total of 168 known targets closely related to the development of osteoarthritis were retrieved from the disease-related databases. A total of 99 key genes were screened out through network topological analysis. The ClueGo analysis showed that the action mode of Drynariae Rhizoma in treating osteoarthritis was mainly working on 31 signaling pathways related to cell cycle, inflammation, infection and cancer etc.

Conclusion:

Drynariae Rhizoma has the characteristics of multisystem, multiple targets, and multicomponent in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Through analysis, the possible mechanism includes not only directly acting on proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation of cells related to bone reconstruction and regulation of the balance of bone metabolism, but also affecting and interfering the bone and cartilage microenvironment through regulating immunity, inflammation, and other systems, which is consistent with the current mechanism of osteoarthritis treatment.