Exploring the nucleotide molecular mechanism of compound kushen injection for lung adenocarcinoma based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Efficacy and safety of compound kushen injection for treating advanced colorectal cancer: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Compound Kushen Injection (CKI) is a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from Sophora flavescens Aiton and Heterosmilax japonica Kunth. Widely utilized in China for the comprehensive treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), this study aims to systematically assess the efficacy and safety of CKI when combined with chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced CRC, based on available data.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials investigating the efficacy and safety of CKI combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced CRC will be comprehensively searched from databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Wanfang, Chinese Biomedicine Database Searches, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, and ClinicalTrials.gov until November 2022. Two independent reviewers will screen the studies, assess the risk of bias, and extract data in duplicate. The ROB2 tool will be employed to assess the quality of included studies. Stata 16 will be used for data analysis, and publication bias will be assessed using funnel plots and Egger's test. The quality of evidence will be evaluated according to GRADE, and trial sequence analysis (TSA) will be utilized to calculate the final total sample size required for the meta-analysis. The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. The proposed review protocol has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42022380106).

Discussion

This systematic review will integrate current evidence on CKI in advanced CRC and analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of CKI combined with different chemotherapy regimens, providing valuable guidance on the use of CKI in CRC patients.

Hua-Feng-Dan Alleviates LPS-induced Neuroinflammation by Inhibiting the TLR4/Myd88/NF-κB Pathway: Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation

BACKGROUND

Neuroinflammation is the pathological basis of many neurological diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. Hua-Feng-Dan (HFD) is a well-established traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for centuries to treat stroke and various other brain-related ailments.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which HFD mitigates neuroinflammation by combining network pharmacology and in vitro experiments.

METHODS

TCMSP and SymMap databases were used to extract active compounds and their related targets. The neuroinflammation-related targets were obtained from the GeneCards database. The common targets of HFD and neuroinflammation were used to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. MCODE plug-in was used to find the hub module genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used to dissect the hub module genes. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 microglial neuroinflammation model was utilized to assess the therapeutic effects of HFD on neuroinflammation. Western blotting analysis was performed to examine the core target proteins in the TLR4/My- D88/NF-κB signaling pathway, potentially implicated in HFD's therapeutic effects on neuroinflammation. Hoechst 33342 staining and JC-1 staining were employed to evaluate neuronal apoptosis.

RESULTS

Through network pharmacology, 73 active compounds were identified, with quercetin, beta-sitosterol, luteolin, and (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate recognized as important compounds. Meanwhile, 115 common targets of HFD and neuroinflammation were identified, and 61 targets were selected as the hub targets utilizing the MCODE algorithm. The results of in vitro experiments demonstrated that HFD significantly inhibited microglial-mediated neuronal inflammation induced by LPS. Integrating the predictions from network pharmacology with the in vitro experiment results, it was determined that the mechanism of HFD in mitigating neuroinflammation is closely related to the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, HFD demonstrated the capacity to shield neurons from apoptosis by curbing the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors subsequent to microglial activation.

CONCLUSION

The findings demonstrated that HFD had an inhibitory effect on LPS-induced neuroinflammation in microglia and elucidated its underlying mechanism. These findings will offer a theoretical foundation for the clinical utilization of HFD in treating neurodegenerative diseases associated with neuroinflammation.

Rutin attenuates inflammation by downregulating AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in psoriasis: Network pharmacology analysis and experimental evidence

BACKGROUND

Jueyin granules (JYG) is effective against psoriasis, but its utility components are not clear. Rutin is the main monomer of JYG, its therapeutic effect and mechanism on psoriasis need to be further clarified.

PURPOSE

To explore the potential mechanisms of rutin on psoriasis through network pharmacology and experiments.

METHODS

In vitro, cell viability was determined using the CCK8 assay, and inflammatory factors were identified using RT-qPCR. The hub genes and kernel pathways of action were identified by modular pharmacology analysis. In vivo, a BALB/c mice model of psoriasis was induced by Imiquimod (IMQ). The therapeutic effect and action pathway were detected through Western Blotting, RT-qPCR, histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis.

RESULTS

Rutin inhibited cell proliferation and expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in HaCaT cells. The hub genes include APP, INS, and TNF, while the kernel pathways contain the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. In IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mice, rutin ameliorated skin lesions and inhibited cell proliferation. Rutin could attenuate inflammation by downregulating the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that rutin can reduce IMQ-induced psoriasis like skin inflammation in mice, and regulation of AGE-RAGE signaling pathway may be one of its potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Rutin has a promising therapeutic use for the treatment of psoriasis.