Effect of Fushengong Decoction on PTEN/PI3K/AKT/NF-κB Pathway in Rats With Chronic Renal Failure via Dual-Dimension Network Pharmacology Strategy

Optimization of the extraction process and metabonomics analysis of uric acid-reducing active substances from Gymnadenia R.Br. and its protective effect on hyperuricemia zebrafish

Background

As Gymnadenia R.Br. (Gym) has an obvious uric acid-lowering effect, but its specific bioactive substances and mechanism are still unclear. The key metabolites and pathways used by Gym to reduce uric acid (UA) were identify.

Methods

An optimized extraction process for urate-lowering active substances from Gym was firstly been carried out based on the xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibition model in vitro; then, the Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and Q-Exactive mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS) based on non-targeted metabolomics analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine were performed for comparison of Gym with ethanol concentration of 95% (low extraction rate but high XOD inhibition rate) and 75% (high extraction rate but low XOD inhibition rate), respectively; finally, the protective effect of ethanolic extract of Gym on zebrafish with Hyperuricemia (referred to as HUA zebrafish) was explored.

Results

We found that the inhibition rate of Gym extract with 95% ethanol concentration on XOD was 84.02%, and the extraction rate was 4.32%. Interestingly, when the other conditions were the same, the XOD inhibition rate of the Gym extract with 75% ethanol concentration was 76.84%, and the extraction rate was 14.68%. A total of 539 metabolites were identified, among them, 162 different metabolites were screened, of which 123 were up-regulated and 39 were down-regulated. Besides significantly reducing the contents of UA, BUN, CRE, ROS, MDA, and XOD activity in HUA zebrafish by Gym and acutely reduce the activity of SOD.

Conclusion

Along with the flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoids, the ethanolic extract of Gym may be related to reduce the UA level of Gym.

Evaluating the Potential of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice) in Treating Alcoholic Liver Injury: A Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis Approach

Glycyrrhiza uralensis is used to treat alcoholic liver injury in China; however, its pharmacological mechanism remains to be clarified. Here, the potential of G. uralensis for the treatment of alcoholic liver injury was explored using a network pharmacology and molecular docking approach. The effective components and targets of G. uralensis were searched in a traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform. Disease targets were obtained using the GeneCards and OMIM databases. The target genes of G. uralensis and alcoholic liver injury were compared to obtain common target genes. Symbol conversion was carried out using the Uniport database, and the composition–target network of G. uralensis and alcoholic liver injury was prepared. A protein–protein interaction network was constructed. Gene Ontology functional enrichment and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed. AutoDock was used for the molecular docking of core compounds and key targets. One hundred and ninety-three common target genes of G. uralensis and alcoholic liver injury were screened. We identified targets of five active components of G. uralensis, namely, formononetin, 3′-methoxyglabridin, glypallichalcone, 1-methoxyphaseollidin, and glabridin. The main targets identified via the protein–protein interaction network analysis were JUN, MAPK3, STAT3, AKT1, and MAPK1. The biological processes associated with xenobiotic stimulus and lipopolysaccharide metabolism were involved. These biological processes were common between Glycyrrhiza treatment and liver injury. They mainly involved lipid and atherosclerosis, chemical carcinogenic gene-receptor activation, and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. Shinpterocarpin and 7-methoxy-2-methyl-isoflavone had good docking effects with MAPK3, and their binding energies were less than −5 kcal/mol. Based on the network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses, the chemical compositions, potential targets, and pathways involved in G. uralensis treatment of alcoholic liver injury were successfully predicted. This study lays a foundation for the selection of drugs to treat alcoholic liver injury.