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Sheng MY, Peng DW, Peng HM, Zhang YL, Xiao L, Zhang MR, Wang SY, Zhao CP, Zhu SY, Lu JK, Lin L, Huang R, Nie J, Fang JB. Effective substances and molecular mechanisms guided by network pharmacology: An example study of Scrophulariae Radix treatment of hyperthyroidism and thyroid hormone-induced liver and kidney injuries. J Ethnopharmacol 2024; 326:117965. [PMID: 38423410 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen [XS]) has been used for several years to treat hyperthyroidism. However, its effective substances and pharmacological mechanisms in the treatment of hyperthyroidism and thyroid hormone-induced liver and kidney injuries have not yet been elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to explore the pharmacological material basis and potential mechanism of XS therapy for hyperthyroidism and thyroid hormone-induced liver and kidney injuries based on network pharmacology prediction and experimental validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Based on 31 in vivo XS compounds identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadruple exactive orbitrap high-resolution accurate-mass spectrometry (UPLC-QE-HRMS), a network pharmacology approach was used for mechanism prediction. Systematic networks were constructed to identify the potential molecular targets, biological processes (BP), and signaling pathways. A component-target-pathway network was established. Mice were administered levothyroxine sodium through gavage for 30 d and then treated with different doses of XS extract with or without propylthiouracil (PTU) for 30 d. Blood, liver, and kidney samples were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blotting. RESULTS A total of 31 prototypes, 60 Phase I metabolites, and 23 Phase II metabolites were tentatively identified in the plasma of rats following the oral administration of XS extract. Ninety-six potential common targets between the 31 in vivo compounds and the diseases were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that Bcl-2, BAD, JNK, p38, and ERK1/2 were the top targets. XS extract with or without PTU had the following effects: inhibition of T3/T4/fT3/fT4 caused by levothyroxine; increase of TSH levels in serum; restoration of thyroid structure; improvement of liver and kidney structure and function by elevating the activities of anti-oxidant enzymes catalase (CAT),superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px); activation anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2; inhibition the apoptotic protein p-BAD; downregulation inflammation-related proteins p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, and p-p38; and inhibition of the aggregation of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, as well as immune cells in the liver. CONCLUSION XS can be used to treat hyperthyroidism and liver and kidney injuries caused by thyroid hormones through its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. In addition, serum pharmacochemical analysis revealed that five active compounds, namely 4-methylcatechol, sugiol, eugenol, acetovanillone, and oleic acid, have diverse metabolic pathways in vivo and exhibit potential as effective therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Yuan Sheng
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China; School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Hubei Institute for Drug Control, Wuhan, 430064, China; Department of Anatomy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - De-Wei Peng
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Hui-Ming Peng
- Department of Anatomy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Ya-Li Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China.
| | - Ling Xiao
- Hubei Institute for Drug Control, Wuhan, 430064, China.
| | - Meng-Ru Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Si-Yu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Chuan-Peng Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Si-Ying Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Jian-Kang Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Li Lin
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Rong Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, Hubei, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Theory and Application Research of Liver and Kidney in Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
| | - Jing Nie
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China; Hubei Institute for Drug Control, Wuhan, 430064, China.
| | - Jin-Bo Fang
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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