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Chen Y, Gan Y, Yu J, Ye X, Yu W. Key ingredients in Verbena officinalis and determination of their anti-atherosclerotic effect using a computer-aided drug design approach. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1154266. [PMID: 37077636 PMCID: PMC10106644 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1154266] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Lipid metabolism disorders may considerably contribute to the formation and development of atherosclerosis (AS). Traditional Chinese medicine has received considerable attention in recent years owing to its ability to treat lipid metabolism disorders using multiple components and targets. Verbena officinalis (VO), a Chinese herbal medicine, exhibits anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects. Evidence suggests that VO regulates lipid metabolism; however, its role in AS remains unclear. In the present study, an integrated network pharmacology approach, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) were applied to examine the mechanism of VO against AS. Analysis revealed 209 potential targets for the 11 main ingredients in VO. Further, 2698 mechanistic targets for AS were identified, including 147 intersection targets between VO and AS. Quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol were considered key ingredients for the treatment of AS based on a potential ingredient target-AS target network. GO analysis revealed that biological processes were primarily associated with responses to xenobiotic stimuli, cellular responses to lipids, and responses to hormones. Cell components were predominantly focused on the membrane microdomain, membrane raft, and caveola nucleus. Molecular functions were mainly focused on DNA-binding transcription factor binding, RNA polymerase II-specific DNA-binding transcription factor binding, and transcription factor binding. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified pathways in cancer, fluid shear stress, and atherosclerosis, with lipid and atherosclerosis being the most significantly enriched pathways. Molecular docking revealed that three key ingredients in VO (i.e., quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol) strongly interacted with three potential targets (i.e., AKT1, IL-6, and TNF-α). Further, MDS revealed that quercetin had a stronger binding affinity for AKT1. These findings suggest that VO has beneficial effects on AS via these potential targets that are closely related to the lipid and atherosclerosis pathways. Our study utilized a new computer-aided drug design to identify key ingredients, potential targets, various biological processes, and multiple pathways associated with the clinical roles of VO in AS, which provides a comprehensive and systemic pharmacological explanation for the anti-atherosclerotic activity of VO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Gan
- School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei, China
| | - Jingxuan Yu
- Clinical Medical College, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao Ye
- School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei, China
- Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, Xianning, Hubei, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Yu,
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Tian D, Gao Q, Lin J, Chang Z, Wang Y, Shi Y, Su R, Han Z, Ma D. Uncovering the mechanism of the Shenzhi Jiannao formula against vascular dementia using a combined network pharmacology approach and molecular biology. Phytomedicine 2021; 90:153637. [PMID: 34273705 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shenzhi Jiannao formula (SZJNF) is a herbal prescription which is used for detoxification, dredging collaterals, and activating blood circulation and Qi flow in traditional Chinese medicine. SZJNF is a clinical effective prescription for the treatment of vascular dementia (VD) first formulated based on the classical theory of traditional Chinese medicine, but its anti-VD mechanism remains ambiguous. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to elucidate the multi-target mechanisms of SZJNF against VD using a network pharmacology approach and verify its effects through biological experiments. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We utilized network pharmacology-based prediction and molecular docking techniques to uncover the potential micro-mechanism of SZJNF against VD. We identified active components and potential targets, and performed network analysis, functional annotation, and pathway enrichment analysis. Subsequently, glutamate-induced PC12 cells and VD rats were used to verify the molecular mechanisms of SZJNF. RESULTS Seventeen active compounds were identified in SZJNF rat plasma; moreover, 773 predicted targets and 1544 VD-related targets were found. Various networks, including the PPI, herb-compound-target, and compound-target-pathway network were constructed. A total of 188 shared targets were identified by network topological analysis, which were closely associated to the anti-VD effects of SZJNF. They were also enriched in various biological processes through hypoxia reaction, promotion of cell proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, and calcium signaling pathway, as evaluated by the analysis of advanced functions and pathways. SZJNF components docked well with the key targets. Treatment with SZJNF promoted cell proliferation, ameliorated apoptosis and oxidative stress injury, and improved neurological and cognitive abilities. CONCLUSION This study comprehensively demonstrated the multi-target mechanisms of SZJNF in VD using network pharmacology and molecular biology experiments. This provides evidence for further mechanistic studies and for the development of SZJNF as a potential treatment for patients with VD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Tian
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jingfeng Lin
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ze Chang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuchun Wang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Shi
- Shenzhen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (Longgang), Shenzhen, China; School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Su
- Department of Academic Research, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyun Han
- Shenzhen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (Longgang), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Dayong Ma
- Department of Neurology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
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Xu Y, Li H, He X, Huang Y, Wang S, Wang L, Fu C, Ye H, Li X, Asakawa T. Identification of the Key Role of NF-κB Signaling Pathway in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis With Bushen Zhuangjin Decoction, a Verification Based on Network Pharmacology Approach. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:637273. [PMID: 33912052 PMCID: PMC8072665 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.637273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to identify whether the NF-κB signaling pathway plays a key role in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) with Bushen Zhuangjin Decoction (BZD) based on a typical network pharmacology approach (NPA). Four sequential experiments were performed: 1) conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), 2) preliminary observation of the therapeutic effects of BZD, 3) NPA using three OA-related gene expression profiles, and 4) verification of the key pathway identified by NPA. Only one HPLC-verified compound (paeoniflorin) was identified from the candidate compounds discovered by NPA. The genes verified in the preliminary observation were also identified by NPA. NPA identified a key role for the NF-κB signaling pathway in the treatment of OA with BZD, which was confirmed by conventional western blot analysis. This study identified and verified NF-κB signaling pathway as the most important inflammatory signaling pathway involved in the mechanisms of BZD for treating OA by comparing the NPA results with conventional methods. Our findings also indicate that NPA is a powerful tool for exploring the molecular targets of complex herbal formulations, such as BZD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunteng Xu
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hui Li
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fuzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy Science, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan He
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fuzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy Science, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yanfeng Huang
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shengjie Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fuzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy Science, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fuzhou, China
| | - Changlong Fu
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hongzhi Ye
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xihai Li
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tetsuya Asakawa
- Research Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu-city, Japan.,Department of Neurology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Lin X, Shao T, Huang L, Wen X, Wang M, Wen C, He Z. Simiao Decoction Alleviates Gouty Arthritis by Modulating Proinflammatory Cytokines and the Gut Ecosystem. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:955. [PMID: 32670069 PMCID: PMC7327538 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simiao decoction, a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been widely used for thousands of years due to its safety and efficiency in treating gouty arthritis. Utilizing serum proinflammatory cytokines and gut ecosystems, this study elucidated the mechanisms of alleviating gouty arthritis by Simiao decoction. Simiao decoction (4.0, 8.0, and 16.0 g/kg) was orally administered to gouty arthritis mice and febuxostat was given as a positive control. The spleen, kidney, and liver indexes indicated that Simiao decoction was safe for the treatment of gouty arthritis in C57BL/6 mice. Besides, our study demonstrated that Simiao decoction was effective for reducing the level of serum uric acid and decreasing MPO, XOD, and ADA activity, as well as alleviating gouty-related symptoms, such as foot swelling and pain. Moreover, Simiao decoction could also reduce some specific serum proinflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-9, IFN-γ, MIP-1α and MIP-1β. We then surveyed the effects of Simiao decoction on the gut ecosystems in a systematic manner by combining network pharmacology, ELISA, western blot, and illumina sequencing. In the murine of model of gouty arthritis, Simiao decoction could suppress NLRP3 inflammasomes expression, reduce gut apoptosis through modulating TNF-α, Caspase 8, and AIFM1 protein expressions, affect lipid metabolism by regulating APOB, LPL, PPARα protein expressions and restore gut microbiota via reducing potential pathogens. Overall, these findings suggested that Simiao decoction was an effective therapeutic drug for gouty arthritis and the gut ecosystem might act as a potential anti-inflammatory target of Simiao decoction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Lin
- College of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tiejuan Shao
- College of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Huang
- College of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xianghui Wen
- College of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingzhu Wang
- College of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chengping Wen
- College of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhixing He
- College of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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