Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Ephedra Herb in the Treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Yao T, Wang Q, Han S, Lu Y, Xu Y, Wang Y · BioMed Research International · 2022 July 05

DOI 10.1155/2022/9214589

Objective

To explore the possible mechanisms of Ephedra herb (EH) in treating nephrotic syndrome (NS) using network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Conclusions

The study identified 22 main active ingredients in EH, such as quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and naringenin, targeting 105 NS-related genes. The PPI network revealed 53 core targets, including AKT1, TNF, IL6, VEGFA, and IL1B, crucial in NS treatment. Enrichment analysis highlighted pathways like PI3K-Akt signaling, TNF signaling, and AGE-RAGE signaling. Molecular docking confirmed good binding between active ingredients (kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, naringenin) and target proteins (AKT1, TNF), suggesting potential mechanisms for EH in NS treatment.

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