The bioactive component of Chaihu-shugan-san, Liquiritin, can alleviate Parkinson's disease by inhibiting ferroptosis through stimulating the PPARα/SCD1/FADS2 pathway.
A mix of network pharmacology-bioinformatics was established to identify potential targets of CSS in tackling Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease mouse models, induced by MPTP, were confirmed using various techniques including behavioral examinations and histopathology amongst others. Machine learning coupled with a type of prediction model known as an ROC curve analysis identified certain key genes related to both CSS and Parkinson's disease, with emphasis on the probable pathways. IHC, GPx, MDA, and WB tests were used to validate the findings. Liquiritin, the main active compound in CSS, was characterized using UPLC-MS/MS and evaluated using various scientific methods to determine its neuroprotective effects.
The neuroprotective impact of CSS and inhibition of ferroptosis through PPARα activation as a way to improve Parkinson's disease were consistently illustrated. The research also identified Liquiritin as a bioactive compound in CSS that helps to counteract Parkinson's disease like symptoms in mice triggered by ferroptosis. Further investigation found that Liquiritin protects against ferroptosis via the activation of the PPARα/SCD1/FADS2 pathway, and demonstrated that if you chemically inhibit PPARα activation, this cancels out the protective effects Liquiritin has against ferroptosis and halts progression of Parkinson's disease.
