Network pharmacology and experimental studies for deciphering the molecular targets and mechanisms of Chaihu Shugan powder in the treatment of functional dyspepsia
Wang Y, Wang X, Jiang K, Yang K, Ling J · Technology and Health Care · 2023 April 28
DOI 10.3233/THC-236039
Objective
To investigate the key components, molecular targets, and mechanisms of Chaihu Shugan powder in the treatment of functional dyspepsia.
Conclusions
This study provides theoretical evidence for the molecular targets and mechanisms underlying the action of Chaihu Shugan powder in functional dyspepsia, with sitosterol and hyndarin showing binding activity with AKT1 and interleukin-6, respectively, and Chaihu Shugan powder increasing AKT1 protein levels and reducing serum interleukin-6 levels in functional dyspepsia rats.
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Insights
Chaihu Shugan powder, a common treatment for functional dyspepsia in China, works by increasing protein levels of AKT1 and reducing serum levels of IL-6.
The active components and relevant targets of Chaihu Shugan powder were identified from Traditional Chinese Medicine databases. These targets were then cross-referenced with those involved in functional dyspepsia from the GeneCards and Comparative Toxicogenomics databases. Using the protein-protein interactions analysis, common targets were identified. Afterward, the compound-target networks were created using Cytoscape, a software for visualizing complex networks.
In the experiment, several active compounds and numerous related targets for Chaihu Shugan powder were found. Protein-protein interaction network analysis identified key functional dyspepsia-related compound targets. Molecular docking, a method for predicting the preferred orientation of one molecule to a second when bound to each other to form a stable complex, revealed that sitosterol and hyndarin interact favorably with AKT1 and IL-6 respectively, which are proteins involved in functional dyspepsia. Animal trials confirmed that Chaihu Shugan powder increases the protein levels of AKT1 and lowers serum levels of IL-6 in rats with functional dyspepsia.
