The research suggests that the Traditional Chinese Medicine formula Tian-Ma-Gou-Teng-Yin could potentially slow Alzheimer's disease progression through neuroprotection and anti-neuroinflammation.
The methodology used in this research was a computational systems pharmacology approach involving network link prediction, statistical analysis, and bioinformatics tools. Researchers used Tian-Ma-Gou-Teng-Yin, a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula, as an example, and initially identified hundreds of formula components, along with their corresponding known targets. They then utilized a balanced substructure-drug-target network-based inference method to predict potential targets for these components.
The research then performed statistical analysis to identify the compounds most significantly related to Alzheimer's disease. The target genes linked to these compounds were further studied for their presence in pathways associated with Alzheimer's. The main pathways of interest were those involved in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, serotonergic synapse, inflammatory mediator regulation of transient receptor potential channel and calcium signaling pathway.
