Shandong Science ›› 2022, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (2): 36-45.doi: 10.3976/j.issn.1002-4026.2022.02.005

• Pharmacology and Toxicology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Molecular mechanism of Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma's action against rheumatoid arthritis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

ZHANG Xiao-wen(),YING Tian-hao,LIANG Mei-chen,WANG Yan-fang,WANG Xin-lin,ZHANG Lei-ming()   

  1. Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, Yantai 264005,China
  • Received:2021-04-09 Online:2022-04-20 Published:2022-04-07
  • Contact: Lei-ming ZHANG E-mail:lele20000521@163.com;zhangleiming2009@126.com

Abstract:

Network pharmacology and molecular docking methods were used to study the molecular mechanism of Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma's action against rheumatoid arthritis. The main active ingredients and related targets of Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma were obtained through the Traditional Chinese Medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP). The GeneCards database was used to predict rheumatoid arthritis-related targets, and the Uniprot database was used to standardize protein names and obtain the intersection target of Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma and rheumatoid arthritis. The STRING platform was used to analyze protein-protein interactions, and the Metascape platform was used to perform gene ontology (GO) function analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analysis. Cytoscape 3.7.2 was used to construct the active ingredient-target-signaling pathway interaction network. In addition, the AutoDock Vina 1.1.2 software was used for molecular docking of key targets and components. On screening, 7 core active ingredients of Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma and 100 intersection targets for Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma and rheumatoid arthritis, e.g., AKT1, IL6, VEGFA, TNF, TP53, JUN, CASP3, and PTGS2 were obtained. GO and KEGG analyses derived 1064 and 102 signaling pathways, respectively; of which, the signaling pathways related to rheumatoid arthritis included AGE-RAGE, MAPK, TNF, IL-17, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. Furthermore, molecular docking results showed that the key targets and components had a good binding activity. Therefore, our results suggest that Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma may play a role in preventing rheumatoid arthritis by the regulation of multiple targets and pathways, such as metabolism, signal transduction, and inflammatory pathways.

Key words: network pharmacology, rheumatoid arthritis, Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma, molecular docking

CLC Number: 

  • R285