Shandong Science ›› 2023, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (1): 23-33.doi: 10.3976/j.issn.1002-4026.2023.01.004

• Pharmacology and Toxicology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Analysis of the mechanism of Yinzhihuang Granules in liver fibrosis treatment based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

SHEN Fengxia1,2(), FAN Jianwei1,2, LI Qian1,2, MA Yun1,2, FENG Qun2,3,*(), GUAN Yongxia1,2,*()   

  1. 1. Lunan Hope Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Linyi 276006; China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Generic Manufacture Technology of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Linyi 276006, China
    3. Shandong New Time Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Linyi 273400, China
  • Received:2022-03-02 Online:2023-02-20 Published:2023-02-08

Abstract:

This study discussed the mechanism of action of Yinzhihuang Granules in the treatment of liver fibrosis using network pharmacology and molecular docking and aimed to provide further information regarding its basic research and clinical application.The active ingredients of Yinzhihuang Granules were screened using the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology databases and analysis platforms. The targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction. By searching through the GeneCards database, liver fibrosis-related targets were screened out. Venn diagrams,Gene Ontology(GO) function, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were conducted using DAVID. Ingredient-target and target-pathway networks were mapped using Cytoscape3.9.0. Protein-Protein interaction networks were built with the help of STRING and Cytoscape3.9.0. AutoDock Tools were used to perform molecular docking between the key active ingredients and core targets to verify the results of the network pharmacology analysis.Through oral bioavailability and drug-likeness parameters, 43 active ingredients and 111 liver fibrosis-related targets were screened from Yinzhihuang Granules; 346 biological process, 32 cellular composition, and 76 molecular function entries were filtered out from the GO functional enrichment analysis; 96 (P<0.05) signaling pathways, which mainly involved the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, TNF signaling pathway, etc, were screened form the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis; and molecular docking showed that β-sitosterol, luteolin, and kaempferol present in Yinzhihuang Granules have good affinity with the 6 core target proteins: STAT3, AKT1, IL-6, TNF, EGFR, and SRC.The results revealed that YinzhihuangGranules act on multiple targets, participate in the regulation of multiple pathways, and play a role in the treatment of liver fibrosis via activating anti-inflammatory pathways, inhibiting oxidative stress response, and inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells. This study provides evidence for the further validation of the targets and pathways of Yinzhihuang Granules that are involved in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Key words: Yinzhihuang Granules, network pharmacology, molecular docking, liver fibrosis

CLC Number: 

  • R285