Application of Network Pharmacology to Elucidate The Potential Mechanism of Finger Citron Against Obesity

Abstract

Background: Finger citron (FS) is one of many traditional Chinese herbs that have been used to treat obesity. However, the active components and potential targets of FS in improving obesity remain unclear. Methods：The aim of this study was to elucidate the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of FS on obesity using network pharmacology analysis. We used network pharmacology to determine the active components, potential targets and mechanisms in the treatment of obesity.Results：We identified 25 active ingredients of FS such as diosmetin, hesperidin and sitosterol-alpha1 with important biological effect. A total of 258 key targets were screened, containing TNF，NOS2, MAPK8 which were found to be enriched in 27 signaling pathways, such as apoptosis, TNF, PPAR and AKT1, and Insulin resistance signaling pathways. Moreover, molecular docking analysis showed that the main ingredients were tightly bound to the core targets, further confirming the effects of weight loss. Conclusion: Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis, our study provides insights into the potential mechanism of FS in ameliorating obesity after screening for associated key target genes and signaling pathways. These findings further provide a theoretical basis for further pharmacological research into the potential mechanism of FS in treating obesity.