Network Pharmacological Analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction for Anti- Atherosclerosis

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to predict the possible active components,key targets and pathways of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction(HLJDD) for anti-atherosclerosis. Methods: The TCMSP database was searched to obtain the active components and targets of HLJDD, the GeneCards and OMIM databases were searched to obtain related targets of atherosclerosis, and we obtain the intersection targets of them, which are the potential targets of HLJDD for anti-atherosclerosis.Application of Cytoscape 3.6.0 software to build a herbal-active ingredient-potential target regulation network.We perform protein-protein interaction(PPI) network analysis of potential targets through STRING 11.0 database and obtain the key targets,and the results of PPI network of key targets were visualized by Cytoscape3.6.0 software. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of the key targets were performed using STRING11.0 database, and we finally constructed the possible pharmacological network of HLJDD for anti-atherosclerosis .Results: We finally obtained 14 key active ingredients of HLJDD, 65 key targets of anti-atherosclerosis, and 14 key active ingredients corresponded to 52 of these targets. These targets are mainly involved in biological processes such as reaction to organic substance, reaction to chemical stimulation,etc.They mainly involved in biological signaling pathways such as pathways in cancer,IL-17 signaling pathway,etc. Conclusion: HLJDD may act on 52 key targets such as PTGS2, HSP90AA1 and RELA through 14 key active ingredients, and influence the signaling pathways including fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway,AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications,TNF signaling pathway,etc.Thus, it may play an anti-atherosclerosis role by inhibiting inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress and improving hemodynamics,etc.

Finding inhibitors for PCSK9 using computational methods

“…An experimental study on mice found that berberine slows down the progression of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-/-) cholesterol-fed mice [ 59 ]. Moreover, the network pathways analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction, a traditional Chinese medicinal approach, has shown that (S)-canadine and berberine are two of the main ingredients that are likely to play an active role against atherosclerosis [ 60 ]. An in vivo study conducted on hesperetin to evaluate its role in LDLR expression proposed that hesperetin dosage (200μM) likely spurs the expression of LDLR gene which enhances mRNA level of transcription factors, SREBP-1 and SREBP-2, leading to decreased LDL-C level in plasma, hence, lowering the risk for CVD [ 61 ].…”