Network pharmacology and bioinformatics study on the treatment of renal fibrosis with persicae semen-carthami flos drug pair

Abstract

To use network pharmacology and bioinformatics technology to reveal the mechanism of persicae semen-carthami flos drug pair in the treatment of renal fibrosis (RF). Compounds in traditional Chinese medicine were obtained through the Herb database. Appropriate compounds and corresponding drug targets were screened out based on the 5 rules of Lipinski and pharmacokinetics. Screening of suitable disease miRNAs by microarray chips in the GEO database. Find differentially expressed genes by analyzing miRNAs. Protein-protein interaction analysis and enrichment analysis of therapeutic targets were performed using String database and Omicshare platform. Molecular docking via the DockThor platform. A total of 28 drug compounds and 228 drug targets were screened in this study. A total of 9 miRNAs and 6649 disease targets were obtained by GEO2R software analysis. Finally, 97 therapeutic targets were obtained. A total of 1124 Gene Ontology enrichment analysis results were obtained. Therapeutic targets play multiple roles in biological processes, molecular functions, and cellular organization. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis showed that the persicae semen-carthami flos drug pair played a role in the treatment of RF mainly through calcium signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, cAMP signaling pathway, and other pathways. Molecular docking showed that the traditional Chinese medicine compounds had good binding ability to the target. Persicae semen and carthami flos play a role in the treatment of RF through multiple targets and multiple pathways. It provides ideas and references for follow-up research and new drug development.Abbreviations: AR = androgen receptor, GO = Gene Ontology, KEGG = Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, MAPK = mitogen-activated protein kinase, RF = renal fibrosis, UUO = unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Dose- and time-dependent renoprotection of Angelica sinensis in patients with chronic kidney disease: A longitudinal cohort study

“…This study found that the top two additive renoprotective collocations of A. sinensis in compounds were the use of Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Shen-Tong-Zhu-Yu-Tang and the use of Shu-Jing-Huo-Xue-Tang and Shen-Tong-Zhu-Yu-Tang. These findings are consistent with previous studies ( Guo et al, 2013 ; Wang et al, 2023 ). The main bioactive compound of Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang, Shu-Jing-Huo-Xue-Tang, and Shen-Tong-Zhu-Yu-Tang is Tao Ren [semen of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch], which is a potent anti-fibrotic agent that may have a therapeutic potential in patients with fibrotic kidney disease, as it can attenuate renal fibroblast activation and rat renal interstitial fibrosis ( Guo et al, 2013 ).…”

“…The main bioactive compound of Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang, Shu-Jing-Huo-Xue-Tang, and Shen-Tong-Zhu-Yu-Tang is Tao Ren [semen of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch], which is a potent anti-fibrotic agent that may have a therapeutic potential in patients with fibrotic kidney disease, as it can attenuate renal fibroblast activation and rat renal interstitial fibrosis ( Guo et al, 2013 ). Another common bioactive compound of Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Shen-Tong-Zhu-Yu-Tang is Hong Hua ( Carthamus tinctorius L.), which also has therapeutic effects on renal fibrosis ( Wang et al, 2023 ). Given that oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis are three well-documented mechanistic processes implicated in CKD pathogenesis ( Khan et al, 2022 ), A. sinensis alone can confer renoprotection as the main effect in clinical practice.…”