Potential Targets and Pharmacological Effects of Wuling Capsule on Alzheimer’s Disease: A Network Pharmacology-based Analysis

Abstract

Background and objectives: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common geriatric disease with a complex pathogenesis and challenging treatment options. Wuling capsule is a single herbal formula mainly composed of Xylaria nigripes powder, which has sedative and neuroprotective effects on the central nervous system. This study aimed to explore various potential pathways and targets of Wuling capsules for the treatment of AD. Methods:The anti-AD mechanism of Wuling capsule was systematically analyzed by integrating multiple databases and using network pharmacology. The active ingredients of Wuling capsules were screened through the Pubchem website, the SwissADME database, and a literature search. The related targets of AD were then screened in the GeneCards database. Using Cytoscape software and STRING, the disease-drug-target interaction network and the protein-protein interaction network were visualized, and topological analysis revealed the differences in the effects of different types of compounds.Results: Fifty-four compounds and 284 targets were screened by network pharmacology. The main active ingredients included quercetin, xylaric acid A-D, lysine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamic acid, other amino acids, trace elements, guanosine, adenosine, etc. The targets in the network cover inflammation, oxidative stress, modulation of chemical synaptic transmission, and other related proteins, including protein kinase B, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and tumor suppressor p53. The enrichment analysis results showed that these pathways include the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha signaling pathways. We also explored five potential protein functional modules. Conclusions:This study revealed the multi-target and multi-pathway effects of the drug-ingredient-target-disease network through network pharmacology. This systematic screening strategy provides a new concept and theoretical basis for the treat-