Exploration on the mechanism of Wenjing Decoction in the treatment of liver fibrosis based on network pharmacology and experimental verification
10.3760/cma.j.cn115398-20230720-00200
- VernacularTitle:基于网络药理学及实验验证探讨温经汤治疗肝纤维化的作用机制
- Author:
Dongqi SUN
1
;
Teng WU
;
Xiaoling ZHOU
;
Yueming WANG
;
Zepeng LI
;
Yiling MO
Author Information
1. 柳州市中医医院消化科，柳州 545001
- Keywords:
Wen Jing Tang;
Hepatic fibrosis;
Network pharmacology;
Animal experiments;
Rats
- From:
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2024;46(10):1323-1329
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the mechanism of Wenjing Decoction in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis through network pharmacological methods, and conducting animal experiments to verify the core targets.Methods:The TCMSP database platform was used to screen the active components and related targets of Wenjing Decoction, and the Uniprot database was used to obtain the target genes corresponding to the active components of Wenjing Decoction. The network diagram of "Chinese materia medica-compound-target" was constructed in Cytoscape 3.7.2, and the GeneCards database was used to search liver fibrosis related targets. String database was used to construct a protein interaction network (PPI) to screen the core components and key targets of liver fibrosis, and GO analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment were performed. Animal experiments were conducted to verify the results of the analysis. 10 mice were selected as the blank group, and the remaining 45 rats were induced with carbon tetrachloride induced liver fibrosis model. After modeling, 40 successfully modeled rats were divided into model group and Wenjing Decoction high, medium-, and low-dosage groups using a random number table method, with 10 rats in each group. Wenjing Decoction high, medium-, and low-dosage groups were orally administered with 1.5×3.18, 3.18, and 0.5×3.18 g/kg Wenjing Decoction, respectively. The blank group was orally administered with equal volume distilled water once a day for 8 consecutive weeks. HE staining was used to observe the histopathological and morphological changes in the liver of rats. The serum GPT and GOT levels of rats were detected using a fully automated biochemical analyzer, and the expressions of TNF, AKT, and IL-6 proteins in rat liver tissue was detected using Western Blot.Results:A total of 188 active components of Wenjing Decoction were obtained, and the active components with higher degree values were β-sitosterol, quercetin, naringenin, etc. 799 liver fibrosis gene targets were collected, and the core target genes of the PPI network were TNF, AKT, IL6, etc. The key anti-hepatic fibrosis related pathways were obtained by GO function and KEGG analysis, including pathway in cancer, TNF, PI3K-Akt and other signalling pathways. Results of animal experiments showed that there were obvious inflammatory infiltration, collagen fibre and pseudo lobe generation in the liver tissue of rats in the model group, and the levels of inflammation and fibrosis in the liver tissue of rats in the Wenjing Decoction high, medium-, and low-dosage groups were improved to different degrees compared with that of the model group; compared with the model group, the levels of serum GPT and GOT decreased ( P<0.05); the protein expressions of TNF, AKT and IL6 in the Wenjing Decoction high, medium-, and low-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Wenjing Decoction may exert anti-liver fibrosis effects by intervening in TNF, AKT, IL6 targets, regulating cancer pathways, TNF, PI3K Akt and other signaling pathways.
