1.Analysis on Mechanism of Huangwu Ganfu Ointment in Relieving Knee Osteoarthritis Pain Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification
Chuyang JIANG ; Zhaonan WANG ; Jiahao LI ; Qianyu QING ; Le ZHAO ; Ziwei ZHAO ; Yanyan LI
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;31(1):20-28
Objective To analyze the mechanism of Huangwu Ganfu Ointment in relieving pain of knee osteoarthritis(KOA)based on network pharmacology;To verify it in animal experiments.Methods The active components of Huangwu Ganfu Ointment were obtained by TCMSP database,PubChem database and SwissADME platform,the effective components were screened,and the targets were obtained from SEA database.KOA disease-related targets were obtained from GeneCards,OMIM and other databases,and the intersection targets were obtained.A effective component-target-disease network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.0 Software.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed by STRING database and core targets were screened.GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of intersection targets were analyzed using DAVID platform.The KOA rat model with cold and damp syndrome was established,and the intervention of Huangwu Ganfu Ointment was carried out.The efficacy was observed and the core target expressions were detected.Results Totally 104 effective components were screened from Huangwu Ganfu Ointment,and 59 potential targets were obtained for treating KOA.PPI network interaction analysis obtained the important targets of IL6,IL1B and PTGS2.KEGG enrichment results showed that Huangwu Ganfu Ointment may involve 84 signaling pathways such as IL-17,TNF,TRP and NF-κB in the treatment of KOA,most of which were related to inflammation.The results of animal experiments showed that Lecuesne MG scores increased in the model rats(P<0.05),and paw withdrawal threshold(PWT)significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with model group,PWT in Huangwu Ganfu Ointment medium-and high-dosage groups were significantly recovered,and synovitis Krenn score decreased(P<0.05).The Mankin score of cartilage tissue of Huangwu Ganfu Ointment high-dosage group decreased(P<0.05).The contents of IL-6 and IL-1β in all Huangwu Ganfu Ointment groups decreased(P<0.01).Huangwu Ganfu Ointment medium-and high-dosage groups could down-regulate the expression of TRPV1 protein(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion The mechanism of Huangwu Ganfu Ointment in alleviating the pain of KOA may be related to reducing inflammatory response,reducing the release of inflammatory factors of IL-1β and IL-6,alleviating inflammatory pain sensitivity of KOA,and down-regulating the expression level of TRPV1.
2.Study on the Effect of Fuhe Decoction (敷和汤) with Different Doses of Suanzaoren (Ziziphus jujuba) on IgE Levels and Intestinal Flora in Atopic Dermatitis Model Mice
Qianyu QING ; Ziwei ZHAO ; Chuyang JIANG ; Yafei ZHAO ; Yanyan LI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(7):728-736
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Fuhe Decoction (敷和汤) with different doses of Suanzaoren (Ziziphus jujuba) for atopic dermatitis (AD). MethodsForty-eight female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group, loratadine group, and Fuhe Decoction groups with high, medium, and low doses of Fuhe Decoction (Fuhe Decoction high-, medium-, and low-dose groups), with eight mice in each group. The AD model was prepared by continuous stimulation with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) in all groups but the normal group. After modelling, the Fuhe Decoction high-, medium- and low-dose groups were given 24, 18 and 15 g/(kg·d) of Fuhe Decoction, the loratadine group was given 0.001 g/(kg·d) of loratadine dry suspension, and the normal group and the model group were given 10 ml/(kg·d) of normal saline by gavage. All groups were gavaged for 14 days. The number of scratches within 10 min and the score of skin lesions were observed on the 7th and 14th days of modelling and on the 7th and 14th days of drug administration, respectively; serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) was detected by ELISA; the histopathological and morphological changes of the skin were observed by HE staining; and the diversity and abundance of intestinal flora were detected by 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal matter from the colon of the mice. ResultsCompared with the normal group, mice in the model group on the 7th day and the 14th day of modelling and the 7th day, the 14th day of gavage showed increased scratching within 10 min and higher skin lesion scores (P<0.05), with hyperkeratotic or incomplete epidermis, marked thickening of spiny cells, and a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the mice after gavage; serum levels of IgE elevated (P<0.05), and the abundance of Bacillota decreased, that of the Bacteroidota and bacteria elevated, and relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. and Prevotella spp. decreased, and relative abundance of Anaplasma spp. and Treponema spp. increased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the number of scratches within 10 min and the skin lesion scores of mice in the loratadine group and the Fuhe Decoction medium- and high-dose groups decreased on the 7th day and the 14th day of gavage (P<0.05), serum IgE reduced, and the bacteria reduced in the loratadine group, the abundance of Bacteroidesmus spp. increased and Bacteriodesmus spp. decreased in the medium-dose group of Fuhe Decoction, the abundance of Bacteriodesmus spp. decreased in the loratadine group, the abundance of Bacteriodesmus spp. decreased, and that of both Lactobacillus spp. and Prevotella spp. increased in Fuhe Decoction medium-dose group (P<0.05). Compared with the loratadine group, the skin lesion scores increased in Fuhe Decoction low-dose group, and the number of scratching increased in the Fuhe Decoction low- and high-dose groups on the 7th day and the 14th day of gavage; the IgE content increased in Fuhe Decoction low-dose group, the Bacillota increased and the Bacteroidota decreased, the Lactobacillus spp. and Prevotella spp. increased in Fuhe Decoction middle-dose group, and Anopheles spp. increased in Fuhe Decoction high-dose group after gavage (P<0.05). ConclusionFuhe Decoction can improve the clinical symptoms of AD, regulate the relative abundance of intestinal flora to correct the disorders of the bacterial flora, among which the effect of Fuhe Decoction medium-dose group is optimal and comparable to that of the loratadine group, and the reduction of serum IgE inflammatory response may be one of its mechanisms of action.
3.Mechanism of Huangwu Ganfu Ointment in Treatment of Peripheral Inflammatory Hyperalgesia of Knee Osteoarthritis Based on TRPV1
Chuyang JIANG ; Zhaonan WANG ; Hongliang JIANG ; Ziwei ZHAO ; Le ZHAO ; Yanmiao MA ; Yanyan LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(14):97-106
ObjectiveTo observe the regulatory effect of Huangwu Ganfu ointment on transient receptor potential anchor protein 1 (TRPV1) receptor expression, macrophage polarization, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway in synovial tissue of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rats with yang deficiency and cold coagulation syndrome and explore the mechanism of relieving peripheral inflammatory hyperalgesia of KOA. MethodForty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, high-dose, middle-dose, and low-dose groups of Huangwu Ganfu ointment (9.3, 4.65, 2.325 g·kg-1), and celecoxib group (20.82 mg·kg-1). The KOA rat model of yang deficiency and cold coagulation syndrome was established through climate box and swimming for two weeks combined with an injection of sodium iodoacetate (MIA) in the articular cavity. After continuous administration for four weeks, the general condition of rats in each group was observed, and the pain withdrawal threshold (PWT) and joint diameter induced by mechanical stimulation were recorded. The expression levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nerve growth factor (NGF), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inflammatory factor were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the histopathological changes of synovial tissue of the knee joint were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of TRPV1, p38 MAPK, and p-p38 MAPK in synovial tissue of the knee joint, and immunofluorescence (IF) was used to evaluate the polarization of M1/M2 macrophages. ResultCompared with that in the blank group, the overall mental state of the model group was worse, and the autonomous activity was decreased. The body mass was lower, and the joint diameter was increased. The X-ray showed that the osteophyte at the edge of the joint proliferated, and the articular surface was obviously rough. The articular cavity was significantly narrowed, and the PWT was significantly decreased (P<0.01). The contents of IL-1β, TNF-α, CGRP, and NGF in serum and synovium Krenn score increased significantly (P<0.01). The protein expression of TRPV1 and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK increased significantly (P<0.01), and the proportion of M1 macrophages and M1/M2 increased (P<0.01), while the proportion of M2 macrophages decreased (P<0.01). Compared with model group, the body mass in the low, middle, and high dose groups of Huangwu Ganfu ointment increased to different degrees (P<0.05, P<0.01). The diameter of the knee joint in the high dose group of Huangwu Ganfu ointment and celecoxib group decreased (P<0.01). The recovery of PWT in the high and middle dose groups of Huangwu Ganfu ointment groups was more obvious (P<0.05). The contents of IL-1β and CGRP in the serum of rats in each administration group were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the content of serum TNF-α in the celecoxib group and high dose group of Huangwu Ganfu ointment decreased significantly (P<0.05). The content of serum NGF in the middle dose group of Huangwu Ganfu ointment decreased significantly (P<0.05), and the synovium Krenn score decreased in the high dose group of Huangwu Ganfu ointment (P<0.05). In addition, the protein expression of TRPV1 and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK in synovial tissue decreased significantly in all groups of Huangwu Ganfu ointment (P<0.01). The proportion of M1 macrophages in synovial tissue in the celecoxib group and all groups of Huangwu Ganfu ointment decreased (P<0.01), and the proportion of M2 macrophages in the high dose group of Huangwu Ganfu ointment increased (P<0.05). The M1/M2 in the middle and high dose groups of Huangwu Ganfu ointment decreased (P<0.05). ConclusionHuangwu Ganfu ointment can mediate the polarization of macrophages to reduce the inflammatory reaction of KOA, alleviate the release of inflammatory pain mediators, and lower the protein expression of TRPV1. The mechanism may be related to the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, so as to improve the peripheral hyperalgesia of KOA.