Analysis of Mechanism of Daotan Decoction in Treating Different Diseases with the Same Method for Vascular Dementia and Metabolic Syndrome Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Technology
Abstract:Objective:To analyze the potential mechanism of Daotan Decoction in treating different diseases with the same method for vascular dementia (VD) and metabolic syndrome (MS) using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods: The active components and corresponding targets of Daotan Decoction were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) database. Disease targets related to VD and MS were obtained from The Human Gene Database (GeneCards),Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), and DrugBank databases. The "Chinese herbal medicine-component-target" network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1, and a composite "Chinese herbal medicine-component-target-pathway-disease" network was plotted. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built based on the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) platform,and core components and targets were screened using CytoNCA. Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the intersecting targets were performed using the Metascape online platform. Molecular docking of core components and targets was conducted using AutoDockTools 1.5.6. Results:A total of 66 active components of Daotan Decoction were identified,which corresponding to 763 targets. Furthermore,2 613 targets associated with VD and 2 415 targets associated with MS were retrieved, yielding 165 common Chinese herbal medicine-disease targets were identified. The main active components included baicalein, apigenin, prangenin, poncirin, and cavidine. Core targets included glyceral dehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), AKT serine/ threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), tumor protein p53 (TP53), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1). KEGG pathway enrichment mainly involved phosphoinostitide 3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway, the advanced glycation end product (AGE)-receptor for AGE (RAGE) signaling pathway in diabetic complications,and insulin-like growth factor receptor signaling pathway and others. The binding affinity of molecular docking between the main active components and core targets was all less than -5 kcal/mol. Conclusion: Daotan Decoction exerts therapeutic effects on VD and MS through multi-component, multi-pathway regulation,association with multiple key targets,and demonstrates treating different diseases with the same method.