Exploring the Dual Components and Mechanism of Panax notoginseng-Eucommia ulmoides for Managing Osteoporosis-Associated Lumbar Disc Herniation Using Network Pharmacology

Abstract

Osteoporosis (OP) combined with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LDH) is a complex disease that exhibits limited efficacy in drug treatment, physical therapy, and surgical intervention, while also carrying potential side effects and risks. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment of OP combined with LDH primarily aims to address deficiencies and regulate the body. Several active ingredients found in Panax notoginseng and Eucommia ulmoides, such as quercetin and beta-sitosterol, have demonstrated the ability to enhance osteoblast proliferation and bone matrix synthesis. While historical literature contains mechanistic studies on individual herbs, there is a conspicuous dearth of comprehensive and systematic research on their mechanisms of action. By utilizing network pharmacology method, we identified 35 active ingredients present in Panax notoginseng and Eucommia ulmoides, along with 98 potential targets associated with the treatment of OP combined with LDH using Panax notoginseng-Eucommia ulmoides. Through protein-protein interaction network analysis, we identified 5 essential active ingredients (Quercetin, Beta-carotene, Kaempferol, Beta-sitosterol, and Notoginsenoside Fe) and 5 core targets (Nuclear factor kappa-B 3 [RELA], hypoxia-induciblefactor-1A [HIF-1A], Myelocytomatosis Viral Oncogene homolog [MYC], Transcription Factor AP-1 [JUN], and Estrogen Receptor 1 [ESR1]). The potential targets primarily involve IL-17, AGEs-RAGE, the TNF signaling pathway, and other pathways through which they exert therapeutic effects. The key active ingredient was docked with the core target molecule, resulting in all molecules exhibiting binding energies ≤-5 kcal/mol. This study provides preliminary evidence that treatment with Panax notoginseng-Eucommia ulmoides for OP combined with LDH may lead to improvements in inflammation, oxidative stress, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, and cytokine regulation.