Network pharmacology of Luffa cylindrica with targets related to obesity

Abstract

With obesity being one of the causing factors of Metabolic Syndrome, this study was undertaken to pinpoint the phytoconstituents from Luffa cylindrica that can be utilized to regulate proteins associated with obesity. With eighteen such phytoconstituents being identified in Luffa cylindrica, detailed investigations were carried out on each of these compounds. The parameters of these investigations were drug likeness score and ADMET score comprising distribution, absorption, excretion, metabolism and toxicity profile. Of all the compounds, Rutin proved to have the highest drug likeness score. Simultaneously, docking studies and gene set enrichment analysis were also conducted on the phytoconstituents. While the docking studies were undertaken to establish their binding affinity with obesity-related proteins, the gene set enrichment analysis was carried out to find pathways modulated by the phytoconstituents. The docking studies revealed the binding energy of luteolin-7-o-beta-o-glucoronide methyl to be the highest. The gene set enrichment analysis identified a total of twenty-five different pathways that were involved in obesity. Signal transduction and metabolism was identified to score the highest gene count.