Network Pharmacology-based Analysis of the Effects of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction on Ischemic Stroke*

Abstract

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms and material basis of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD) in treating clinical Ischemic stroke (IS) using network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. Materials and Methods The study retrieved and screened the practical components of HGWD from the TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM, and ETCM databases. Target prediction was performed using the SwissTargetPrediction database, and disease targets for IS were obtained from the Gene Cards, DisGeNET, and OMIM databases. The regulatory targets for HGWD in treating IS were obtained by VENN analysis, and the protein-protein interaction network of disease targets was constructed using the STRING database. GO analysis and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed using the DAVID database. Results A total of 227 active ingredients and 354 drug targets were obtained for HGWD, and after combining them with 4,402 disease targets, 253 potential targets for HGWD to treat IS were identified. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses yielded 251 gene functions and 422 pathways. The study found that the active components in HGWD may treat IS through the IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and other targets. Conclusion The study identified potential molecular mechanisms and the material basis of HGWD in treating clinical IS. The results suggest that HGWD could be a promising therapeutic approach for treating IS, and further experimental validation is needed.