The molecular mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in the treatment of radiation enteritis based on network pharmacology

Abstract

PrObjective This study aimed to explore the potential mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in the treatment of radiation enteritis by means of network pharmacology. Methods The Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform was used to search the active ingredients and targets of Gegen Qinlian Decoction, and the relevant targets of radiation enteritis were searched online through the GeneCards and OMIM databases. Cytoscape 3.7.0 software was used to construct the interaction network of “Gegen Qinlian Decoction-active ingredient-radiation enteritis-target,” and the PPI visualization network diagram of the interaction between target and protein was drawn through STRING database analysis. R language was used to analyze the intersection of drug targets and disease targets to enrich the GO and KEGG pathways of core target genes. Results The search results obtained 146 effective active ingredients of Gegen Qinlian Decoction, including formononetin, β-sitosterol, 3'-methoxydaidzein, acacetin, 5,8,2'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone, berberine, epiberberine, isorhamnetin, formononetin, kaempferol, and naringenin. The PPI network contained 101 nodes and 399 edges. The biological functions involved in GO enrichment analysis included nuclear receptor activity, ligand-activated transcription factor activity, ubiquitin-like protein ligase binding, DNA binding transcription activator activity, RNA polymerase II specific signaling, steroid hormone receptor activity, ubiquitin protein ligase binding, and activation transcription factor binding. The biological pathways and processes involved in KEGG included lipids and atherosclerosis, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus infection, and apoptosis, TNF signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway. Conclusion The effective active ingredients in Gegen Qinlian Decoction treat radiation enteritis through multiple targets and pathways. This work provides a theoretical basis for further research on the effect and mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction on radiation enteritis.