NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ›› 2025, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (3): 544-554. doi: 10.16333/j.1001-6880.2025.3.018 cstr: 32307.14.1001-6880.2025.3.018

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Mechanism of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex-Vaccariae Semen in the treatment of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis in rats based on network pharmacology

DANG Jing-jing1,YU Wen-tao1,MO Xiao-xuan1,LIU Xing-chao1,2,3,DENG Guo-xing1*   

  1. 1Hebei University of Chinese Medicine,Shijiazhuang 050200,China;2Hebei Technology Innovation Center of TCM Formula Preparations;3 Hebei University Traditional Chinese Medicine Development and Industrial Application Technology Research and Development Center,Shijiazhuang 050091,China

  • Online:2025-04-01 Published:2025-04-01

Abstract:

To investigate the protective effect of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex-Vaccariae Semen (PCC-VS) on inflammatory injury of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis(CNP).In this study,41 active ingredients and 156 corresponding target proteins were screened by TCMSP and literature search.OMIM and GeneCards databases were used to screen out 9 848 disease targets related to CNP Cystoscape and String software were used to construct protein target network interaction map and active ingredient-disease target-pathway.PPI results mainly involved key proteins such as interleukin -6(IL-6),tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β),tumor protein-53 (TP53) and RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1).GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were conducted using the Metascape database,enrichment of KEGG pathway involves PI3K-AKT,lipid and atherosclerosis,prostate cancer,MAPK signaling pathways;Molecular docking of active drug components and core targets was performed;In order to verify the above data,the serum levels of IL-1β,interleukin-18(IL-18),TNF-α in rats were detected in animal experiments.The pathological changes of prostate tissue were observed by HE staining.The core target proteins IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1β and the related proteins in the screened pathway were detected by Western blot.Animal experiments showed that the regulation of inflammatory factors and the expression of inflammation-related proteins were inhibited in each treatment group.These results suggest that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway may be involved in the improvement of CNP through multi-component and multi-target pathways.

Key words: network pharmacology, drug pair, chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, Vaccariae Semen, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway

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