Title:Network Pharmacology-based Investigation of the Underlying Mechanism of Panax notoginseng Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy
VOLUME: 23 ISSUE: 4
Author(s):Chunli Piao*, Zheyu Sun, De Jin, Han Wang, Xuemin Wu, Naiwen Zhang, Fengmei Lian* and Xiaolin Tong*
Affiliation:Shenzhen Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, Guangdong 51800, Shenzhen Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, Guangdong 51800, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100000, Shenzhen Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, Guangdong 51800, Shenzhen Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, Guangdong 51800, Shenzhen Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, Guangdong 51800, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100000, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100000
Keywords:Panax notoginseng, molecular mechanism, network pharmacology, diabetic retinopathy, treatment, vascular disease.
Abstract:
Background: Panax notoginseng, a Chinese herbal medicine, has been widely used to
treat vascular diseases. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the complications of diabetic
microangiopathy. According to recent studies, the application of Panax notoginseng extract and
related Chinese patent medicine preparations can significantly improve DR. However, the
pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to decipher
the potential mechanism of Panax notoginseng treatment of DR using network pharmacology.
Methods: We evaluated and screened the active compounds of Panax notoginseng using the
Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database and collected potential targets of
the compounds by target fishing. A multi-source database was also used to organize targets of DR.
The potential targets as the treatment of DR with Panax notoginseng were then obtained by
matching the compound targets with the DR targets. Using protein-protein interaction networks
and topological analysis, interactions between potential targets were identified. In addition, we also
performed gene ontology-biological process and pathway enrichment analysis for the potential
targets by using the Biological Information Annotation Database.
Results: Eight active ingredients of Panax notoginseng and 31 potential targets for the treatment of
DR were identified. The screening and enrichment analysis revealed that the treatment of DR using
Panax notoginseng primarily involved 28 biological processes and 10 related pathways. Further
analyses indicated that angiogenesis, inflammatory reactions, and apoptosis may be the main
processes involved in the treatment of DR with Panax notoginseng. In addition, we determined that
the mechanism of intervention of Panax notoginseng in treating DR may involve five core targets,
VEGFA, MMP-9, MMP-2, FGF2, and COX-2.
Conclusion: Panax notoginseng may treat diabetic retinopathy through the mechanism of network
pharmacological analysis. The underlying molecular mechanisms were closely related to the
intervention of angiogenesis, inflammation, and apoptosis with VEGFA, MMP-9, MMP-2, FGF2,
and COX-2 being possible targets.
