RESUMEN
Objective: This study aimed to explore the mechanisms of Baishi tablets (BSTs) in the treatment of vitiligo through network pharmacology-based identification and experimental validation. Methods: In brief, the compounds and related targets of BST were extracted from the TCMSP database, and disease information was obtained from the OMIM, GeneCards, PharmGkb, TTD, and DrugBank databases. A Venn diagram was generated to visualize the common targets of BST and vitiligo. GO and KEGG analyses were performed to explore the potential biological processes and signaling pathways. The PPI network and core gene subnetwork were constructed using STRING and Cytoscape software. In addition, the measurement of apoptosis in PIG1 cells and intracellular reactive oxygen species were measured using quercetin (QU), luteolin (LU), and kaempferol (KA) to protect melanocytes from oxidative stress. Results: A total of 55 compounds with 236 targets and 1205 vitiligo-related genes were obtained from the TCMSP database. GO and KEGG analyses were performed to explore the potential biological processes and signaling pathways, revealing that BST may cure vitiligo by influencing the biological processes of cellular oxidative stress and related signaling pathways. A critical subnetwork was obtained with 13 core genes by analyzing the PPI network, which includes HMOX1, CXCL8, CCL2, IL6, MAPK8, CASP3, PTGS2, AKT1, IL1B, MYC, TP53, IFNG, and IL2. Furthermore, a molecular docking analysis was conducted to simulate the combination of compounds and gene proteins, reflecting that QU, LU, and KA can strongly bind the core genes. Through a series of experimental validations, we found that QU, LU, and KA could attenuate H2O2-induced apoptosis in melanocytes. Further evidence revealed that QU, LU, and KA could enhance the scavenging of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conclusion: Based on the results of network pharmacology analysis and experimental verification, QA, LU, and KA can be utilized to protect PIG1 cells by inhibiting oxidative stress and reducing the intracellular level of ROS. This may explain the underlying mechanism of BST therapy and provide a novel strategy for the treatment of vitiligo.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the mechanisms of Hippophae fructus oil (HFO) in the treatment of tympanic membrane (TM) perforation through network pharmacology-based identification. METHODS: The compounds and related targets of HFO were extracted from the TCMSP database, and disease information was obtained from the OMIM, GeneCards, PharmGkb, TTD, and DrugBank databases. A Venn diagram was generated to show the common targets of HFO and TM, and GO and KEGG analyses were performed to explore the potential biological processes and signaling pathways. The PPI network and core gene subnetwork were constructed using the STRING database and Cytoscape software. A molecular docking analysis was also conducted to simulate the combination of compounds and gene proteins. RESULTS: A total of 33 compounds and their related targets were obtained from the TCMSP database. After screening the 393 TM-related targets, 21 compounds and 22 gene proteins were selected to establish the network diagram. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that HFO may promote TM healing by influencing cellular oxidative stress and related signaling pathways. A critical subnetwork was obtained by analyzing the PPI network with nine core genes: CASP3, MMP2, IL1B, TP53, EGFR, CXCL8, ESR1, PTGS2, and IL6. In addition, a molecular docking analysis revealed that quercetin strongly binds the core proteins. CONCLUSION: According to the analysis, HFO can be utilized to repair perforations by influencing cellular oxidative stress. Quercetin is one of the active compounds that potentially plays an important role in TM regeneration by influencing 17 gene proteins.