Potential material basis of Kangbingdu Granules for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the potential material basis of Kangbingdu Granules for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) through network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods: The chemical constituents and action targets of Isatidis Radix, Forsythiae Fructus, Gypsum Fibrosum, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Phragmitis Rhizoma, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, Pogostemon cablin, Acoritataninowii Rhizoma and Curcumae Radix in Kangbingdu Granules were searched by TCMSP. The gene corresponding to the target was searched by UniProt database, and Cytoscape 3.6.1 was used to build a medicinal material-compound-target (gene) network. DAVID was used to perform gene ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis to predict its mechanism. Molecular docking of the top 15 components was carried out in the medicinal material-compound-target network with SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase, and molecular docking with bicuculline, luteolin, quercetin and angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) was performed. Results: The medicinal material-compound-target (gene) network contained eight medicinal materials, 75 compounds and 255 targets. GO function enrichment analysis revealed 161 GO items (P < 0.05), including 65 biological process (BP) items, 36 cell composition (CC) items, and 60 molecular function (MF) items. KEGG pathway enrichment screened 131 signaling pathways (P < 0.05). The results of molecular docking showed that the core active compounds such as bicuculline, luteolin, and quercetin in the Kangbingdu Granules had similar affinities with those recommended by COVID-19. Conclusion: The active compounds in Kangbingdu Granules can interact with angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) via targets PTGS2, HSP90AB1, and PTGS1 to regulate multiple signaling pathways, thereby exerting therapeutic effects on COVID-19.