Molecular mechanism prediction analysis of compound Kushen injection in the treatment of COVID-19 based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Background:As one of the eight effective traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of atypical pneumonia,compound Kushen injection(CKI)played an important role in combating pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus in China in 2003.CKI is known to inhibit inflammation,and its main chemical components,namely matrine and oxymatrine,can promote Th cells to recognize and eliminate viruses.In this study,network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to explore the mechanisms of CKI for treating coronavirus disease 2019.Methods:The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and other related literature were used to screen CKI’s active ingredients in the blood.Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform,Swiss Target Prediction and STITCH were used to search for potential targets of the active ingredients.The“ingredient-target”network was constructed using the Cytoscape software.The STRING online database was used to construct a target protein-protein interaction network that can be visualized and analyzed using the Cytoscape software to obtain key targets.Results:Sophocarpine,sophoridine,matrine,(+)-allomatrine,AIDS211310,and sophranol were the six active ingredients.After docking the active ingredients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 23CL hydrolase and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2),they displayed suitable affinity,which could block viral replication and its binding to ACE2.The key targets mainly involved inflammatory factors,such as interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor(TNF).Gene Ontology enrichment analysis mainly indicated the IL-6 cytokine-mediated signaling pathway and cytokine-mediated signaling pathway.The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome pathway enrichment analysis mainly indicated steroid hormone biosynthesis and the TNF signaling pathway.Conclusion:The alkaloids in CKI can block viral replication and its binding to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and ACE2 receptors.They regulate the IL-6-mediated signaling pathway,TNF signaling pathway,and steroid hormone biosynthesis,thereby initiating therapeutic responses against coronavirus disease 2019.

Treating COVID-19 by traditional Chinese medicine:a charming strategy?

On April 14,2020,the State Council of China announced that“three proprietary Chinese medicines and three decoctions”of effective traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in the treatment of the novel coronavirus pneumonia have passed clinical practice screenings[1].Some scholars believe that early TCM intervention of mild and moderate cases and recovery period may reduce the ratio of mild cases progressing into severe and critical cases.Some data have also suggested that the combination of TCM and Western medicine may reduce the mortality rate in severe and critical cases[2,3].

Molecular mechanism prediction analysis of Xiaozheng decoction in the treatment of bladder cancer based on network pharmacology

Background:To investigate the mechanism of Xiaozheng decoction in treatment of bladder cancer based on network pharmacology.Methods:Based on the Tradictional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database(TCMSP),the active compositions of Xiaozheng decoction were screened.The targets of active components were obtained from TCMSP,Swiss Target Prediction,and STITCH database.By mapping the disease targets of bladder cancer obtained from the DisGeNET and Genecards databases,the potential targets of Xiaozheng decoction for bladder cancer were obtained.The active components of Xiaozheng decoction-targets network was constructed using the Cytoscape software.The target protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed by using the String online platform,which was visualized by Cytoscape software and analyzed by network topology to obtain the key targets of Xiaozheng decoction.GO bioprocess enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed on key targets of the Xiaozheng decoction by DAVID database.Results:A total of 68 active components and 255 potential targets of Xiaozheng decoction in the treatment of bladder cancer were retrieved and screened out.The key targets were enriched and analyzed by the GO biological pathway,and 135 pathways were obtained,which involved transcriptional process,platelet activation,cell proliferation,and apoptosis.KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed 95 pathways,mainly involving cancer pathway,bladder cancer pathway,MAPK signaling pathway,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,and VEGF signaling pathway.Conclusion:The result of this study showed that Xiaozheng decoction may play its therapeutic role through multiple components,multiple targets and multiple pathways,and preliminarily explored the mechanism of Xiaozheng decoction in the treatment of bladder cancer,laying a foundation for subsequent experimental studies.

The effect of cytisine on smoking cessation in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

An article by Omara Dogar et al[1].that was first published in Lancet Global Health in 2020 revealed that current evidence didn’t support the addition of cytisine to brief behavioural support for the treatment of tobacco dependence in patients with tuberculosis.