Exploring the mechanism of active ingredients of Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma in treating migraine headache through network pharmacology and animal experiments

Background:To explore the potential mechanism of action of the active ingredients of Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma(SGR)in the treatment of migraine using network pharmacology and in vivo experiments.Methods:Through the search of Traditional Chinese Medicines Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform,Genecards,Drugbank and other databases,we obtained active ingredients,targets of SGR and related disease targets of migraine,and took the intersection for protein-protein interactions analysis.After constructing the network diagram,network topology analysis was performed to derive the core targets and key active ingredients,and Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed.Finally,molecular docking was performed and validated by in vivo experiments.In vivo experiments,18 male BALB/c mice were selected,and the SGR group was fed with SGR drinking tablet concentrate,and nitroglycerin injection was used to construct a mouse model of migraine.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test was used to detect the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,and AKT1 in plasma.Results:The results showed that the core targets of SGR for the treatment of migraine were TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,and AKT1.These core targets and key active ingredients had better binding ability.Compared with the blank group,the number of head scratching in the model group increased.Compared with the model group,there was a significant reduction of the number of head scratching in the SGR group.In comparison with the blank group,the protein level in the plasma in the model group was markedly higher.Compared with the model group,the protein level in the SGR group was significantly lower.Conclusion:SGR has the characteristics of improving migraine based on multi-targets,multi-components and multi-pathways,and the mechanism of action may be related to the inhibition of the release of inflammatory factors,neuron protection,and interference with apoptosis and other processes.

Total glucosides of Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae:a therapeutic approach for psoriasis by regulating Th17/Treg balance

Total glucosides of Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae(RSG)are selective immunosuppressants that exhibit primary efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis through targeted inhibition of activated T cells.In this study,we aimed to investigate the potential application of RSG in the treatment of psoriasis and elucidate its mechanism of action and material basis.Our findings revealed significant improvements upon administration of RSG in an imiquimod(IMQ)-induced psoriasis model.These improvements were characterized by a remarkable increase in the number of tail scales in mice and a substantial amelioration of skin erythema,ulceration,and flaking.By transcriptome sequencing and T-cell flow sorting assay,we identified notable effects of RSG on the modulation of various cellular processes.Specifically,RSG prominently down-regulated the Th17/Treg ratio in damaged skin tissues and reduced the proportion of G2 phase cells.Furthermore,RSG exhibited a stimulatory effect on the proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells.Of particular interest,we discovered thatβ-sitosterol,sitostenone,stigmasterol,smiglanin,and cinchonain Ib displayed potent inhibitory effects on the IL-17-mediated inflammatory response in HaCaT cells.In summary,our study highlights the therapeutic potential of RSG in the treatment of psoriasis,attributed to its ability to regulate the Th17/Treg balance.These findings contribute to the development of new indications for RSG and provide a solid theoretical foundation for further exploration in this field.

Approaches and Perspectives of the Westward Spread of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Case Study of the Radicis Chynae

Some Western scholars have re-examined the concept of“Chinese medicine”and its knowledge system under the influence of global history research methods in recent years,in an attempt to understand the factors that led to the spread of Chinese medicine around the world,and what kind of Chinese medicine is constituted outside of China.Thus,researchers have studied the initial stage of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)’s entry into the western world,tracing its roots and observing new knowledge systems formed in the process of cross-cultural communication.Responding to the research of Western scholars,this paper studies the Radicis Chynae(《中国根书简》Letters on Chinese Root),a monograph written by Andreas Vesalius,a famous European anatomist who lived in the 16th century.The author of this article examined the understanding and interpretation of Chinese medicine by the European intelligentsia from 16th to 19th century,investigated the influence of the westward spread of TCM on the scientific revolution and medical progress in Europe,and analyzed its relationship with the rise of Sinology in Europe.This article discusses the knowledge interaction between Chinese medicine and the formation of modern European medicine from the perspective of global history and cross-culture.