The mechanism of TCM prevention and treatment of heavy COVID-19 based on data mining and network pharmacology

Objective:Using big data mining technology and network pharmacology,this study aimed to identify the dominant traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for the prophylaxis and treatment of severe Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19),predict the pharmacological mechanism of the dominant anti-epidemic TCM,and provide clinical guidance for COVID-19 prevention and control.Methods:The Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Computing Platform V3.0 was utilized to identify the high-frequency TCM in the adult severe prescriptions of the national Diagnosis and Treatment Plan for COVID-19(Trial 10th edition)and the TCM prophylaxis and cure plan for COVID-19 in 27 regions.The active ingredients and potential targets of the high-frequency core drugs were analyzed using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Technology Platform,Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database,and Traditional Chinese Medicine Encyclopedia Database,and the network of“core drug active ingredient-potential targets”was obtained.The String platform was used to establish the protein-protein interaction structure chart,and Cytoscape software was used for visualization and network topology analysis to identify pivotal targets.Signal pathway enrichment analysis of the core targets was performed,and the affinity of the active components entering the blood was predicted by docking with the related targets of the novel coronavirus.Results:Ellagic acid,Vestitol,naringin,dehydroglyasperins C,quercetin,and kaemol were identified as 67 active constituents in the blood.After docking the active constituents with angiotensin-converting enzyme II,3C-likeProteinase,and tyrosine protein kinase receptor UFO,they all showed good affinity.The pivotal targets mainly involved inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF.Pathway concentration analysis of gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways focused on inflammatory and immune-related pathways such as the TNF signaling pathway.Conclusion:The high-frequency core drugs may act on the body through active components such as ellagic acid,Vestitol,naringin,dehydroglyasperins C,quercetin,and kaemol.Inflammatory and related immune pathways,such as the TNF signaling pathway,may suppress cytokine storms and effectively treat patients with severe COVID-19.