Network Pharmacology Approach to Investigate the Preventive Mechanism of Hunan Expert Group Recommended Chinese Medicine Prevention No.2 Prescription Against COVID-19

Objective To explore the possible preventive mechanism of Hunan expert group recommended Chinese medicine prescription of No.2(Pre-No.2)against coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)by network pharmacology method.Methods The target proteins of effective components and active compounds in Pre-No.2 were screened by searching the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP).A component-target-disease interaction network of Pre-No.2 was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.2,gene ontology(GO)analysis,and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)analysis of target protein pathway by DAVID.Results A total of 163 compounds and 278 target protein targets in Pre-No.2 were collected from the TCMSP database.Kaempferol,wogonin,7-methoxy-2-methyl isoflavone,formononetin,isorhamnetin,and licochalcone A were the most frequent targets in the regulatory network.GO enrichment analysis showed that Pre-No.2 regulated response to virus,viral processes,humoral immune responses,defense responses to virus and viral entry into host cells.KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the formula regulated the NF-κB signaling pathway,B cell receptor signaling pathway,viral carcinogenesis,T cell signaling pathway and FcγR-mediated phagocytosis signaling pathway.Conclusions Pre-No.2 may play a preventive role against COVID-19 through regulation of the Toll-like signaling,T cell signaling,B cell signaling and other signaling pathways.It may regulate the immune system to protect against anti-influenza virus.

Decomposition and Reformulation of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction:A Vasodilatory Approach

Objective To decompose and reformulate Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction（BBT） in order to optimize its ratio for vasodilatory effect.The fingerprints of these six component herbs were also studied via Tri-step FTIR analysis.Methods The herbal components of BBT were extracted separately with different solvents,such as 95%ethanol,50%ethanol,and distilled water.The vasodilatory effect of the extracts was studied using the in vitro pre-contracted aortic ring model.Among these extracts,the water extracts of Pinellia ternata[PT（W）]and Citri reticulatae[CR（W）],50%ethanol extracts of Castrodia elata[GE（50）]and Clycyrrhiza uralensis[GU（50）],and 95%ethanol extracts of Atractylodes macrocephala[AM（E）],and Poria cocos[PC（E）]were selected for the orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility group study due to their high effectiveness in vasodilation.Results The best combination ratio（G2） was GE（50）,GU（50）,AM（E）,PC（E）,CR（W）,and PT（W） at EC0,EC5,EC5,EC5,EC5,and EC5,with EC50 of（0.06 ± 0.01） mg/mL.Comparison between the vasodilatory effects of extracts derived from G2 and BBT were also studied.From the results,the 50%ethanol extract following G2 ratio was found to be most potent extract with the highest vasodilatory effect compared with other extracts derived from G2 or BBT,with EC50 of（0.05 ±0.005） mg/mL.Conclusion The optimum ratio and appropriate extraction method for the new BBT formulae are obtained.G2 is determined as the best formulae with the highest potency in producing the vasodilatory effect on isolated rat aortic rings.The results obtained suggest that 50%ethanol is found to be the best solvent to extract the vasoactive compounds of G2 in order to exhibit the highest efficacy of vasodilatory effect.