To explore the mechanism of Naodesheng tablets in the treatment of atherosclerosis based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics

Background:Naodesheng tablets(NDST)was widely used in clinical treatment as a drug for cardiovascular diseases,but the mechanism for treating atherosclerosis was unknown.On the basis of network pharmacology and bioinformatics,predict the relevant targets and signalling pathways for NDST in the treatment of atherosclerosis.Methods:First,the targets of NDST and the targets for treating atherosclerosis were looked for in different databases.Next,Venny 2.1.0 was used to find the genes that overlapped between NDST and targets for treating atherosclerosis.Subsequently,the herb-active ingredient-target-disease were obtained to explore the hub compound.Furthermore,the Metascape database was used for Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis.And we constructed the“active ingredient-intersection target-pathway”network by Cytoscape software to gain the hub genes and pathways.Finally,molecular docking was used to verify the affinity of hub ingredients and hub genes.Results:In the results,67 active ingredients and 322 targets of NDST were selected in ingredients-targets network.154 overlapping targets of NDST(322)and atherosclerosis(1330)were obtained.Then,the herb-active ingredient-target-disease showed that quercetin,apigenin and luteolin were the hub ingredients to treat atherosclerosis.Further,the hub genes(PTGS2,RXRA,CASP3)and pathways(lipid and atherosclerosis)were accessed in active ingredient-intersection target-pathway.Finally,the results indicated that quercetin,apigenin and luteolin were better binding the PTGS2,RXRA,CASP3,especially PTGS2 and luteolin in molecular docking.Conclusion:In conclusion,quercetin,apigenin and luteolin,as the main ingredients of NDST could play a important role in PTGS2,RXRA,and CASP3 for treating atherosclerosis via the lipid and atherosclerosis(TNF signaling pathway).