Molecular mechanism of Compound Qingdai Capsule in the treatment of psoriasis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Objective:Although Compound Qingdai Capsule(CQC)successfully treats psoriasis,the exact mechanism remains unclear.Our research used network pharmacology to investigate the molecular mechanism of CQC in treating psoriasis.Methods:The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology platform was used to screen the bioactive chemical elements and identify gene targets,and the ingredient-target network was visualized by Cytoscape software.Genes associated with psoriasis were found in the Gene Expression Omnibus database.The protein-protein interaction network was created using STRING and Cytoscape,and the hub genes were identified using MCODE and topological analysis.Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analyses were applied to obtain hub genes’biological processes and signaling pathways.Subsequently,the ingredient-target-pathway-disease network was visualized by Cytoscape.Results:Finally,an active ingredient-target network of CQC containing 130 active ingredients and 213 targets was built.Conclusion:The top 3 bioactive components were identified as quercetin,luteolin,and kaempferol,and the top 5 hub genes were identified as IL1B,CXCL8,STAT3,MMP9,and HMOX1.The critical pathways of CQC treatment in psoriasis were AGE-RAGE signaling,IL-17 signaling,TNF signaling,Fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis,and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway.Molecular docking confirmed a robust binding affinity between the main active ingredients of CQC with the hub target proteins.On this basis,additional animal or cellular research might be undertaken to investigate the targets and mechanisms of CQC treatment in psoriasis.

Meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of Compound Qingdai Capsule in the Treatment of Psoriasis

[Objectives]To analyze the efficacy of Compound Qingdai Capsule in the treatment of psoriasis and conduct a systematic evaluation.[Methods]The clinical total effective rate,PASI index score,IL-17 level,IL-23 level,TNF-level,and adverse reactions were analyzed.TSA 0.9 software was used to conduct sequential analysis of the total effective rate,and subgroup analysis was performed according to the average age of the experimental group.[Results]Single application of Compound Qingdai Capsule or in combination with other methods in the treatment of psoriasis was superior to non-Compound Qingdai Capsule group,and the side effects were less than non-Compound Qingdai Capsule group;the n≥40 year-old group had certain heterogeneity,suggesting that the difference was statistically significant,and the effective rate was higher than that of the control group.The funnel plot showed that the graph was asymmetrical,and there may be publication bias or the possibility of low-quality literature.The TSA results indicated that the actual sample size was far lower than the expected sample size,and the cumulative Z value did not reach the TSA cut-off value and more trials need to be included to confirm the efficacy.[Conclusions]Compound Qingdai Capsule has a clear curative effect on psoriasis,and its safety is high.This study can provide relevant evidence for the effectiveness of Chinese patent drugs(CPD)in treating psoriasis.

InfluenceofQingdaiCompoundCapsule（复方青黛胶囊）ontheExpressionofc－mycinPsoriaticKeratinocytes

In this immunohistochemical study, the authors detected the expression of c-myc in ker-atinocytes ( ECK) from 30 psoriatics before and after Qingdai Compound Capsule ( QDCC) treatment and 12normal subjects for control. The results showed that the ECK of patients betore treatment was significantlyhigher than that in the normal control group, and its level was correlated with histopathological changes of af -fected skin. After treatment the ECK was normalized. It is believed that QDCC could decrease the ECK inpsoriatics and this effect was probably mediated by inhibiting c-myc expression. This study provided an ex-perimental evidence for the application of QDCC in treating psoriasis.