Exploring the Mechanism of Action of Saussurea Tianshanae in the Treatment of Sarcopenia Based on Network Pharmacology/Molecular Docking
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of Saussurea tianshanae in treating sarcopenia through network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques,the authors utilized the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database(TCMID)and the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database(TCMSP)to identify relevant targets and active components of Saussurea tianshanae.The UniProt database was employed to standardize the targets,and Cytoscape software was utilized to construct the active ingredient-target interaction network.Genes associated with sarcopenia were retrieved from the Gene Cards database,and a protein-protein interaction network was established using the STRING database.Additionally,Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis were performed.Lastly,molecular docking was employed to assess the binding affinity of active components to target proteins.A total of 12 bioactive components of Saussurea tianshanae were selected based on drug-likeness(DL)and oral bioavailability(OB)criteria.435 targets related to sarcopenia were identified.A total of 47 common targets were found between Saussurea tianshanae and sarcopenia.The biological processes primarily involved the regulation of proteins such as AKT1,TNF,IL6,TP53,and VEGFA,with significant interactions in the MAPK signaling pathway,P13K-AKT signaling pathway,and IL-17 signaling pathway.Molecular docking analyses indicated that key active compounds,including luteolin,quercetin,and baicalein-7-methyl ether,exhibited strong binding affinity to pivotal targets such as AKT1,IL6,TNF,TP53,and VEGFA.This study revealed the multi-level and multi-link mechanisms by Saus-surea tianshanae exerting its therapeutic effects on sarcopenia,provided a scientific basis for future research and treatment strategies for this condition.
Saussurea tianshanaeSarcopeniaNetwork pharmacologyMolecular dockingMechanism researchEthnic medicine
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
