Objective To predict the main active ingredients, potential targets and molecular mechanisms of Yuan Zhi powder in treatment of dementia by using network pharmacology.
Methods A database of chemical constituents of Yuan Zhi powder was constructed by using databases and literatures. Potential targets were predicted by reverse molecular docking, and then a component-target network was constructed. The target network of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was mapped and analyzed to obtain the "active ingredient-AD target" network. The key targets were screened through network analysis. Finally, the rationality of the prediction was analyzed by comparing with the target reported in the literatures.
Results There were 180 chemical constituents acting on the AD target, and the targets included three key targets (cyclooxygenase-2, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M1, and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M2) and an important target (acetylcholine esterase). Alzheimer's disease may be treated by regulating the activity of acetylcholine receptors and the binding to β-amyloid protein, and its biological process may be concentrated in the acetylcholine receptor signal pathway, negative regulation of synaptic transmission and so on.
Conclusion The fact that Yuan Zhi powder can treat AD is consistent with the characteristics of multi-components-multi- targets-multiple pathways of traditional Chinese medicine. The important targets obtained from network analysis have a large proportion in literature research, so network analysis have some rationality.
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