Title:Network Pharmacology Analysis to Explore the Pharmacological Mechanism of Cang Er Zi Powder Against Allergic Rhinitis
Volume: 19
Issue: 3
Author(s): Qisheng Cui*, Ping Liu*, Huifang He, Cuiyin Chen, Xuemin Hou, Tao Xie and Weijie Chen
Affiliation:
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hexian Memorial Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University,
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Zhong Cui Block Community Health
Service center of Panyu, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Keywords:
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Cang Er Zi Powder (CEZP), network pharmacology, allergic rhinitis (AR), Gene ontology (GO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), gene ontology (GO).
Abstract:
Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a leading public health problem with high prevalence,
but the therapies remain limited. Cang Er Zi Powder (CEZP), a Traditional Chinese
Medicine formula, has been used for the clinical treatment of chronic rhinitis and allergic rhinitis
in China for decades. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear.
Objective: In this study, we aimed to clarify the pharmacological mechanism of CEZP on allergic
rhinitis.
Methods: The active ingredients of CEZP were screened in the TCMSP
(http://tcmspw.com/tcmsp.php) database. The targets related to “allergic rhinitis” were retrieved
from MALACARDS, TTD, and DisGeNET disease target databases. The active ingredients and
the candidate targets for AR were constructed and visualized using Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. The
underlying mechanism involved in the treatment of CP against AR was analyzed using the WEB-
based GEne SeT AnaLysis Toolkit. The effects of CEZP on levels of β-hexosaminidase, histamine,
interleukin (IL)-4, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α on DNP-IgE/HSA-stimulated rat basophilic
leukemia cells were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.
Results: A total of 78 active ingredients in 9 Chinese herbs of CEZP and 90 target overlap targets
from CEZP and AR were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and
Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis suggested that the inflammation response and NF-κB signaling
pathway were responsible for the therapeutic targets of CEZP on AR, and CEZP could suppress
mast cell degranulation via Toll-like receptor (TLR) and NF-κb signaling pathway.
Conclusion: Network pharmacology analysis and in vitro assays suggested that CEZP may exert
therapeutic effects on AR by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathways.
