Liu Dong-Yan, Li Yi-Han, Xu Yan-Tong, Zhu Yan
Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
Center for Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology & Medicine, Tianjin 300457, China.
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2016 Mar;41(6):1144-1151. doi: 10.4268/cjcmm20160629.
There have been many reports about the anti-aging effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but the material basis and mechanism of action have not been clearly elucidated. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is the receptor of energy metabolism and its life extending effect has been confirmed in different experiments. Over expression or activation with metform in of AAK-2/AMPK has been shown to extend life expectancy in nematodes and Drosophila. The possible downstream pathways of AMPK against aging include TOR/S6k pathway, FOXOs pathway and CRTC pathway. One of the core concepts of traditional Chinese medicine is disease prevention, for which one of manifestations is to improve the body with the same source of medicine and food to achieve longevity. It is possible to activate AMPK to achieve the goal of health preservation and prolonging the life by some of the "medicine-food harmony" treatments. Our survey finds that in "medicine-food harmony" compound TCM, "invigorating the kidney deficiency and promoting blood circulation" class dominates and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Rhizoma, Astragali Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, Poria, Atractylodes Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, and Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma are used in high frequency. Network pharmacology analysis using ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) software revealed that TCM-derived drugs interacting with AMPK target proteins included berberine, emodin, curcumin, resveratrol, alcohol, cordyceps, arctiin, suggesting in a certain extent the feasibility of "medicine -food homology" drugs to extend the lifespan through the AMPK pathway. Our study combines a comprehensive database query and an IPA network pharmacology analysis to identify Chinese medicine monomer and components that may activate AMPK pathway to delay aging and to discuss the potential of these medicine by improving energy metabolism to delay the aging process, based on the concept of traditional Chinese medicine "medicine-food homology".
关于中药的抗衰老作用已有许多报道，但其物质基础和作用机制尚未明确阐明。AMP激活的蛋白激酶（AMPK）是能量代谢的感受器，其延长寿命的作用已在不同实验中得到证实。在秀丽隐杆线虫和果蝇中，AAK-2/AMPK的过表达或用二甲双胍激活已被证明可延长预期寿命。AMPK抗衰老的可能下游途径包括TOR/S6k途径、FOXOs途径和CRTC途径。中医的核心概念之一是预防疾病，其表现之一是通过药食同源来改善身体以实现长寿。通过一些“药食同源”疗法激活AMPK有可能达到养生和延长寿命的目的。我们的调查发现，在“药食同源”的复方中药中，“补肾活血”类占主导地位，丹参、黄芪、黄连、茯苓、白术、大黄、人参的使用频率较高。使用Ingenuity Pathway Analysis（IPA）软件进行的网络药理学分析表明，与AMPK靶蛋白相互作用的中药衍生药物包括黄连素、大黄素、姜黄素、白藜芦醇、乙醇、虫草、牛蒡子苷，这在一定程度上提示了“药食同源”药物通过AMPK途径延长寿命的可行性。我们的研究结合了全面的数据库查询和IPA网络药理学分析，以确定可能激活AMPK途径以延缓衰老的中药单体和成分，并基于中医“药食同源”的概念，通过改善能量代谢来探讨这些药物延缓衰老过程的潜力。
