Zhao Run, Liu Pulin, Song Anran, Liu Jianmin, Chu Qian, Liu Yingnan, Jiang Yunyun, Dong Chengda, Shi Huishan, Yan Zhaojun
First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
Ann Transl Med. 2021 Aug;9(16):1350. doi: 10.21037/atm-21-4090.
Panic disorder (PD) is a kind of mental illness characterized by the symptom of recurring panic attacks. Qiangzhifang (QZF) is a novel decoction developed by Professor Zhaojun Yan based on a unique system of syndrome differentiation and clinical experience. It has achieved remarkable results after long-term clinical practice, but its mechanism of action is still unclear. This study aims to use network pharmacology and molecular docking to explore the mechanism of QZF in the treatment of PD.
We used the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), a literature search, and Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ETCM) to find active ingredients and targets of QZF. We searched for PD targets in GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), and DrugBank. We established a PD target database, constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis in order to screen possible pathways of action and analyze the mechanism.
This study identified 84 effective components of QZF, 691 potential targets, 357 PD targets, and 97 intersectional targets. Enrichment analysis using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) showed that QZF was associated with 118 biological processes (BPs), 18 cellular components (CCs), 35 molecular functions (MFs) [false discovery rate (FDR) <0.01], and 62 pathways (FDR <0.01). QZF mainly acts on its targets , and through active ingredients such as quercetin, β-sitosterol, 4-(4'-hydroxybenzyloxy)benzyl methyl ether, harmine, 1,7-dimethoxyxanthone, and 1-hydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone to regulate serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and other signal pathways to treat PD.
Through network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, we predicted the possible mechanism of QZF in the treatment of PD, revealed the interaction targets and potential value of QZF, and provided a basis for its clinical application.
惊恐障碍（PD）是一种以反复出现惊恐发作为症状特征的精神疾病。强志方（QZF）是严兆军教授基于独特的辨证体系和临床经验研制的新型汤剂。长期临床实践取得了显著疗效，但其作用机制尚不清楚。本研究旨在运用网络药理学和分子对接技术探索强志方治疗惊恐障碍的作用机制。
利用中药系统药理学数据库与分析平台（TCMSP）、文献检索以及《中药大辞典》查找强志方的活性成分和靶点。在GeneCards、人类孟德尔遗传在线数据库（OMIM）、比较毒理基因组学数据库（CTD）和药物银行（DrugBank）中检索惊恐障碍靶点。建立惊恐障碍靶点数据库，构建蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络，并进行基因本体（GO）和京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）富集分析，以筛选可能的作用途径并分析作用机制。
本研究确定了强志方的84种有效成分、691个潜在靶点、357个惊恐障碍靶点以及97个交集靶点。使用注释、可视化和综合发现数据库（DAVID）进行的富集分析表明，强志方与118个生物学过程（BP）、18个细胞成分（CC）、35个分子功能（MF）[错误发现率（FDR）<0.01]以及62条通路（FDR<0.01）相关。强志方主要通过槲皮素、β-谷甾醇、4-（4'-羟基苄氧基）苄基甲基醚、去氢骆驼蓬碱、1,7-二甲氧基呫吨酮和1-羟基-3,7-二甲氧基呫吨酮等活性成分作用于其靶点，进而调节5-羟色胺、γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）、环磷酸腺苷（cAMP）等信号通路来治疗惊恐障碍。
通过网络药理学和分子对接技术，我们预测了强志方治疗惊恐障碍的可能机制，揭示了强志方的相互作用靶点和潜在价值，为其临床应用提供了依据。
