Clarifying the mechanism of apigenin against blood-brain barrier disruption in ischemic stroke using systems pharmacology.

Currently, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) is an effective therapy for ischemic stroke (IS). However, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is a serious side effect of rtPA therapy and may lead to patients' death. The natural polyphenol apigenin has a good therapeutic effect on IS. Apigenin has potential BBB protection, but the mechanism by which it protects the BBB integrity is not clear. In this study, we used network pharmacology, bioinformatics, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to reveal the mechanisms by which apigenin protects the BBB. Among the 146 targets of apigenin for the treatment of IS, 20 proteins were identified as core targets (e.g., MMP-9, TLR4, STAT3). Apigenin protects BBB integrity by inhibiting the activity of MMPs through anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress. These mechanisms included JAK/STAT, the toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and Nitrogen metabolism signaling pathways. The findings of this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of apigenin in the treatment of BBB disruption and provide ideas for the development of drugs to treat IS.