Zhou Changwen, Xiang Ting, Yu Yu, Ma Hongzhong, Liu Ce, Yang Feng, Yang Lixue
The First Clinical Medical College, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
Rehabilitation Department, Xiang Xi Autonomous Prefecture National Hospital, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
J Inflamm Res. 2025 Jan 27;18:1281-1300. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S496124. eCollection 2025.
Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) significantly impacts individuals, particularly those aged 40-45. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulations such as Taohong Siwu Decoction (TSD), Yaotong Jizheng Decoction (YJD), and Panlong Qi Tablet (PQT) are widely used for treatment. This study introduces dose-weighted network pharmacology, a novel approach that incorporates drug dosage as a quantitative factor into network analysis to evaluate better and compare the therapeutic potential of TCM formulations.
This study combines drug dosage with the PPI network to propose a theoretical algorithm for comparing the therapeutic efficacy of different traditional Chinese medicine formulations. The VIKOR method was used to assess the importance of therapeutic targets, with weights assigned based on both drug and disease perspectives. TSD, YJD, and PQT were evaluated in animal experiments, and the algorithm's feasibility was validated through GO and KEGG pathway analysis, Thermal Hyperalgesia Test, H&E staining, Western blotting (WB), RT-PCR, and ELISA assays.
The computational model indicated that YJD and PQT had higher predicted efficacy compared to TSD. These predictions were confirmed in animal studies, where YJD demonstrated the greatest reduction in thermal hyperalgesia and the most significant decrease in inflammatory markers, surpassing both TSD and PQT. GO and KEGG pathway analyses highlighted key pathways related to oxidative stress and inflammation, providing mechanistic insights into the effectiveness of the treatments.
Incorporating dosage as a reference factor into network pharmacology research proved feasible and effective, emphasizing the importance of precise dosage control in TCM formulations for treating LDH. The new algorithm provided reliable predictions, demonstrating its potential to enhance the design and evaluation of TCM formulations. Future improvements, such as establishing a target acceptance rate database, could further refine the algorithm, expanding its application in personalized medicine and targeted therapy.
腰椎间盘突出症（LDH）对个体，尤其是40 - 45岁的人群有显著影响。桃红四物汤（TSD）、腰痛逐瘀汤（YJD）和盘龙七片（PQT）等中药方剂被广泛用于治疗。本研究引入剂量加权网络药理学，这是一种将药物剂量作为定量因素纳入网络分析的新方法，以更好地评估和比较中药方剂的治疗潜力。
本研究将药物剂量与蛋白质 - 蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络相结合，提出一种比较不同中药方剂治疗效果的理论算法。采用VIKOR方法评估治疗靶点的重要性，从药物和疾病两个角度分配权重。对TSD、YJD和PQT进行动物实验评估，并通过基因本体（GO）和京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）通路分析、热痛觉过敏试验、苏木精 - 伊红（H&E）染色、蛋白质印迹法（WB）、逆转录 - 聚合酶链反应（RT - PCR）和酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）试验验证该算法的可行性。
计算模型表明，与TSD相比，YJD和PQT具有更高的预测疗效。这些预测在动物研究中得到证实，YJD在热痛觉过敏降低方面最为显著，炎症标志物减少最为明显，超过了TSD和PQT。GO和KEGG通路分析突出了与氧化应激和炎症相关的关键通路，为治疗效果提供了机制性见解。
将剂量作为参考因素纳入网络药理学研究证明是可行和有效的，强调了中药方剂治疗LDH时精确剂量控制的重要性。新算法提供了可靠的预测，证明了其在改进中药方剂设计和评估方面的潜力。未来的改进，如建立靶点接受率数据库，可进一步完善该算法，扩大其在个性化医学和靶向治疗中的应用。
