Feng Zhao

Bio: Feng Zhao is an academic researcher from Peking Union Medical College. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 2 publications receiving 1 citations.

Network pharmacology-based study of chinese herbal qixiong formula in treating oligoasthenospermia

Abstract: Objective: The objective is to study the network pharmacology of Qixiong formula (QXF) and explore the mechanism of QXF in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia. Materials and Methods: Using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), a Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular mechANism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-traditional Chinese medicine), and an encyclopaedia of traditional Chinese medicine (ETCM) databases as well as data from relevant studies, the effective components and targets of QXF were obtained. Genes associated with oligospermia were screened using GeneCards, OMIM, DisGeNet, DrugBank, and GAD databases. The intersection target was obtained by mapping the target to the gene, and the protein interaction network was created using the STRING database to screen the core target of QXF in the treatment of oligospermia. The intersection target was enriched using gene ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis with the DAVID database. The network of the disease drug target pathway was drawn using Cytoscape software. Results: Overall, 536 active components of QXF and 40 core targets for the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia were obtained. The analysis of GO and KEGG showed that QXF is mainly involved in oxidative stress, cell motility, nutritional response, and other biological processes. Through the regulation of FOXO, p53, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, mammalian target of rapamycin, Foxo, Wnt, and other signaling pathways, QXF played a role in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia. Conclusion: QXF has multi-component, multi-target, and multi-channel characteristics, providing a new way to study the mechanism of QXF in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia.

Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy to Investigate Pharmacological Mechanisms of the Drug Pair Astragalus-Angelica for Treatment of Male Infertility.

Abstract: Background. The traditional Chinese medicines Astragalus and Angelica are often combined to treat male infertility, but the specific therapeutic mechanism is not clear. Therefore, this study applies a network pharmacology approach to investigate the possible mechanism of action of the drug pair Astragalus-Angelica (PAA) in the treatment of male infertility. Methods. Relevant targets for PAA treatment of male infertility are obtained through databases. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are constructed through STRING database and screen core targets, and an enrichment analysis is conducted through the Metascape platform. Finally, molecular docking experiments were carried out to evaluate the affinity between the target protein and the ligand of PAA. Results. The active ingredients of 112 PAA, 980 corresponding targets, and 374 effective targets of PAA for the treatment of male infertility were obtained, which are related to PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, and thyroid hormone signaling pathway. Conclusion. In this study, using a network pharmacology method, we preliminarily analyzed the effective components and action targets of the PAA. We also explored the possible mechanism of action of PAA in treating male infertility. They also lay a foundation for expanding the clinical application of PAA and provide new ideas and directions for further research on the mechanisms of action of the PAA and its components for male infertility treatment.

Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy to Investigate Pharmacological Mechanisms of the Drug Pair Astragalus-Angelica for Treatment of Male Infertility.

Abstract: Background. The traditional Chinese medicines Astragalus and Angelica are often combined to treat male infertility, but the specific therapeutic mechanism is not clear. Therefore, this study applies a network pharmacology approach to investigate the possible mechanism of action of the drug pair Astragalus-Angelica (PAA) in the treatment of male infertility. Methods. Relevant targets for PAA treatment of male infertility are obtained through databases. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are constructed through STRING database and screen core targets, and an enrichment analysis is conducted through the Metascape platform. Finally, molecular docking experiments were carried out to evaluate the affinity between the target protein and the ligand of PAA. Results. The active ingredients of 112 PAA, 980 corresponding targets, and 374 effective targets of PAA for the treatment of male infertility were obtained, which are related to PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, and thyroid hormone signaling pathway. Conclusion. In this study, using a network pharmacology method, we preliminarily analyzed the effective components and action targets of the PAA. We also explored the possible mechanism of action of PAA in treating male infertility. They also lay a foundation for expanding the clinical application of PAA and provide new ideas and directions for further research on the mechanisms of action of the PAA and its components for male infertility treatment.

Exploring the effect of Yinzhihuang granules on alcoholic liver disease based on pharmacodynamics, network pharmacology and molecular docking

Abstract: Yinzhihuang granules (YZHG) is a commonly used Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of liver disease. However, the mechanism of YZHG in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is still unclear.This study combined liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technology, pharmacodynamics, network pharmacology and molecular docking methods to evaluate the potential mechanism of YZHG in the treatment of ALD.A total of 25 compounds including 4-hydroxyacetophenone, scoparone, geniposide, quercetin, baicalin, baicalein, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid in YZHG were identified by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The pharmacodynamic investigations indicated that YZHG could improve liver function and the degree of liver tissue lesions, and reduce liver inflammation and oxidative stress in ALD mice. Network pharmacology analysis showed that YZHG treated ALD mainly by regulating inflammation-related signaling pathways such as the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The results of the PPI network and molecular docking showed that the targets of SRC, HSP90AA1, STAT3, EGFR and AKT1 could be the key targets of YZHG in the treatment of ALD.This study explored the potential compounds, potential targets and signaling pathways of YZHG in the treatment of ALD, which is helpful to clarify the efficacy and mechanism of YZHG and provide new insights for the clinical application of YZHG.

The mechanism of Lingze tablets in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology

Abstract: Lingze tablets has been used as a drug in the treatment of kidney deficiency‐dampnes shea‐stasis type benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and it was found effective for BPH treatment. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of the Lingze tablets in the treatment of BPH through the network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. The active compounds of Lingze tablets were retrieved from the TCMSP, BATMAN‐TCM and ETCM databases. The ADME of active compounds was screened for Swiss target prediction, and the targets of the active compounds were predicted. DisGeNET, Genecards and OMIM were used to obtain the disease targets of BPH, and the targets of Lingze tablets in the treatment of BPH were obtained by venny2.1. String platform and cytoscape softwares were used to construct the PPI network. Go enrichment analysis and KEGG signal pathway analysis were analysed by mediascape. The ‘component‐target‐pathway’ networks diagram was constructed by the cytoscape software. Molecular docking was carried out by autodock software. Lingze tablets could serve as a drug for BPH treatment by regulating SRC, MAPK1, PIK3CA, JAK2 and other disease targets, intervening in biological processes such as cell migration, cell activity, cytokine secretion, protein phosphorylation, MAPK, transferase activity and PI3K/AKT signalling pathways.