Network Pharmacology‐Based Approach to Investigate the Mechanisms of Hedyotis diffusa Willd. in the Treatment of Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Background Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (HDW) is one of the renowned herbs often used in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC). However, its curative mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Objective To systematically investigate the mechanisms of HDW in GC. Methods A network pharmacology approach mainly comprising target prediction, network construction, and module analysis was adopted in this study. Results A total of 353 targets of the 32 bioactive compounds in HDW were obtained. The network analysis showed that CA isoenzymes, p53, PIK3CA, CDK2, P27Kip1, cyclin D1, cyclin B1, cyclin A2, AKT1, BCL2, MAPK1, and VEGFA were identified as key targets of HDW in the treatment of GC. The functional enrichment analysis indicated that HDW probably produced the therapeutic effects against GC by synergistically regulating many biological pathways, such as nucleotide excision repair, apoptosis, cell cycle, PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, and Ras signaling pathway. Conclusions This study holistically illuminates the fact that the pharmacological mechanisms of HDW in GC might be strongly associated with its synergic modulation of apoptosis, cell cycle, differentiation, proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis.

Network Pharmacology Integrated Molecular Docking Reveals the Antiosteosarcoma Mechanism of Biochanin A

“…Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant tumor in orthopedics with poor prognosis and high mortality [9]. Because of the early metastasis of osteosarcoma, surgical treatment was too late to eliminate all the sarcoma cells [10, 12]. Therefore, chemotherapy is an irreplaceable therapy which significantly prolongs the survival of osteosarcoma patients.…”

“…Network pharmacology is a classic bioinformatics' method, which was conducted to discover the underneath mechanism between drugs and known targets [12]. In the latest years, network pharmacology has been employed to predict the potent targets and pathways of a certain compound in several diseases, especially in the cancer which has an intimate association with signal transduction [12, 13].…”

“…Network pharmacology is a classic bioinformatics' method, which was conducted to discover the underneath mechanism between drugs and known targets [12]. In the latest years, network pharmacology has been employed to predict the potent targets and pathways of a certain compound in several diseases, especially in the cancer which has an intimate association with signal transduction [12, 13]. Based on the algorithm of network pharmacology, the targets of biochanin A and pathways related to osteosarcoma were analyzed comprehensively in present study, in order to identify the potential therapeutic target and demonstrate the mechanism of biochanin A in treating osteosarcoma.…”

An update on Chinese herbal medicines as adjuvant treatment of anticancer therapeutics

“…Up to now, 171 compounds have been reported from Hedyotis diffusa willd, including iridoids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, phenolics and their derivatives, volatile oils and miscellaneous compounds. In vitro and in vivo studies show these phytochemicals and plant extracts to exhibit a range of pharmacological activities of anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibroblast, immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects (60). Recently, Hedyotis diffusa willd and some of its active constituents have gained increasing attention as an antitumor herb.…”

<p>Identifying the Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of Yizhiqingxin Formula on Alzheimer’s Disease: Coupling Network Pharmacology with GEO Database</p>

“…12 Moreover, complex diseases and syndromes treated with TCM are controlled via a multi-ingredient, multi-target, and multi-pathway method. 13 Thus, the pharmacological mechanisms and molecular targets of YZQX remain to be adequately studied using innovative approaches.…”