Exploring Ganweikang Tablet as a Candidate Drug for NAFLD Through Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation

Ma, Chuanrui1,2,3; Wang, Xinyu4; Zhang, Jing1,2; Zhao, Yun1,2; Hua, Yunqing1,2; Zhang, Chao1,2; Zheng, Guobin5,9; Yang, Guangyan4; Guan, Jianli6; Li, Huahuan6; Li, Meng6; Kang, Lin4,7; Xiang, Jiaqing4; Fan, Guanwei1,2,3; Yang, Shu4,8

2022-06-14

10.3389/fphar.2022.893336

FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY   Impact Factor & Quartile

1663-9812

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as liver disease in which more than 5% of hepatocytes are steatotic with little or no alcohol consumption. NAFLD includes benign nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Importantly, NASH is an advanced progression of NAFL and is characterized by steatosis, hepatocyte ballooning, lobular inflammation, and fibrosis. However, to date, no drugs specifically targeting NAFLD have been approved by the FDA. Therefore, a new drug or strategy for NAFLD treatment is necessary. However, the pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex and no single-target drugs have achieved the desired results. Noticeably, traditional Chinese medicine formulations are a complex system with multiple components, multiple targets, and synergistic effects between components. The Ganweikang tablet is a compound formula based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and clinical experience. In this study, network pharmacology analysis indicates Ganweikang tablet as a candidate for NAFLD treatment. Furthermore, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of Ganweikang tablet on the NAFL and NASH and tried to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms in animal models and cell experiments. As expected, Ganweikang tablet was found to improve NAFL and NASH by modulating inflammation, apoptosis, and fatty acid oxidation by inhibiting NF kappa B, caspase-8, and activating PPAR alpha, which not only indicates that Ganweikang tablet as a drug candidate but also provides a theoretical basis of Ganweikang tablet for the treatment of NAFL and NASH.

network pharmacology NAFL hepatic steatosis NASH inflammation

SCI

English

Corresponding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)[82000824,82003747] ; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation[2020M683179] ; Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin Grants["20JCQNJC00260","19JCQNJC12600","20JCZXJC00150"] ; Extension Project of First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine[ZD202101]

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

WOS:000816986800001

FRONTIERS MEDIA SA

Web of Science

1.Tianjin Univ Tradit Chinese Med, Teaching Hosp 1, Tianjin, Peoples R China
2.Natl Clin Res Ctr Chinese Med Acupuncture & Moxibu, Tianjin, Peoples R China
3.Tianjin Univ Tradit Chinese Med, State Key Lab Component Based Chinese Med, Tianjin, Peoples R China
4.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Affiliated Hosp 1, Jinan Univ, Shenzhen Peoples Hosp,Clin Med Coll 2,Dept Geriatr, Shenzhen, Peoples R China
5.Tianjin Med Univ, Chu Hsien I Mem Hosp, NHC Key Lab Hormones & Dev, Tianjin Key Lab Metab Dis, Tianjin, Peoples R China
6.Henan Fusen Pharmaceut Co Ltd, Nanyang, Henan, Peoples R China
7.Shenzhen Peoples Hosp, Natl Innovat Ctr Adv Med Devices, Biobank, Shenzhen, Peoples R China
8.Jinan Univ, Integrated Chinese & Western Med Postdoctoral Res, Guangzhou, Peoples R China
9.Tianjin Med Univ, Tianjin Inst Endocrinol, Tianjin, Peoples R China

Ma, Chuanrui,Wang, Xinyu,Zhang, Jing,et al. Exploring Ganweikang Tablet as a Candidate Drug for NAFLD Through Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation[J]. FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY,2022,13.

Ma, Chuanrui.,Wang, Xinyu.,Zhang, Jing.,Zhao, Yun.,Hua, Yunqing.,...&Yang, Shu.(2022).Exploring Ganweikang Tablet as a Candidate Drug for NAFLD Through Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation.FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY,13.

Ma, Chuanrui,et al."Exploring Ganweikang Tablet as a Candidate Drug for NAFLD Through Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation".FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY 13(2022).