Affiliation:
1. Key Specialty of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou,
China
Abstract
Introduction:
Ding-Zhi-Xiao-Wan (DZXW) produces potential antidepressant-like
effects. However, its antidepressant mechanisms are still unclear.
Objective:
To analyze the antidepressant effects and the pharmacological mechanisms of DZXW,
meta-analysis, network pharmacology, and molecular docking were selected in this study.
Methods:
The compounds of DZXW and genes associated with compounds or depression were
obtained from databases. The genes overlapping between DZXW compounds and depression were
compared by Venn diagram. A network of medicine-ingredients-targets-disease was constructed,
visualized, and analyzed. Protein-protein interaction, gene ontology, pathway enrichment, and
molecular docking were performed to evaluate the potential mechanisms of DZXW for the treatment
of depression.
Results:
Meta-analysis showed that the antidepressant-like effects were produced by DZXW. The
network pharmacology analysis showed that a total of 74 compound-related genes and 12607
PTSD-related genes were identified in the databases with 65 overlapping genes. The active ingredients
derived from DZXW (i.e Beta-sitosterol, Stigmasterol, Fumarine, Hederagenin) elicited the
antidepressant-like effects by targets, such as ACHE, HTR2A, and CHRM1. Moreover, the signaling
pathways, like neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, pathways in cancer, and cholinergic
synapse, might play important roles in the treatment of depression by DZXW.
Conclusion:
This study provides studies analysis and molecular evidence with the beneficial effects
of DZXW for the treatment of depression.
Funder
National Key Clinical Specialty Construction Project
Guangdong province hospital association
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Drug Discovery,Molecular Medicine,General Medicine