Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology to explore the mechanism of Huzhang Erjin Decoction against ANIT-induced cholestatic hepatitis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Huzhang Erjin Decoction (HED) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Formula that possesses the efficiency of clearing heat, eliminating dampness, purging the liver and gallbladder. It has been clinically used in the treatment of inflammation related to hepatobiliary disease, including cholestasis, cholecystitis and jaundice. However, the mechanism of HED for its therapeutic effects has not been explored.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of HED in ameliorating cholestatic hepatitis based on an integrative approach with metabolomics and network pharmacology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the pharmacodynamic effect of HED was evaluated based on alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestatic hepatitis mice. Furthermore, network pharmacology analysis was conducted to explore the potential mechanism of HED. Meanwhile, serum metabolomics analysis was performed to investigate the key metabolic pathways and biological processes regulated by HED. Furthermore, related targets and pathways were focused, according to a comprehensive analysis combined with metabolomics and network pharmacology. Molecular docking simulations were performed to evaluate the interactions between components of HED and the targets against cholestatic hepatitis. Finally, the regulatory effects of HED on the expression levels of key proteins in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) pathways were investigated both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS: Our research findings demonstrate that HED significantly enhances liver function and alleviates liver injury in cholestatic hepatitis mice, including bile acid accumulation, hepatic necrosis and inflammatory infiltration. Furthermore, according to the combined enrichment of network pharmacology analysis and metabolomics study, HED primarily modulates cholestatic hepatitis via the regulation of lipid metabolism and bile acid metabolism to intervene in cholestatic hepatitis. Additionally, molecular docking studies revealed a high affinity and activity between the hub gene PPARG (PPARγ) and emodin in HED. Furthermore, the in vivo and in vitro results demonstrated that HED significantly promoted the expression of PPARγ and decreased the expression levels of NLRP3 and its associated proteins. In vitro, suppression of PPARγ attenuated the efficacy of HED. These findings suggested that HED modulated the PPARγ/NLRP3 signaling pathway, thereby improving cholestatic hepatitis and alleviating liver injury.

CONCLUSION: This study systematically assessed the efficacy of HED in the intervention of cholestatic hepatitis and explored the targets by integrating metabolomics and network pharmacology approaches, then elucidated its mechanism based on experiments both in vitro and in vivo. It was demonstrated that HED ameliorated cholestatic hepatitis in mice by regulating the PPARγ/NLRP3 pathway.