Mechanistic Investigation of Linggan Wuwei Jiangxin Decoction for Asthma: Component Analysis, Network Pharmacology, and Experimental Validation.

INTRODUCTION

Linggan Wuwei Jiangxin decoction (LGD) is a classic herbal formula for alleviating symptoms in patients with asthma. The main functions of LGD are to relieve airway inflammation, alleviate cough, and eliminate phlegm. However, the components of the prescription and the pharmacological mechanisms for treating asthma still need further clarification.

OBJECTIVE

The study provides preliminary insights into the mechanism of action of LGD in treating asthma by analyzing its main components, using network pharmacology and molecular docking, and validating with animal experiments.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was used to analyze the chemical components of LGD. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict the relevant targets. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, model, LGD (L/M/H) (10.8, 21.6, and 43.2 g/kg/d), and Guilong cough and asthma capsules (GL, positive drug) (2.43 g/kg/d) groups. Intraperitoneal injection of an ovalbumin (OVA) mixture was used to sensitize the rats on days 1 and 7. After sensitization, the rats were exposed to a 1% OVA suspension for 30 min daily for 14 days, starting from day 14. Western blot analysis was used to assess the protein expression of TNF-α, VEGFA, and STAT3.

RESULTS

UPLC-Q-TOF-MS identified 44 compounds in LGD. Network pharmacology and molecular docking identified core target proteins including TNF-α, VEGFA, and STAT3. The experiments revealed that LGD reduces the serum levels of the inflammatory markers interleukin- 4 (IL-4), immunoglobulin E (IgE), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in asthmatic rats and affects energy metabolism. Additional studies revealed that LGD could inhibit the expression of TNF-α, VEGFA, and STAT3 proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary study indicates that LGD ameliorates asthma in rats by inhibiting the expression of TNF-α, VEGFA, and STAT3 proteins. More in vitro experiments are required to clarify the effects of LGD on these target proteins.