Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2021, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (5): 772-778.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.3014

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An insight into the mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza intervention on osteoporosis based on network pharmacology

Xiao Fangjun1, Chen Shudong2, Luan Jiyao1, Hou Yu2, He Kun1, Lin Dingkun2   

  1. 1Second Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China; 2Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine/Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
  • Received:2020-02-10 Revised:2020-02-18 Accepted:2020-03-18 Online:2021-02-18 Published:2020-12-01
  • Contact: Lin Dingkun, Doctoral supervisor, Chief physician, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine/Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
  • About author:Xiao Fangjun, Master candidate, Physician, Second Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Salvia miltiorrhiza has been widely used in the treatment of osteoporosis in recent years, but its mechanism in human body is not clear.
OBJECTIVE: To screen the main active components of Salvia miltiorrhiza and their corresponding targets by the method of network pharmacology, to construct the active components-action target-disease network of traditional Chinese medicine, and to explore the mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza in the treatment of osteoporosis. 
METHODS: Firstly, the main active components and related targets of Salvia miltiorrhiza were selected based on the characteristics of pharmacokinetics in the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and then the known therapeutic targets of osteoporosis were screened from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and GeneCards database. The Salvia miltiorrhiza target and osteoporosis target were intersected to obtain the common target of traditional Chinese medicine and disease. The traditional Chinese medicine-active ingredient-target-disease regulation network was topologically constructed by using Cytoscape software, and the protein-protein interaction network and bar graph of traditional Chinese medicine-disease target were constructed by using String database to screen the core targets. Finally, the traditional Chinese medicine-disease target was analyzed by GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 65 active ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhiza, 932 related targets, 3 264 disease targets, and 74 Chinese medicine-disease interaction targets were obtained through screening. The analysis based on network pharmacology indicated that the potential active ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhiza in treating osteoporosis mainly include luteolin, tanshinone IIa, cryptotanshinone, etc. These components can activate target proteins such as AKT1, interleukin-6, vascular endothelial growth factor A, and MAPK1 to activate PI3K-Akt, interleukin-17, hypoxia-inducible factor-1, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications. These activated signaling pathways can directly or indirectly participate in cell differentiation and apoptosis, metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response in the treatment of osteoporosis. The role of Salvia miltiorrhiza can be further confirmed by its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-system effects on osteoporosis. However, the above conclusions and specific mechanism of action need to be further studied.

Key words: Salvia miltiorrhiza, osteoporosis, network pharmacology, action mechanism

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