Screening of the effective sites of Cichorium glandulosum against hyperuricemia combined with hyperlipidemia and its network pharmacology analysis

Zhiguo Yang; Bo Lyu; Bin Ma; Yuefeng Gao; Dongmei Qin

doi:10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2024.108088

Screening of the effective sites of Cichorium glandulosum against hyperuricemia combined with hyperlipidemia and its network pharmacology analysis

Comput Biol Chem. 2024 Apr 26:110:108088. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2024.108088. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zhiguo Yang¹, Bo Lyu², Bin Ma¹, Yuefeng Gao³, Dongmei Qin⁴

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Phytomedicine Resource and Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832002, China.
² The First Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, China.
³ College of Applied Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Sanmenxia, Henan 472000, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Phytomedicine Resource and Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832002, China. Electronic address: qdm_pha@shzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38685167
DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2024.108088

Abstract

Cichorium glandulosum, a common traditional Chinese medicine used by Uyghur and Mongolian ethnic groups, is recognized for its potential to ameliorate metabolic disorders. However, the specific efficacy and mechanisms of Cichorium glandulosum in treating the comorbidity of hyperuricaemia and hyperlipidaemia remain unexplored. This study aims to explore the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of Cichorium glandulosum on this comorbidity through a combination of animal experiments, network pharmacology, and molecular docking techniques. A rat model of hyperuricaemia combined with hyperlipidaemia was established through a high-fat and high-purine diet, and the effective parts of the aqueous extract of Cichorium glandulosum to reduce uric acid and lipid levels were screened and the components of the parts were analysed by LC-MS/MS. The active components, core targets, and key pathways were analysed using network pharmacology and validated by molecular docking. Animal experimental results indicated that the n-butanol extract of Cichorium glandulosum showed a significant therapeutic effect on this comorbidity. Analysis of the n-butanol extract yielded 35 active ingredients and 138 intersecting targets related to diseases. Key targets identified through compound-target-pathway (C-T-P) and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) analyses included RELA, CASP3, PTGS2, TNF, and ESR1. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses revealed 2515 functional items and 164 pathways, respectively. Molecular docking demonstrated that isochlorogenic acid A, baicalin, chicoric acid, and lactucopicrin showed the highest binding affinity to RELA and PTGS2. The n-butanol fraction from the aqueous extract of Cichorium glandulosum was found to reduce uric acid and lipid levels effectively. In summary, Cichorium glandulosum has a therapeutic effect on hyperuricaemia combined with hyperlipidaemia through its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics.

Keywords: Cichorium glandulosum Boiss.et Huet.; Hyperlipidemia; Hyperuricemia; Mechanism of action; Medicinal efficacy; Network pharmacology.