A systems pharmacology-oriented discovery of a new therapeutic use of the TCM formula Liuweiwuling for liver failure

Sci Rep. 2018 Apr 4;8(1):5645. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-21515-6.

Abstract

Multiple components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulae determine their treatment targets for multiple diseases as opposed to a particular disease. However, discovering the unexplored therapeutic potential of a TCM formula remains challenging and costly. Inspired by the drug repositioning methodology, we propose an integrated strategy to feasibly identify new therapeutic uses for a formula composed of six herbs, Liuweiwuling. First, we developed a comprehensive systems approach to enrich drug compound-liver disease networks to analyse the major predicted diseases of Liuweiwuling and discover its potential effect on liver failure. The underlying mechanisms were subsequently predicted to mainly attribute to a blockade of hepatocyte apoptosis via a synergistic combination of multiple effects. Next, a classical pharmacology experiment was designed to validate the effects of Liuweiwuling on different models of fulminant liver failure induced by D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (GalN/LPS) or thioacetamide (TAA). The results indicated that pretreatment with Liuweiwuling restored liver function and reduced lethality induced by GalN/LPS or TAA in a dose-dependent manner, which was partially attributable to the abrogation of hepatocyte apoptosis by multiple synergistic effects. In summary, the integrated strategy discussed in this paper may provide a new approach for the more efficient discovery of new therapeutic uses for TCM formulae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Databases, Factual*
  • Drug Discovery
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • Galactosamine / toxicity
  • Gene Regulatory Networks*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • Liver Failure / chemically induced
  • Liver Failure / classification*
  • Liver Failure / drug therapy*
  • Liver Failure / genetics
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Signal Transduction
  • Systems Biology / methods*

Substances

  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • liuweiwuling
  • Galactosamine