关键词: 瘤果黑种草子, 抗炎机制, 网络药理学, 类风湿关节炎, 慢性阻塞性肺病

Abstract: Objective To study the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Nigella glandulifera seeds with the tools of network pharmacology. Method Component targets were predicted using literature searching and the Swiss Target Prediction database. The disease targets were collected using OMIM, DrugBank, Genecard databases. The common targets were analyzed using Venny 2. 1. 0 and STRING software. According to the average degree value, important targets were taken out. A common component-target interaction network was created using the Cytoscape software. The biological function enrichment and signaling pathway enrichment analysis of the important targets were performed through Metascape. Result Fifty-seven components were collected, and 101 important interaction targets of drugs and diseases were predicted. Enrichment of biological functions illustrated 111 cell components, 139 molecular functions, 2 104 biological processes, and 165 signaling pathways. Cell components were mainly membrane components, and the principal molecular functions were focused on the G protein-coupled receptors. Biological processes involved kinases, positive regulation of transferase activity, and regulation of the MAPK cascade. Pathway enrichment predicted that the Th17 cell differentiation pathway referred to IL-6 and STAT3 as key genes were closely related to the anti-inflammatory effects of Nigella glandulifera seeds. Conclusion Given the characteristics of multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway of the traditional Chinese medicine, the potential anti-inflammatory mechanism of Nigella glandulifera seeds was analyzed using network pharmacology approach so as to provide the basis for further study. However, the key target and the specific regulatory mechanism need to be further verified.

Key words: Nigella glandulifera seeds, anti-inflammatory mechanism, network pharmacology, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease