Published online Aug 28, 2022. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i32.4635
Peer-review started: March 24, 2022
First decision: May 30, 2022
Revised: June 8, 2022
Accepted: June 24, 2022
Article in press: June 24, 2022
Published online: August 28, 2022
Processing time: 155 Days and 0.1 Hours
Obstructive jaundice (OJ) may lead to liver injury through various mechanisms. Oxidative stress is an important pathological mechanism of OJ-induced liver injury. It is present throughout the OJ process. Yinchenhao decoction (YCHD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been widely used for treating jaundice in clinical practice. Recent studies have confirmed that YCHD can effectively alleviate liver injury. However, the mechanism of YCHD treating OJ-induced liver injury has not yet been fully clarified.
To provide much more scientific evidence for the clinical application of YCHD and promote the combination of TCM and modern medicine to treat diseases more effectively.
We aimed to investigate the effective chemical components of YCHD and predict the mechanism of YCHD in the treatment of OJ-induced liver injury and oxidative damage.
By the network pharmacology approach, we predicted the chemical composition of YCHD and its associated targets. Measurements of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), the nucleus positive rate of NF-E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein, and the protein expression levels of Nrf2, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were used to assess the status of oxidative stress caused by OJ.
Network pharmacology research showed that YCHD had multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway function characteristics. YCHD increased expression of Nrf2, promoted translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus, reduced overexpression of NO by adjusting eNOS and iNOS, and activated expression of GST and NQO1; all of which protect liver tissue from oxidative damage.
YCHD can alleviate liver injury and reduce oxidative damage. Although various mechanisms are involved in the occurrence and development of OJ, we report that YCHD can promote the translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus, and upregulate the Nrf2 signaling pathway, which may provide a new perspective for the study of the mechanism of antioxidation. This provides the theoretical basis for further research into the molecular mechanism of action of YCHD in the treatment of OJ.
TCM formulas like YCHD have been widely used for thousands of years. In the near future, more in-depth research on the molecular mechanism of TCM can guide clinical treatment more effectively.