Understanding the molecular mechanisms of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma: Nardostahyos Radix et Rhizoma in epilepsy treatment using network pharmacology and molecular docking

Abstract

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR) and Nardostahyos Radix et Rhizoma (NRR) are well-known traditional Chinese medicines that have been extensively used for the treatment of epilepsy (EP). However, the precise molecular mechanism of ATR-NRR action remains unclear because of their intricate ingredients. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of ATR-NRR in EP treatment using network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. Herbal medicine and disease gene databases were searched to determine active constituents and shared targets of ATR-NRR and EP. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database, while the Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome pathway enrichment were performed using R programming. An ingredient-target-pathway network map was constructed using the Cytoscape software, incorporating network topology calculations to predict active ingredients and hub targets. The binding abilities of active ingredients and hub targets were examined using molecular docking. Nine qualified compounds and 53 common targets were obtained. The prominent active compounds were kaempferol, acacetin, cryptotanshinone, 8-isopentenyl-kaempferol, naringenin, and eudesmin, while the primary targets were RELA, AKT1, CASP3, MAPK8, JUN, TNF, and TP53. Molecular docking analysis revealed that they have substantial binding abilities. These 53 targets were found to influence EP by manipulating PI3K-Akt, IL-17, TNF, and apoptosis signaling pathways. The findings of this study indicate that ATR-NRR functions against EP by acting upon multiple pathways and targets, offering a basis for future study.