Target Prediction and Molecular Mechanism of Compound Honggencao for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Based on Network Pharmacology

Abstract

Objective: The target prediction and molecular mechanism of compound Honggencao in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection were investigated based on network pharmacology. Methods: In the database of Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, chemical composition and potential targets of compound Honggencao were mined, and the target gene of upper respiratory tract infection of compound Honggencao was extracted from GeneCards databases. The protein-protein interaction of target genes was constructed. Then, the essential genes of enrichment of KEGG pathway analysis and functional analysis were analysed. Results: Compound Honggencao had 69 kinds of active ingredients. The upper respiratory tract infection of the target gene was 186 that built compound Honggencao on the relationship between upper respiratory tract infections of protein interaction networks, which had a total of 186 nodes, 3515 sides. Fifty-six essential genes were including IL-17, EGFR and CDND1, and so on. Gene ontology analysis had 2567 items, and pathway analysis was 166 items. The main signaling pathways involved with IL-17 signaling pathways, tumour necrosis factor signal pathway and human cytomegalovirus infection, and so on. Conclusion: The pharmacological action of compound Honggencao on upper respiratory tract infection was characterized by the synergistic effect of multiple components and multiple targets, which provided an absolute theoretical basis for the research on the pharmacological direction of molecular signaling pathway and a specific theoretical basis for clinical use.