Analysis of Mechanism of Huashi Xinghan Decoction in the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Complicated by Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Abstract: Objective: To analyze the mechanism of Huashi Xinghan Decoction in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods: Active components and targets of the herbs in Huashi Xinghan Decoction were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Disease targets for COPD complicated by OSAHS were retrieved from The Human Gene Database (GeneCards),Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM),Therapeutic Target Database (TTD),and DrugBank databases. Overlapping targets between the active components of Huashi Xinghan Decoction and the diseases were identified, and a "Chinese medicine-diseases" Venn diagram was constructed to identify overlapping targets. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/ Proteins (STRING) database and visualized with Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the overlapping targets using the Database for Annotation,Visualization,and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). A "Chinese medicine-active components-targets" network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Finally, molecular docking technology was employed to verify the binding affinity between core targets and corresponding compounds. Results:A total of 152 active components and 256 action targets of Huashi Xinghan Decoction were screened. There were 2 133 and 954 disease-related targets for COPD and OSAHS,respectively,with 31 overlapping targets. The "Chinese medicineactive components-targets" network revealed that quercetin,β-sitosterol,and kaempferol were the core compounds of Huashi Xinghan Decoction in the treatment of COPD complicated by OSAHS. PPI network analysis identified 10 core targets, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1). GO enrichment analysis indicated that the effects of Huashi Xinghan Decoction involve biological processes such as gene expression regulation, angiogenesis, and inflammatory response. KEGG pathway analysis showed that it primarily functions through signaling pathways such as lipid and atherosclerosis,TNF, nuclear factor kappa B (NF- κB), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Molecular docking verification demonstrated that the binding energies between core targets and active components were all less than -5 kcal/mol. Conclusion: Huashi Xinghan Decoction for COPD complicated by OSAHS mainly through multiple components such as quercetin,β-sitosterol,kaempferol,7-methoxy-2-methyl isoflavone,and stigmasterol,acting on targets including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF, and ICAM1, and regulating signaling pathways such as lipid and atherosclerosis,TNF,NF-κB,and IL-17 to exert therapeutic effects.