ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Panax notoginseng injection for the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technique. MethodsThe active chemical components and their effect targets of main component Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) from Panax notoginseng injection were searched by retrieving the Pharmacopoeia of the People′s Republic of China and multiple databases. Targets related to LN were screened through OMIM, GeneCards, and DrugBank databases for obtaining the common targets of the two. The Cytoscapes 3.8.2 software was used to establish "active components-targets" network of the common targets and their corresponding active chemical components, and to establish protein-protein interaction network of the common targets, as well as the main active chemical components and potential core targets of PNS for the treatment of LN were screened. The Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the common targets. The molecular docking analysis was performed on the potential core targets and main active chemical components by using the AutoDock 1.5.7 software. ResultsA total of 11 active chemical components of PNS and 250 effect targets were obtained, and there were 1329 targets related to LN and 49 common targets of the two. The main active chemical components of PNS for treating LN included ginsenoside Rg1, notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb1, etc., and potential core targets contained interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-10, serine/threonine protein kinase 1 (AKT1), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), NFKB inhibitor alpha (NFKBIA), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), etc. The results of GO functional enrichment analysis revealed that molecular functions involved in the common targets contained cytokine activity, etc., biological processes in the common targets included inflammatory responses, etc.,and cellular compositions involved in the common targets contained lateral plasmalemma, etc. The analysis of KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that 4 signaling pathways, involving IL-17 signaling pathway, tyrosine protein kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway, neutrophil extracellular trap signaling pathway, and complement and coagulation cascade signaling pathway, were obtained. The results of molecular docking interpreted that except for notoginsenoside R1, the main active chemical components of PNS for treating LN exerted favorable binding activities (all binding energy＜-4 kJ/mol) with the potential core targets with respect to AKT1, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF. ConclusionGinsenoside Rg1, notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Rb3, ginsenoside Rh1, and other main active chemical components of PNS may act on multiple pathways such as IL-17 signaling pathway, JAK/STAT signaling pathway, neutrophil extracellular trap signaling pathway, and complement and coagulation cascade signaling pathway, so as to exert effects for treating LN through IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, AKT1, TLR4, TNF, NFKBIA, MMP9, and other potential core targets.

无