Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences (Jun 2023)

Pharmacological effects and mechanisms of YiYiFuZi powder in chronic heart disease revealed by metabolomics and network pharmacology

  • Yuming Wang,
  • Xue Li,
  • Min Qi,
  • Xiaokai Li,
  • Fangfang Zhang,
  • Yuyu Wang,
  • Junke Wu,
  • Lexin Shu,
  • Simiao Fan,
  • Yunfei Li,
  • Yubo Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2023.1203208
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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Introduction: YiYiFuZi powder (YYFZ) is a classical formula in Chinese medicine, which is commonly used clinically for the treatment of Chronic Heart Disease (CHD), but it’s pharmacological effects and mechanism of action are currently unclear.Methods: An adriamycin-induced CHD model rat was established to evaluate the pharmacological effects of YYFZ on CHD by the results of inflammatory factor level, histopathology and echocardiography. Metabolomic studies were performed on rat plasma using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS to screen biomarkers and enrich metabolic pathways; network pharmacology analysis was also performed to obtain the potential targets and pathways of YYFZ for the treatment of CHD.Results: The results showed that YYFZ significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α and BNP in the serum of rats, alleviated the disorder of cardiomyocyte arrangement and inflammatory cell infiltration, and improved the cardiac function of rats with CHD. The metabolomic analysis identified a total of 19 metabolites, related to amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and other metabolic pathways. Network pharmacology showed that YYFZ acts through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway and Ras signaling pathway.Discussion: YYFZ treatment of CHD modulates blood metabolic pattern and several protein phosphorylation cascades but importance specific changes for therapeutic effect require further studies.

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