The potential mechanism of Cheqianzi in improving renal fibrosis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology

  • XU Nanbing ,
  • WU Guodong ,
  • ZHAO Longshan ,
  • BO Yukun ,
  • YANG Dan ,
  • GUO Jingjing ,
  • ZHU Junxuan ,
  • AN Ming
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  • 1. School of Pharmacy, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou 014040, China;
    2. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology;
    3. Shenyang Pharmaceutical University

Received date: 2025-01-12

  Online published: 2026-04-02

Abstract

Objective: Prediction of the mechanism of psyllium in improving renal fibrosis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods: The active ingredients of psyllium were queried and screened through the TCM Systematic Pharmacological Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and the targets of its active ingredients were predicted according to Pubchem and Swiss Target Prediction. Renal fibrosis-related targets were queried in GeneCards and OMIM, and the intersecting targets were mapped with the active ingredient targets. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the intersecting targets was constructed by STRING and Cytoscape 3.7.2, and the GO and KEGG pathways enrichment analysis and visualization were performed by DAVID and microbiosis, and the psyllium-component-target-disease network diagram was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.2 to predict its anti-renal fibrosis mechanism. Finally, the molecular docking technology verified the docking of the active ingredient and the protein, and further explored the mechanism of psyllium to improve renal fibrosis. Results: 455 targets of 9 active ingredients were obtained from psyllium, and 256 intersecting targets were obtained by intersecting with disease targets. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that psyllium mainly improved renal fibrosis through biological processes such as cancer pathway, PI3K-Akt and Rap1 signaling pathway, cell proliferation, inflammatory response and cell migration. Molecular docking analysis showed that the active ingredient was stably bound to the core target. Conclusion: In this study, it was found that psyllium mainly acts on core targets such as VEGFA, TNF, ALB, AKT1, IL-6 and EGFR, and plays an anti-renal role in reducing inflammatory responses, inhibiting cell proliferation and migration through cancer pathways, PI3K-Akt and Rap1 signaling pathways.

Cite this article

XU Nanbing , WU Guodong , ZHAO Longshan , BO Yukun , YANG Dan , GUO Jingjing , ZHU Junxuan , AN Ming . The potential mechanism of Cheqianzi in improving renal fibrosis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology[J]. Journal of Baotou Medical College, 2026 , 42(1) : 28 -34 . DOI: 10.16833/j.cnki.jbmc.2026.01.006

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