Yu Ping Feng Powder for chronic glomerulonephritis treatment: A meta-analysis and network pharmacology study

doi:10.5246/jcps.2023.12.081

Abstract

Abstract:

Chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is a common kidney disease and the leading cause of renal failure. This not only affects the quality of life of patients but also places a significant burden on their families. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Yu Ping Feng Powder (YPF) in treating CGN through meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA). Additionally, network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to explore the mechanisms of YPF. We conducted a comprehensive search of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, Sinomed, WanFang, PubMed, and Cochrane Library up until May 2023. Quality assessment and meta-analysis were performed using the RevMan 5.4 software. TSA of key outcome indicators was conducted using TSA Beta software. The active ingredients of YPF were obtained from the TCMSP database, while the CGN targets were sourced from the GeneCards, OMIM, and TTD databases. The shared targets between YPF and CGN were identified using the STRING database and analyzed using Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. GO and KEGG analyses were employed to predict potential pathways affected by YPF in CGN. Finally, molecular docking techniques were utilized to investigate the interactions between core components and targets. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that YPF-based treatment for CGN significantly improved total clinical effectiveness, evidence-based outcomes, and reductions in 24-h urine protein, serum creatinine, and urea nitrogen compared to conventional treatment. Network pharmacology analysis identified TNF, AKT1, IL-6, and VEGFA as key targets for CGN treatment. Molecular docking predicted that the most active ingredients in YPF for CGN were quercetin, kaempferol, and wogonin. YPF demonstrated positive effects in treating CGN through multiple signaling pathways, leading to immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrotic effects.

Key words: Yu Ping Feng Powder, Chronic glomerulonephritis, Meta-analysis, TSA, Network pharmacology, Molecular docking

Supporting:

Yajing Li, Yawen Bai, Yu Du, Changhong Yan, Chunjie Ma, Lining Sun, Fengyue Bu, Haoyang Yan. Yu Ping Feng Powder for chronic glomerulonephritis treatment: A meta-analysis and network pharmacology study[J]. Journal of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023, 32(12): 1006-1026.

Figures/Tables 25

Table 1. General information on the included literature.

Table 2. Other outcomes.

Table 3. Main active ingredients in YPF.

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