In the present study, we utilized network pharmacology and molecular docking to investigate the potential mechanism of Erigeron breviscapus (ErB) in treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). By analyzing databases, we identified 12 active ingredients and 195 targets of Erigeron breviscapus, as well as 1490 related targets of AMD. Through further analysis, we selected 9 active components and 103 overlapping target genes of ErB. These genes were found to be involved in various biological processes and pathways related to apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response based on GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. To identify critical active ingredients and key targets, we used the Cytohubba plugin or Degree value screening in Cytoscape software. The analysis revealed that quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol were identified as critical active ingredients, while VEGFA, CASP3, TNF, TP53, AKT1, MMP9, IL-6, EGF, PTGS2, and IL-1B were identified as key targets. We obtained crystal conformations of these core proteins from the RCSB PDB database and performed molecular docking using AutoDock Vina and Pymol software. The results showed that luteolin, quercetin, and baicalein could form stable interactions with their corresponding key targets (CASP3, IL-6, and VEGFA). Based on these findings, we predicted that ErB might exert its therapeutic effects on AMD through multiple components, targets, and pathways. This study provided a theoretical basis and reference for the potential use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of AMD.
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