Network Pharmacology Prediction and Experimental Verification of Rhubarb-Peach Kernel Promoting Apoptosis in Endometriosis

Network Pharmacology Prediction and Experimental Verification of Rhubarb-Peach Kernel Promoting Apoptosis in Endometriosis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Network Pharmacology Prediction and Experimental Verification of Rhubarb-Peach Kernel Promoting Apoptosis in Endometriosis Zi Liao, Ya Lei, Li Peng, Xianyun Fu, Wei Wang, Dan Yang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2720763/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background " Rhubarb-Peach Kernel " herb pair (RP) one of the most frequently used drug pairs, has been used in traditional medicine in China to treat inflammation and diseases associated with pain. Although it is widely used clinically and has a remarkable curative effect, the mechanism of RP treatment for endometriosis (EMs) remains unclear due to its complicated components. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-endometriosis effect of RP, with emphasis on apoptosis via network pharmacology prediction, molecular docking and experimental verification. Methods The related ingredients and targets of RP in treating EMs were screened out using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), Tool for Molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM), and GeneCards database. The data of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was obtained by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interaction Gene/Proteins (STRING) Database. The Metascape database was adopt for Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. After that, the molecular docking of the main active ingredients and apoptosis targets was performed. Finally, the pro-apoptotic effect of RP was verified in hEM15a cells. Results A total of 32 RP compounds were collected. Forty-two matching targets were picked out as the correlative targets of RP in treating EMs. Among these, 18 hub targets including P53, CASP3 were recognized by the PPI network. KEGG enrichment analysis discovered that the regulation of apoptosis was one of the potential mechanisms of RP against EMs. Anthraquinone compounds, flavonoids, and triterpenes in RP were identified as crucial active ingredients, involved in the pro-apoptotic effect, which was confirmed subsequently by molecular docking. Additionally, it was verified that RP treatment promoted apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of EMs cells (assessed by MTT and Flow cytometry). Moreover, the induction of apoptosis in treated EMs cells can be due to the regulation of apoptosis-related protein expression, including P53, BAX, and CASP3. Conclusions Our results highlight the potential of RP as the target to treat EMs by promoting apoptosis. Anthraquinones, flavonoids and triterpenoids are the possible pro-apoptotic components in RP. Rhubarb - Peach kernel endometriosis network pharmacology molecular docking vitro experiment Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files supplementarymaterialS1.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Major revision 25 May, 2023 Reviews received at journal 08 Apr, 2023 Reviews received at journal 04 Apr, 2023 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Apr, 2023 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Apr, 2023 Reviewers invited by journal 04 Apr, 2023 Editor assigned by journal 04 Apr, 2023 Editor invited by journal 04 Apr, 2023 Submission checks completed at journal 04 Apr, 2023 First submitted to journal 21 Mar, 2023 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-2720763","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":189139304,"identity":"89ad928c-6964-494d-a804-1f3c5c9e447f","order_by":0,"name":"Zi Liao","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The First College of Clinical Medicine Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zi","middleName":"","lastName":"Liao","suffix":""},{"id":189139305,"identity":"3f12fd07-d17d-4956-9c5e-4b94bd8fa68f","order_by":1,"name":"Ya 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Although it is widely used clinically and has a remarkable curative effect, the mechanism of RP treatment for endometriosis (EMs) remains unclear due to its complicated components. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-endometriosis effect of RP, with emphasis on apoptosis via network pharmacology prediction, molecular docking and experimental verification.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe related ingredients and targets of RP in treating EMs were screened out using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), Tool for Molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM), and GeneCards database. The data of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was obtained by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interaction Gene/Proteins (STRING) Database. The Metascape database was adopt for Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. After that, the molecular docking of the main active ingredients and apoptosis targets was performed. Finally, the pro-apoptotic effect of RP was verified in hEM15a cells.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 32 RP compounds were collected. Forty-two matching targets were picked out as the correlative targets of RP in treating EMs. Among these, 18 hub targets including P53, CASP3 were recognized by the PPI network. KEGG enrichment analysis discovered that the regulation of apoptosis was one of the potential mechanisms of RP against EMs. Anthraquinone compounds, flavonoids, and triterpenes in RP were identified as crucial active ingredients, involved in the pro-apoptotic effect, which was confirmed subsequently by molecular docking. Additionally, it was verified that RP treatment promoted apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of EMs cells (assessed by MTT and Flow cytometry). Moreover, the induction of apoptosis in treated EMs cells can be due to the regulation of apoptosis-related protein expression, including P53, BAX, and CASP3.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur results highlight the potential of RP as the target to treat EMs by promoting apoptosis. Anthraquinones, flavonoids and triterpenoids are the possible pro-apoptotic components in RP.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Network Pharmacology Prediction and Experimental Verification of Rhubarb-Peach Kernel Promoting Apoptosis in Endometriosis","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2023-04-06 17:58:49","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-2720763/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Major revision","date":"2023-05-25T04:04:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2023-04-09T03:03:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2023-04-05T02:15:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"ae33cd18-6c6c-4c86-87e4-2497b06f9e07","date":"2023-04-05T01:31:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"f57cc6ae-1713-414e-9453-74bd5d62e4e0","date":"2023-04-04T22:06:06+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2023-04-04T18:13:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2023-04-04T17:18:08+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2023-04-04T15:19:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2023-04-04T15:13:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","date":"2023-03-22T02:09:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-complementary-medicine-and-therapies","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bcam","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies](https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"5086ad78-0730-4b22-b6ca-724638e40469","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 6th, 2023","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2023-07-12T03:44:16+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2023-04-06 17:58:49","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-2720763","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-2720763","identity":"rs-2720763","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"B-jG_2CBjPDmsCi4Wdhf-","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}