RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Night sweats can occur independently or in association with a number of medical conditions and can significantly disrupt daily life. This study focuses on the treatment of primary night sweats. Despite the considerable interest in Danggui Liuhuang Tang (DGLHT), an effective traditional Chinese medicine formula, its mechanism of action remains unknown. There is also no existing literature on the subject. METHODS: Network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. RESULTS: Network pharmacology techniques were employed to identify 109 active ingredients and 808 potential targets of DGLHT, as well as 2385 targets associated with night sweating diseases. The screening process yielded 375 common targets shared between DGLHT and night sweating. These included the active ingredients baicalein, quercetin, huarangiin, and tetrahydroafrican antipyrine, and the core targets interleukin 6, serine/threonine protein kinase 1, tumor necrosis factor, GAPDH enzyme, and Src protein kinase were identified. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that DGLHT exerts its therapeutic effects primarily by modulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis pathways. Molecular docking revealed strong binding activity between the main active ingredients and their potential targets. CONCLUSION: The research identifies promising active ingredients and targets related to the effectiveness of DGLHT in controlling night sweats, thus contributing to the further exploration of potential therapeutics for this condition. In addition, the results of this experiment provide a basis for future research into night sweats.

Assuntos

Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Farmacologia em Rede , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/química , Humanos , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Medicina Tradicional Chinesa/métodos , Sudorese/efeitos dos fármacos

RESUMO

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a condition associated with increased morbidity and mortality. While the concept of the gut-muscle axis has been proposed, the role of gut microbiota in dexamethasone (DEX)-induced skeletal muscle atrophy remains largely unknown, limiting its clinical applications. In this study, we found that administration of DEX caused a shift in the gut microbiota of mice, characterized by an increased ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota and a reduction in alpha diversity. We also identified 480 new operational taxonomic units (OTUs), while 1168 specific OTUs were lost. Our Spearman correlation analysis revealed 28 key taxonomic genera of bacteria that were positively or negatively associated with skeletal muscle strength and weight (r: -0.881 to 0.845, p < 0.05). Moreover, supplementation with whey protein reshaped the gut microbiota structure in DEX-treated mice, making it more similar to that of the control group. Importantly, we further utilized a stepwise regression model to identify two enterotypes capable of predicting skeletal muscle function and weight. Notably, Ileibacterium and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-001 played significant roles in predicting both skeletal muscle function and weight. Our findings suggest that DEX causes shifts in the gut microbiota, which can be reversed by whey protein intervention. The enterotypes identified by our stepwise regression models predict muscle function and weight, underscoring the potential role of gut microbiota in modulating muscle atrophy and emphasizing the therapeutic opportunities of microbiota-altering interventions.