title: Herb pair Danggui-Honghua: mechanisms underlying blood stasis syndrome by system pharmacology approach.
abstract: Herb pair Danggui-Honghua has been frequently used for treatment of blood stasis syndrome (BSS) in China, one of the most common clinical pathological syndromes in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, its therapeutic mechanism has not been clearly elucidated. In the present study, a feasible system pharmacology model based on chemical, pharmacokinetic and pharmacological data was developed via network construction approach to clarify the mechanisms of this herb pair. Thirty-one active ingredients of Danggui-Honghua possessing favorable pharmacokinetic profiles and biological activities were selected, interacting with 42 BSS-related targets to provide potential synergistic therapeutic actions. Systematic analysis of the constructed networks revealed that these targets such as HMOX1, NOS2, NOS3, HIF1A and PTGS2 were mainly involved in TNF signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway and neurotrophin signaling pathway. The contribution index of every active ingredient also indicated six compounds, including hydroxysafflor yellow A, safflor yellow A, safflor yellow B, Z-ligustilide, ferulic acid, and Z-butylidenephthalide, as the principal components of this herb pair. These results successfully explained the polypharmcological mechanisms underlying the efficiency of Danggui-Honghua for BSS treatment, and also probed into the potential novel therapeutic strategies for BSS in TCM.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China.|Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shi-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China.|Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Lan-Ting
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China.|Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ya-Chu
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shu-Jiao
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jin-Ao
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China.|Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hua-Shi
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China.|Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chang-Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D031187:Carthamus tinctorius / Q000737:chemistry; D002460:Cell Line; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C079426:Honghua extract, Carthamus tinctorius