Objective. To systematically study the mechanism of cordyceps cicadae in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN) with the method of network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis, so as to provide theoretical basis for the development of new drugs for the treatment of DN. Methods. TCMSP, Symmap, PubChem, PubMed, and CTD database were used to predict and screen the active components and therapeutic targets for DN. The network of active components and targets was drawn by Cytoscape 3.6.0, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) was analyzed by the STRING database, and the DAVID database was used for the enrichment analysis of intersection targets. Molecular docking studies were finished by Discovery Studio 3.5. Results. A total of 36 active compounds, including myriocin, guanosine, and inosine, and 378 potential targets of cordyceps cicadae were obtained. PPI network analysis showed that AKT1, MAPK8, and TP53 and other targets were related to both cordyceps cicadae and DN. GO and KEGG pathway analysis showed that these targets were mostly involved in R-HSA-450341, 157.14-3-3 cell cycle, and PDGF pathways. Docking studies suggested that myriocin can fit in the binding pocket of two target proteins (AKT1 and MAPK8). Conclusion. Active ingredients of cordyceps cicadae such as myriocin may act on DN through different targets such as AKT1, MAPK8, and TP53 and other targets, which can help to develop innovative drugs for effective treatment of DN.

BAM15 is a novel mitochondrial uncoupling agent derived from a synthetic source, that has been wildly explored for its ability to enhance mitochondrial respiration and metabolic flexibility. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of BAM15 on atherosclerosis (AS) through experimental validation, RNA-seq and molecular docking. The results showed that oral administration of BAM15 suppressed atherosclerosis in western diet (WD)-fed ApoE(−/−) mice and significantly improved the hyperlipidemia. And the increased serum ALT, AST and liver TC, TG, ALT, AST in ApoE(−/−) mice were reduced by BAM15 treatment. In in vitro experiments BAM15 inhibited RAW264.7 macrophages invasive ability and reduced palmitic acid-induced lipid accumulation. RNA-seq results confirmed the differential genes after BAM15 treatment and 140 common targets were identified by intersecting with AS-related targets. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis high-lighted IL1A, SRC and CSF3 as key targets of BAM15 against AS, which is further verified by molecular docking and western blot. Molecular dynamics analysis results confirmed that BAM15 exhibits strong affinity with the IL-1α, SRC and CSF3 proteins. This study indicates that BAM15 inhibits atherosclerosis through a multi-molecular mechanism, and we propose it as a novel anti-atherosclerotic drug.

In this study, the active components in the seed of Mangifera indica L. were isolated, the main chemical components were identified, and then their antioxidant activities and their effects on liver injury and intestinal microbiota were evaluated. The results showed that all the components of mango column chromatography exhibited antioxidant activity. F2 had the lowest IC₅₀ value of 93.61 μg/mL and exhibited the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity. Given its superior overall antioxidant activity, F2 was selected for further compositional analysis and activity evaluation. UPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that the isolated components of mango F2 contained 11 active ingredients, including mangiferin, gallic acid and quercetin. The results showed that specific mango fractions significantly reduced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, and showed a protective effect on liver injury induced by alcohol. rRNA sequencing analysis showed that high alcohol intake could reduce the species diversity of intestinal microbiota in mice, and mango fractions could effectively alleviate this phenomenon. High alcohol intake decreases the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and increases the abundance of Bacillota and Thermodesulfobacteriota phyla. The high-dose mango group alleviated the above changes, which was manifested by an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Thermodesulfobacteriota bacteria. The relative abundance of families such as Muribaculaceae in the high-dose mango group decreased compared to the model group. This study provides a scientific basis for the analysis and high-value utilization of mango components, and provides a new alternative for protecting against alcoholic liver injury and regulating intestinal microbiota.