Integrative analysis of Huangjing-Gegen compatibility in treating COPD: a network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental study.

Authors

Shaoqing Zhu, Jiaruo Li, Lin Chu, Yunpeng Zhu, Wei Wang, Man Wang, Zhenhua Zhu, Fei Mao, Pengjun Liu, Ying Chu

Published in

Natural product research. Pages 1-12. Jul 30, 2026. Epub Jul 30, 2026.

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major global health challenge. This study explored the therapeutic mechanisms of Huangjing (Polygonati Rhizoma) and Gegen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), two food-medicine homologous herbs with potential in COPD management. Integrating network pharmacology, serum pharmacochemistry, molecular docking, and experimental validation, we identified 239 shared targets and the PI3K/AKT pathway as a potential key mechanism. UHPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS revealed 66 compounds, 14 of which were absorbed into circulation. In vivo, Huangjing-Gegen appeared to improve lung function (PaO₂ increased by 28.3%, PaCO₂ decreased by 22.7%), alleviate pathology, and reduce inflammation through downregulating TNF-α (by 21.4%), IL-6 (by 30.7%), and IL-1β (by 29.3%) and suppressing the EGFR-PI3K/AKT pathway. Molecular docking provided supportive evidence for strong binding between absorbed puerarin derivatives and core targets. These findings suggest that the PI3K/AKT pathway may play a central role in the therapeutic effects of Huangjing-Gegen against COPD.

PMID:
42530636
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 30 Jul 2026.

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