An In-depth Study of Zixin Biqiu Granules and Its Impact on Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the nasal mucosa. It is triggered by allergen exposure, leading to IgE-mediated inflammation. Zixin Biqiu Granules, a product of 60-year clinical practice of CHAO En-xiang, a renowned Chinese medicine practitioner, has been thought to provide relief. However, its mechanism of action remained unclear. This article delves into a study exploring the mechanism of Zixin Biqiu Granules against AR using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Zixin Biqiu Granules: An Overview Zixin Biqiu Granules, a traditional Chinese medicine, is developed based on the extensive clinical experience of CHAO En-xiang. Currently, a phase Ⅲ multicenter clinical trial is being prepared for this medicine. The Study: A General Approach The study initiated by retrieving the chemical components and targets of Zixin Biqiu Granules from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). The targets for AR were obtained from GeneCards and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM). The "Chinese Medicine-Component-Target" Network The common targets between Zixin Biqiu Granules and AR were screened out. A network was constructed, known as the "Chinese medicine-component-target" network. It included 151 components and 97 targets. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) Network The common targets were further imported into the STRING database to obtain their interaction. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using Cytoscape. Core Targets and Their Enrichment Topological analysis led to the identification of 20 core targets. DAVID, a bioinformatics resource, was used for Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. The "Key Target-Pathway-Biological Process" Network A "key target-pathway-biological process" network was constructed to explore the anti-AR mechanism of Zixin Biqiu Granules. It included 488 biological processes and 147 pathways. Zixin Biqiu Granules: The Therapeutic Effect Comprehensive analysis revealed that Zixin Biqiu Granules mainly exerted a therapeutic effect through anti-inflammation and immunoregulation. Molecular Docking Molecular docking was conducted with the key components of Zixin Biqiu Granules. Two core targets were selected for this process - Serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (AKT1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The results showed that the key components of Zixin Biqiu Granules had a high binding affinity to these core targets. Conclusion The study helped in gaining preliminary insights into the anti-AR mechanism of Zixin Biqiu Granules. It laid a solid scientific ground for its future clinical application. Although the mechanism is complex, it mainly involves anti-inflammation and immunoregulation. While the research advances to phase Ⅲ multicenter clinical trial, the understanding of its mechanism will help in assessing its effectiveness and safety. The traditional Chinese medicine, hence, holds a promising future in the treatment of AR. References:

1. Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP)

2. GeneCards

3. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM)

4. STRING

5. DAVID

6. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)

7. Synapse: Global Drug Intelligence Database

"This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. For further information, please consult a medical professional."