Exploring the Therapeutic Effects and Mechanisms of Core Component from Taraxacum on Alcoholic Liver Disease by Integrating UPLC-QE-MS, Network Pharmacology, and Animal Experiments
Mingyu Liu, Changqing Qin, Chuanguo Liu, Wenshu Feng, Ting Gui, Xuefang KouIntroduction:
The global prevalence of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) is rising, presenting a significant public health challenge. Taraxacum, a medicinal-food homologous plant, demonstrates hepatoprotective properties, yet its mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the core bioactive components of Taraxacum and validate their mechanisms and therapeutic efficacy in ALD mice.
Methods:
In this study, comprehensive compositional analysis of Taraxacum was performed utilizing ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with UPLC-QE-MS. Active components of Taraxacum and their associated targets relevant to ALD were identified through integration of public databases. Subsequently, a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network and a “Drug-components-targets” network were constructed. Key targets and key bioactive components were screened from these networks. The core component was further determined via molecular docking simulations, and its therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in the ALD mouse model by examining pertinent biochemical markers and conducting histopathological examination.
Results:
50 chemical components were identified from Taraxacum using UPLC-QE-MS analysis, with organic acids and flavonoids predominating. Subsequent screening via network pharmacology yielded 10 key components and 9 key targets, predominantly associated with inflammatory pathways. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated significant involvement of oxidative stress responses and the HIF-1 signaling pathway, among others. Molecular docking results suggested that isorhamnetin may represent the primary active constituent against ALD, exhibiting the strongest binding affinity with MAPK3. An experiment in mouse models of alcohol-induced liver injury demonstrated that isorhamnetin significantly reduced the activities of hepatic injury markers, attenuated histopathological damage and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, while concurrently inhibiting oxidative stress and protecting hepatocytes.
Discussion:
Taraxacum therapy for ALD has the advantage of multi-component, multi-- target, and multi-pathway synergistic regulation. Comprehensive analysis demonstrated that its core component, isorhamnetin, alleviates ALD through synergistic multi-pathway mechanisms involving metabolic regulation, antioxidant defense, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Conclusion:
This study systematically characterized the bioactive components of Taraxacum, elucidating the therapeutic efficacy of the core component, isorhamnetin, against ALD. These findings provide a scientific foundation for the development of plant- derived therapeutics targeting ALD.