Network pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine research
Abstract Network pharmacology plays a pivotal role in systems biology, bridging the gap between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and contemporary pharmacological research. Network pharmacology enables researchers to construct multilayered networks that systematically elucidate TCM’s multi-c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Chinese Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-024-01056-z |
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| _version_ | 1841544277722660864 |
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| author | Yiyan Zhai Liu Liu Fanqin Zhang Xiaodong Chen Haojia Wang Jiying Zhou Keyan Chai Jiangying Liu Huiling Lei Peiying Lu Meiling Guo Jincheng Guo Jiarui Wu |
| author_facet | Yiyan Zhai Liu Liu Fanqin Zhang Xiaodong Chen Haojia Wang Jiying Zhou Keyan Chai Jiangying Liu Huiling Lei Peiying Lu Meiling Guo Jincheng Guo Jiarui Wu |
| author_sort | Yiyan Zhai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Network pharmacology plays a pivotal role in systems biology, bridging the gap between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and contemporary pharmacological research. Network pharmacology enables researchers to construct multilayered networks that systematically elucidate TCM’s multi-component, multi-target mechanisms of action. This review summarizes key databases commonly used in network pharmacology, including those focused on herbs, components, diseases, and dedicated platforms for network pharmacology analysis. Additionally, we explore the growing use of network pharmacology in TCM, citing literature from Web of Science, PubMed, and CNKI over the past two decades with keywords like “network pharmacology”, “TCM network pharmacology”, and “herb network pharmacology”. The application of network pharmacology in TCM is widespread, covering areas such as identifying the material basis of TCM efficacy, unraveling mechanisms of action, and evaluating toxicity, safety, and novel drug development. However, challenges remain, such as the lack of standardized data collection across databases and insufficient consideration of processed herbs in research. Questions also persist regarding the reliability of study outcomes. This review aims to offer valuable insights and reference points to guide future research in precision TCM network pharmacology. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4d91a3be306440dcadc4b05c6a3e0c00 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1749-8546 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chinese Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-4d91a3be306440dcadc4b05c6a3e0c002025-01-12T12:39:44ZengBMCChinese Medicine1749-85462025-01-0120112010.1186/s13020-024-01056-zNetwork pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine researchYiyan Zhai0Liu Liu1Fanqin Zhang2Xiaodong Chen3Haojia Wang4Jiying Zhou5Keyan Chai6Jiangying Liu7Huiling Lei8Peiying Lu9Meiling Guo10Jincheng Guo11Jiarui Wu12School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineAbstract Network pharmacology plays a pivotal role in systems biology, bridging the gap between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and contemporary pharmacological research. Network pharmacology enables researchers to construct multilayered networks that systematically elucidate TCM’s multi-component, multi-target mechanisms of action. This review summarizes key databases commonly used in network pharmacology, including those focused on herbs, components, diseases, and dedicated platforms for network pharmacology analysis. Additionally, we explore the growing use of network pharmacology in TCM, citing literature from Web of Science, PubMed, and CNKI over the past two decades with keywords like “network pharmacology”, “TCM network pharmacology”, and “herb network pharmacology”. The application of network pharmacology in TCM is widespread, covering areas such as identifying the material basis of TCM efficacy, unraveling mechanisms of action, and evaluating toxicity, safety, and novel drug development. However, challenges remain, such as the lack of standardized data collection across databases and insufficient consideration of processed herbs in research. Questions also persist regarding the reliability of study outcomes. This review aims to offer valuable insights and reference points to guide future research in precision TCM network pharmacology.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-024-01056-zNetwork pharmacologyTraditional Chinese medicineDatabaseCurrent state of researchPrecision network pharmacology |
| spellingShingle | Yiyan Zhai Liu Liu Fanqin Zhang Xiaodong Chen Haojia Wang Jiying Zhou Keyan Chai Jiangying Liu Huiling Lei Peiying Lu Meiling Guo Jincheng Guo Jiarui Wu Network pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine research Chinese Medicine Network pharmacology Traditional Chinese medicine Database Current state of research Precision network pharmacology |
| title | Network pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine research |
| title_full | Network pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine research |
| title_fullStr | Network pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Network pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine research |
| title_short | Network pharmacology: a crucial approach in traditional Chinese medicine research |
| title_sort | network pharmacology a crucial approach in traditional chinese medicine research |
| topic | Network pharmacology Traditional Chinese medicine Database Current state of research Precision network pharmacology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-024-01056-z |
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