Integrating network analysis and experimental validation to reveal the mechanism of si-jun-zi decoction in the treatment of renal fibrosis

Treating kidney diseases from the perspective of spleen is an important clinical method in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for anti-renal fibrosis (RF). Si-jun-zi decoction (SJZD), a classic formula for qi-invigorating and spleen-invigorating, has been reported to alleviate RF. This study aims to investigate the potential mechanism by which SJZD attenuates RF. The results demonstrated notable improvements in renal function levels, inflammation and fibrosis indices in UUO-mice following SJZD intervention. The main active ingredients identified were Quercetin, Kaempferol, Naringenin and 7-Methoxy-2-methyl isoflavone. Furthermore, STAT3, MAPK3, MYC were confirmed as key targets. Additionally, GO enrichment analysis demonstrated that SJZD delayed RF primarily by regulating oxidative stress and other biological mechanisms. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of pathways such as Lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway and other pathways in the reno-protective effects of SJZD. The molecular docking results revealed that the active ingredients of SJZD were well-bound and stable to the core targets. The experiments results revealed that Quercetin, Kaempferol, and Naringenin not only improved the morphology of TGF-beta-induced HK-2 cells but also reversed the expression of alpha-SMA, COL1A1 and MAPK, thereby delaying the progression of RF. The anti-RF effects of SJZD were exerted through multi-components, multi-targets and multi-pathways.