Network-based analysis of Jinfukang in the treatment of lung cancer

Introduction: Jinfukang (JFK), a multi-component herbal formula, has been shown to be effective in clinical practice for the treatment of lung cancer (LC). The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of action of JFK against lung cancer using network pharmacology analysis. Methods: In this study, a network consisting of drugs targets and disease related targets was constructed, and then network analysis was performed to study the anti-LC mechanism of JFK. The information of compounds and their targets of JFK were collected from herbal ingredients' targets database (HIT) and nature product activity & species source database (NPASS). Targets of FDA-approved anti-LC drugs were collected from TTD. The disease-related targets and the drug targets were mapped into the background PPI network. In order to confirm the correlation between drug targets and disease-related targets, the shortest path length between them in the network was calculated. Statistical analysis of KEGG and GO function enrichment of the target profile was performed by Metascape. Results: To understand the potential anti-LC mechanism of JFK, 384 direct targets of five Chinese herbal medicines of JFK, which were Astragalus membranaceus, Ophiopogon japonicas, Paris polyphylla, Ligustrum lucidum and Gynostemma pentaphyllum were collected. The result of pathway enrichment of drug targets of JKF showed that JFK acted on cancer-related pathways such as "Pathways in cancer". Besides, drug targets of JFK were significantly enriched in pathways related to LC. To better display the functional similarity and difference among herbs of JFK, pathways that were significantly enriched were mapped according to the map of KEGG "Small cell lung cancer" and "Non-small cell lung cancer" pathways. The results showed that multiple targets and multiple pathways were involved in the anti-LC effect of JFK. This was mainly related to the inhibition of cell proliferation and the induction of cell apoptosis. The result of network shortest path length calculation showed that drug targets of JFK were closely related to disease-related targets of LC. Conclusion: The therapeutic effect of JFK on LC involved multiple targets and multiple pathways was mainly related to the inhibition of cell proliferation and the induction of cell apoptosis.