A breakthrough in periodontitis treatment: Revealing the pharmacodynamic substances and mechanisms of Kouqiangjie formula

Periodontitis, a complex inflammatory disease, significantly affects people's lives. Traditional Chinese multi-herbal formulas, composed of various herbs, exhibit their therapeutic efficacy holistically. Kouqiangjie Formula (KQJF), comprising 12 herbs including Rhizoma smilacis glabrae, Polygonatum sibiricum Delar. ex Redoute, Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz, etc., has been clinically proven to effectively treat periodontitis. However, the potential active substances conferring these effects and their mechanisms of action remain unclear. The current investigation endeavours to utilize Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), network pharmacology, and in vivo animal experiment confirmation to explore the plausible bioactive compounds and operational mechanisms underpinning KQJF's therapeutic impact on periodontitis. Using the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique, we deciphered the chemical constituents of KQJF. Network pharmacology was employed to earmark key bioactive elements, forecast principal targets, and operational pathways which were later substantiated through molecular docking. Experimental validations were carried out in a periodontitis animal model using a range of techniques, including micro-CT, H&E staining, qRT-PCR, and protein blotting procedures, providing comprehensive verification of our initial assumptions. Utilizing UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, we characterized 87 individual chemical constituents in KQJF. Network pharmacology revealed that 14 components, including senkyunolide A, glycycoumarin, licoflavonol, glycyrin, senkyunolide I, and senkyunolide H, form the key therapeutic basis of KQJF in targeting periodontitis. Significant targets and pathways were discerned as AKT1, MMP9, JUN, PTGS2, CASP3, TLR4, IL1β, BCL2, PPARG, and pathways such as the TNF signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway, osteoclast differentiation, and Wnt signaling pathway. Molecular docking demonstrated robust binding activity between these crucial targets and the key active ingredients. In vivo experimentation corroborated that, compared with the model group, KQJF significantly ameliorated symptoms and micro-CT imaging parameters of periodontitis in the rat model, down-regulating the expression of AKT1, MMP9, JUN, PTGS2, CASP3, TLR4, and IL1β, while up-regulating the expression of BCL2 and PPARG. In summary, this study has pioneered a comprehensive exploration of the potential therapeutic constituents, targets, and mechanisms of KQJF for periodontitis treatment, adopting a synergistic strategy of “chemical component analysis-network pharmacology screening-in vivo animal experiment validation”. This provides experimental evidence for the clinical application of KQJF and further in-depth research. Additionally, it presents an effective strategy for the research of other Chinese herbal formulations.