Identifying Potential Bioactive Components and Targets of Shaofuzhuyu Decoction in Treating Endometriosis Using serum Pharmacochemistry and Network Pharmacology

Objective To evaluate the underlying pharmacodynamics and therapeutic mechanism of Shaofuzhuyu Decoction (SFZYD) in treating Endometriosis (EMs). Methods Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to identify prototype ingredients of SFZYD in serum samples of EMs model rats. SFZYD was screened by Network Pharmacology for potential bioactive components, targets and key pathways in vivo according to the prototype components in blood. Subsequently, the binding activities of the potential bioactive compounds and key targets were tested by molecular docking techniques. Results 170 components of SFZYD were characterized in vitro using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, and a total of 40 prototype ingredients of SFZYD were identified in rat serum. Network pharmacology predicted 90 protein targets and 193 pathways associated with EMs based on these prototypes. Five components of SFZYD were screened as potential biological activities, and four core targets were identified, these components were trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, ethyl p-methoxycinnamate, ferulic acid, protoferulic acid, and 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, while the identified core targets were ESR1, EGFR, SRC, and MAPK1. Vigorous binding activities between potential bioactive components and the core targets were demonstrated by molecular docking studies. Conclusion The present study elucidated that 13 active components in SFZYD act to treat EMs by regulating four core targets, ESR1, EGFR, SRC and MAPK1, through multiple signalling pathways, and have multi-target, multi-component and synergistic effects, which may serve as a reference and basis for the development of new drugs for treating EMs.