Network pharmacology approach and experimental verification of Manzufei decoction in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Manzufei decoction (MZFD) effectively treats COPD, but its mechanisms are unclear. Combining network pharmacology and experimental validation, we identified 168 bioactive components in MZFD and 265 potential targets. Network analysis pinpointed 4 core compounds. Comparing 1167 COPD-related targets revealed 114 overlapping therapeutic targets. Enrichment analysis implicated key pathways, notably AKT signaling. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding of quercetin to AKT and MUC5AC. Animal studies demonstrated that MZFD inhibits AKT signaling pathway activation, reduces MUC5AC protein expression in lung tissue and lung inflammation, thereby alleviating lung injury in AECOPD model rats.