Network Pharmacological Analysis and Experimental Validation of the Effect of Smilacis Glabrae Rhixoma on Gastrointestinal Motility Disorder

Gastrointestinal motility disorder (GMD) is a disease that causes digestive problems due to inhibition of the movement of the gastrointestinal tract and is one of the diseases that reduce the quality of life of modern people. Smilacis Glabrae Rhixoma (SGR) is a traditional herbal medicine for many diseases and is sometimes prescribed to improve digestion. As a network pharmacological approach, we searched the TCMSP database for SGR, reviewed its constituents and target genes, and analyzed its relevance to gastrointestinal motility disorder. The effects of the SGR extract on the pacemaker activity in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and gastric emptying were investigated. In addition, using the GMD mouse model through acetic acid (AA), we investigated the locomotor effect of SGR on the intestinal transit rate (ITR). As a result of network pharmacology analysis, 56 compounds out of 74 candidate compounds of SGR have targets, the number of targets is 390 targets, and there are 904 combinations. Seventeen compounds of SGR were related to GMD, and as a result of comparing the related genes with the GMD-related genes, 17 genes (active only) corresponded to both. When looking at the relationship network between GMD and SGR, it was confirmed that quercetin, resveratrol, SCN5A, TNF, and FOS were most closely related to GMD. In addition, the SGR extract regulated the pacemaker activity in ICC and recovered the delayed gastric emptying. As a result of feeding the SGR extract to AA-induced GMD mice, it was confirmed that the ITR decreased by AA was restored by the SGR extract. Through network pharmacology, it was confirmed that quercetin, resveratrol, SCN5A, TNF, and FOS were related to GMD in SGR, and these were closely related to intestinal motility. Based on these results, it is suggested that SGR in GMD restores digestion through the recovery of intestinal motility.