Role of Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription in the protection of cerebral ischemia and associated molecular network mechanism

Abstract To explore the of Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription in the treatment of cerebral ischemia–reperfusion (CIR) and associated molecular network mechanism. Venny diagram, gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis, protein–protein interaction (PPI), hub genes mining, molecular docking, combined with animal experiments and Nissl stain were performed to determine the molecular network mechanism of Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription for CIR treatment. Fifty three intersecting genes between Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription and cerebral ischemia reperfusion were acquired from Venny analysis. GO analysis showed that the main biological process (BP) was response to lipopolysaccharide, and the main cell localization (CC) process was membrane raft, while the most important molecular function (MF) process is Cytokine receptor binding. Moreover, AGE‐RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications is the most important signaling pathway in KEGG pathway. Through molecular docking, it was found that Astragalus membranaceus was docked with MAPK14, IL4, FOS, IL6, and JUN; pueraria membranaceus was directly docked with JUN and IL4; Acorus acorus was linked to JUN and MAPK14; Ganoderma ganoderma and human were involved in JUN docking, and Ligusticum chuanqi and pueraria could not be docked with MAPK14, respectively. The results of animal experiments showed that Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription significantly improved behavioral performance and reduced the number of neuronal deaths in rats subjected to CIR, and molecular mechanisms are associated with FOS, IL‐6, IL4, JUN, and MAPK14, of there, IL‐6, as a vital candidator, which has been confirmed by immunostaining detection. Together, Qufeng Tongqiao Prescription has positive therapeutic effect on CIR, and the underlying mechanism is involved MAPK14, FOS, IL4, and JUN network, while IL‐6 may be as a vital target.