Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 617-628.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.03.007
• Original Articles • Previous Articles Next Articles
HUANG Huahua1,2,3(
), TU Mengzhen1,2,3, XU Jie1,2,3, WU Xuebing1,2,3, CHEN Qiaofeng1,2,3
Received:2025-04-25
Accepted:2025-10-10
Online:2026-06-15
Published:2026-06-08
Contact:
Prof. HUANG Huahua, School of Pharmacy, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361023, China. huahua033@163.com, Telephone: +86-18205971103
Supported by:HUANG Huahua, TU Mengzhen, XU Jie, WU Xuebing, CHEN Qiaofeng. Active components and potential mechanisms of Wuzhuyu decoction (吴茱萸汤) in the treatment of ethanol-induced acute gastric mucosal injury: a network pharmacology and experimental verification[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2026, 46(3): 617-628.
Figure 1 Protective effects of WD on ethanol-induced GMI A: macroscopic observation of gastric mucosal tissue; B: comparison of the gastric mucosal damage index; C: histopathological changes in gastric mucosa observed via HE staining (× 100): local defects (green arrow), atrophy of glands in the lamina propria (red arrow), and capillary dilation and congestion (yellow arrow); D: comparison of TNF-α and IL-1β; E: comparison of MDA; F: comparison of SOD, and GSH-Px; A1, C1: Con ; A2, C2: Mod; A3, C3: BPC; A4, C4: WD-L; A5, C5: WD-M; A6, C6: WD-H. Con and Mod groups treated with distilled water; BPC group treated with bismuth potassium citrate (0.36 g/kg); WD-L, WD-M, and WD-H groups treated with WD decoctions 4.5, 9 and 18 g/kg, respectively. Administration was performed once daily for 7 consecutive days. Con: control; Mod: model; BPC: bismuth potassium citrate; WD-L: WD at low doses; WD-M: WD at medium doses; WD-H: WD at high doses; HE: hematoxylin and eosin; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-alpha; IL-1β: interleukin-1 beta; MDA: malondialdehyde; SOD: superoxide dismutase; GSH-Px: glutathione peroxidase. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (n = 8). Group comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance. aP < 0.01, vs the Con group; bP < 0.01, cP < 0.05, vs the Mod group.
Figure 2 Results of the UPLC-MS/MS A: TIC in positive ion mode (n = 3); B: TIC in negative ion mode (n = 3); C: distribution chart of component classifications; D: top 15 component content in positive ion mode; E: top 15 component content in negative ion mode. UPLC-MS/MS: ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; TIC: total ion chromatogram.
Figure 3 Results of network analysis A: Venn diagram; B: Top 15 targets; C: GO enrichment analysis; D: KEGG enrichment analysis. AKT1: AKT serine/threonine kinase 1; IL6: interleukin 6; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; ACTB: actin beta; TP53: tumor protein p53; ALB: albumin; IL1B: interleukin 1 beta; STAT3: signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; EGFR: epidermal growth factor receptor; CTNNB1: catenin beta 1; BCL2: B-cell lymphoma 2; CASP3: Caspase-3; HIF1A: hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha; SRC: SRC proto-oncogene, non-receptor tyrosine kinase; JUN: Jun proto-oncogene, AP-1 transcription factor subunit; GO: gene ontology; KEGG: kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes.
Figure 4 Apoptosis of gastric mucosal cells and expression of relevant proteins A: TUNEL staining of gastric mucosal cells (×100); A1-A6: nuclear staining images; A7-A12: apoptotic cell labeling images; A13-A18: merged images; A1, A7, A13: Con; A2, A8, A14: Mod; A3, A9, A15: BPC; A4, A10, A16: WD-L; A5, A11, A17: WD-M; A6, A12, A18: WD-H; B: effects of WD on gastric mucosal cell apoptosis; C: Western blot bands of relevant proteins; D: expression of Bcl-2; E: expression of Bax; F: expression of Cleaved Caspase-3; G: expression of Cleaved Caspase-9. Con and Mod groups treated with distilled water; BPC group treated with bismuth potassium citrate (0.36 g/kg); WD-L, WD-M, and WD-H groups treated with WD decoctions 4.5, 9 and 18 g/kg, respectively. Administration was performed once daily for 7 consecutive days. Con: control; Mod: model; BPC: bismuth potassium citrate; WD-L: WD at low doses; WD-M: WD at medium doses; WD-H: WD at high doses; TUNEL: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling; Bcl-2: B-cell lymphoma-2; Bax: Bcl-2-associated X protein. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (n = 8). Group comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance. aP < 0.01, cP < 0.05, vs the Con group; bP < 0.01, vs the Mod group.
| Target gene | PDB ID | Protein pocket coordinates | Grid box size |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCL2 | 8HTS | center_x = 7.647, center_y = 11.371, center_z = 14.514 | size_x = 41.0, size_y = 31.0, size_z = 38.0 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | center_x = 30.952, center_y = 19.826, center_z = 49.131 | size_x = 51.0, size_y = 52.0, size_z = 59.0 |
Table 1 Pocket coordinates and grid box sizes
| Target gene | PDB ID | Protein pocket coordinates | Grid box size |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCL2 | 8HTS | center_x = 7.647, center_y = 11.371, center_z = 14.514 | size_x = 41.0, size_y = 31.0, size_z = 38.0 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | center_x = 30.952, center_y = 19.826, center_z = 49.131 | size_x = 51.0, size_y = 52.0, size_z = 59.0 |
| PubChem CID | Compound | Target protein | PDB ID | Affinity (kcal/mol) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 445858 | (E)-ferulic acid | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.2 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.7 | ||
| 168114 | [8]-gingerol | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.1 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.2 | ||
| 5317587 | [6]-gingerdiol 3,5-diacetate | BCL2 | 8HTS | -5.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.6 | ||
| 73337 | Magnoflorine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.8 | ||
| 5281654 | Isorhamnetin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -7.5 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.9 | ||
| 9796015 | [6]-dehydrogingerdione | BCL2 | 8HTS | -5.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.8 | ||
| 5318039 | Hexahydrocurcumin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.5 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.5 | ||
| 11068834 | Octahydrocurcumin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.4 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.3 | ||
| 932 | Naringenin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -7.0 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.7 | ||
| 442793 | [6]-gingerol | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.0 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.8 | ||
| 1548943 | Capsaicin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -7.2 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.6 | ||
| 107982 | Dihydrocapsaicin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.2 | ||
| 65752 | Rutaecarpine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -8.4 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.7 | ||
| 442088 | Evodiamine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -8.1 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.8 | ||
| 9817839 | Dehydroevodiamine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -8.5 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.7 |
Table 2 Results of molecular docking
| PubChem CID | Compound | Target protein | PDB ID | Affinity (kcal/mol) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 445858 | (E)-ferulic acid | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.2 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.7 | ||
| 168114 | [8]-gingerol | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.1 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.2 | ||
| 5317587 | [6]-gingerdiol 3,5-diacetate | BCL2 | 8HTS | -5.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.6 | ||
| 73337 | Magnoflorine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.8 | ||
| 5281654 | Isorhamnetin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -7.5 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.9 | ||
| 9796015 | [6]-dehydrogingerdione | BCL2 | 8HTS | -5.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.8 | ||
| 5318039 | Hexahydrocurcumin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.5 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.5 | ||
| 11068834 | Octahydrocurcumin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.4 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.3 | ||
| 932 | Naringenin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -7.0 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.7 | ||
| 442793 | [6]-gingerol | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.0 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -5.8 | ||
| 1548943 | Capsaicin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -7.2 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.6 | ||
| 107982 | Dihydrocapsaicin | BCL2 | 8HTS | -6.9 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -6.2 | ||
| 65752 | Rutaecarpine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -8.4 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.7 | ||
| 442088 | Evodiamine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -8.1 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.8 | ||
| 9817839 | Dehydroevodiamine | BCL2 | 8HTS | -8.5 |
| CASP3 | 2DKO | -7.7 |
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