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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2026 , Vol. 46 >Issue 1: 160 - 171

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.01.015

Original Articles

Exploring the mechanism of the Lianshi Jianpi formula (莲实健脾方) in treating impaired glucose tolerance: a network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation study

  • Mingqian JIANG ,
  • Tong WANG ,
  • Bowei HUANG ,
  • Chen QIU ,
  • Yanbin LIANG ,
  • Binhua YE
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  • 1 Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, People's Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350004, China
    2 First Clinical Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
    3 College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
    4 Department of Clinical Nutrition, People's Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350004, China

Received date: 2025-04-19

  Accepted date: 2025-10-09

  Online published: 2026-01-28

Supported by

Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province Project: To Investigate the Mechanism of Lianshi Jianpi Formula In Improving Impaired Glucose Tolerance via the Fibroblast Growth Factor 21-Mediated Adenosine 5‘-monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinases Energy Metabolism Pathway(2023J01841);ZHOU Guoying Fujian Province Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Workstation Construction Project(Min Zhong Yi [2023] 56)

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the bioactive constituents, key targets, signalling pathways, and molecular mechanisms of Lianshi Jianpi formula (莲实健脾方, LSJPF) in the treatment of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo experiments.

METHODS: The active ingredients and targets of LSJPF were identified using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology and HERB databases, whereas the IGT-related targets were sourced from GeneCards, DisGeNET, and PubMed. The overlap analysis identified potential targets of LSJPF. Protein-protein interaction networks and core targets were evaluated using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins and Cytoscape, and molecular docking confirmed the binding affinities. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed using Metascape. The therapeutic mechanisms were validated in an animal IGT model.

RESULTS: LSJPF contained 229 compounds, with 15 active compounds and 77 potential target proteins. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) signalling pathway emerged as a key IGT pathway. The KEGG enrichment analysis revealed the pivotal genes RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1), heat shock protein 90 kDa alpha B1, and B-cell lymphoma 2 family protein, which predominantly interact with beta-sitosterol and beta-carotene, the major constituents of Semen Euryales, Semen lablab Album, Semen sojae Atricolor in LSJPF. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities between LSJPF and IGT-related targets. In an animal IGT model, LSJPF treatment prevented weight loss; reduced food and water intake; decreased blood glucose levels; improved insulin resistance; decreased serum triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels; alleviated liver pathology; and significantly increased the levels of phosphorylated adenosine 5’-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), PI3K, and AKT, suggesting its potential role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal the potential of LSJPF as an IGT intervention that targets the AMPK/PI3K/AKT cascade, validating network pharmacology predictions and highlighting the role of multipathway mechanisms in metabolic diseases.

Key words： impaired glucose intolerance; AMP-activated protein kinases; phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase; protein kinase B; signalling pathway; medicinal dietary therapy; Lianshi Jianpi diet formula

Cite this article

Mingqian JIANG , Tong WANG , Bowei HUANG , Chen QIU , Yanbin LIANG , Binhua YE . Exploring the mechanism of the Lianshi Jianpi formula (莲实健脾方) in treating impaired glucose tolerance: a network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation study[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2026 , 46(1) : 160 -171 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.01.015

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