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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2026 , Vol. 46 >Issue 2: 360 - 370

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.02.009

Original Articles

Exploring the potential mechanism of Huang’e capsule (黄莪胶囊) against spontaneous benign prostatic hyperplasia in beagle dogs using high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and network pharmacology

  • MA Aicui ,
  • PAN Qi ,
  • CHEN Dingshi ,
  • WANG Zhonghui ,
  • ZHENG Chiyang ,
  • ZHANG Junfang ,
  • YAN Jianyan ,
  • LI Lei ,
  • YAN Han ,
  • YAO Shunheng ,
  • GUO Jun ,
  • SUN Zuyue
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  • 1 Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China
    2 National Evaluation Center for the Toxicology of Fertility Regulating Drugs, Shanghai 200237, China
    3 NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai 200237, China
    4 Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Reproductive Health Drug and Devices, Shanghai 200237, China

MA Aicui and PAN Qi are co-first authors and contributed equally to this work

Prof. SUN Zuyue, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China. sunzy64@163.com;
Dr. GUO Jun, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200237, China. guojun@sibpt.cn; Telephone: +86-13501754505

Received date: 2025-01-13

  Accepted date: 2025-06-11

  Online published: 2026-04-04

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanisms of Huang’e capsule (黄莪胶囊, HEC) against benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODS: The chemical profile of HEC was characterized using high-performance liquid chromatographyquadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. Network pharmacology was employed to analyze potential active compounds, core targets, and key signaling pathways. A spontaneous canine BPH model was used to evaluate the efficacy of HEC and to validate the predictions from network pharmacology.

RESULTS: A total of 51 chemical components of HEC were identified, comprising 19 from HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and 32 from GC-MS analyses. The “components-targets-pathways-disease” network analysis predicted active compounds including (s)-coriolic acid, ethyl linoleate, peroxysimulenoline, physcion, and kaempferol. Core targets identified included cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1, estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2), ESR1, and androgen receptor (AR). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis suggested that HEC’s effects on BPH involve pathways related to cancer, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) -protein kinase B (Akt)-signaling, proteoglycans in cancer, and prostate cancer signaling. Animal experiments showed that HEC significantly improved maximum urinary flow rates, reduced prostate weight, volume, and prostate index, and ameliorated histopathological changes. HEC regulated the balance between apoptosis and proliferation by downregulating AR and estrogen receptor alpha expression, while upregulating estrogen receptor beta expression.

CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that HEC effectively ameliorates spontaneous BPH in beagle dogs, likely by regulating the balance between cell apoptosis and proliferation through multiple signaling pathways.

Key words： benign prostatic hyperplasia; proliferation; apoptosis; network pharmacology; Huang’e capsule

Cite this article

MA Aicui , PAN Qi , CHEN Dingshi , WANG Zhonghui , ZHENG Chiyang , ZHANG Junfang , YAN Jianyan , LI Lei , YAN Han , YAO Shunheng , GUO Jun , SUN Zuyue . Exploring the potential mechanism of Huang’e capsule (黄莪胶囊) against spontaneous benign prostatic hyperplasia in beagle dogs using high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and network pharmacology[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2026 , 46(2) : 360 -370 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.02.009

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