Welcome to Francis Academic Press

Frontiers in Medical Science Research, 2023, 5(10); doi: 10.25236/FMSR.2023.051012.

A network-based pharmacologic investigation of the mechanism of action of frankincense-myrrh in the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Author(s)

Cheng Du, Zhang Xiao, Guo Yijia, Yang Jingfeng

Corresponding Author:
Cheng Du
Affiliation(s)

College of Basic Medical Science, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, 712046, China

Abstract

To explore the mechanism of mastic and myrrh in the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDN) using network pharmacological method. The active ingredients of frankincense and myrrha and their related targets were retrieved from the Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and the gene names were converted using Uniprot protein database. GeneCards, NCBI and OMIM databases were used to search the targets of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and VENNY2.1.0 was used to obtain the intersection targets. Based on the intersection targets, protein interaction analysis, GO cell function and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis were used to analyze the mechanism of mastic and myrrha in the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDN). Eight mastic compounds and 11 targets were found. There were 45 bioactive components and 184 targets in myrrh. There were 2265 PDN related genes and 123 common targets of drugs and diseases. Protein network interaction revealed Recombinant Nitric Oxide Synthase 2 (NOS2), factor II (F2) and Recombinant Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase 2 (PTGS2), Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), Recombinant Protease, Serine 1 (PRSS1), estrogen receptor1 (ESR1) and other targets may be the key targets of frankincense and myrrh in the treatment of PDN. GO enrichment analysis included 320 items, involving cellular reactive oxygen species metabolism, response to lipopolysaccharide, epithelial cell proliferation, etc. KEGG enrichment analysis identified 166 signaling pathways, among which the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, lipid and atherosclerosis, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis were the possible pathways of mastic and myrrha in the treatment of PDN.

Keywords

frankincense-myrrh; painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy; network pharmacology

Cite This Paper

Cheng Du, Zhang Xiao, Guo Yijia, Yang Jingfeng. A network-based pharmacologic investigation of the mechanism of action of frankincense-myrrh in the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Frontiers in Medical Science Research (2023) Vol. 5, Issue 10: 82-91. https://doi.org/10.25236/FMSR.2023.051012.

References

[1] Kioskli K, Scott W, Winkley K, et al. Psychosocial Factors in Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: A Systematic Review of Treatment Trials and Survey Studies [J]. Pain Med. 2019 Sep1;20(9): 1756-1773. 

[2] Vinik AI. Diabetic Sensory and Motor Neuropathy [J]. N Engl J Med, 2016, 374(15): 1455 -1464. 

[3] Iyer S, Tanenberg RJ. Pharmacologic management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. Expert Opin[J]. Pharmacother, 2013, 14: 1765 ~ 1775

[4] Butler S, Eek D, Ring L, et al. The utility/futility of medications for neuropathic pain - an observational study [J]. Scand J Pain. 2019 Apr 24;19(2): 327-335. 

[5] Gao R, Miao X, Sun C, et al. Frankincense and myrrh and their bioactive compounds ameliorate the multiple myeloma through regulation of metabolome profiling and JAK/STAT signaling pathway based on U266 cells [J]. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020 Mar 23; 20(1): 96. 

[6] CHEN Hai-Bin, ZHOU Hong-Guang, LI Wen-Ting, et al. Network pharmacology-a new perspective on the mechanism of action study of Chinese medicine compounding[J]. Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2019, 34(07): 2873-2876.

[7] Ru J, Li P, Wang J, et al. TCMSP:a database of systems pharmacology for drug discovery from herbal medicines. J Cheminform. 2014 Apr 16;6: 13.

[8] The UniPort C T. UniProt: The universal protein knowledgebase[J]. Nucleic Acids Res, 2017, 45(D1): D158-D169

[9] Safran M, Dalah I, Alexander J, et al. GeneCards Version 3: the human gene integrator. database : the journal of biological databases and curation 2010, 2010: baq020. 2010: baq020.

[10] Sayers EW, Beck J, Bolton EE, et al. Database resources of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Nucleic Acids Res. 2021 Jan 8;49(D1):D10-D17.

[11] Amberger JS, Bocchini CA, Schiettecatte F, et al. org: Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM®), an online catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Nucleic acids research 2015, 43(Database issue): D789-798.

[12] Doncheva NT, Morris JH, Gorodkin J, et al. Cytoscape StringApp: Network Analysis and Visualization of Proteomics Data. journal of proteome research 2019, 18(2): 623-632.

[13] Szklarczyk D, Gable AL, Lyon D, et al. STRING v11: protein-protein association networks with increased coverage, supporting functional discovery in genome-wide experimental datasets. nucleic acids research 2019, 47(D1): d607-d613.

[14] LI Ying, Leng Jinhong. Progress of research on the pathogenesis of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy[J]. Journal of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017, 19(11): 117-121.

[15] Frøkjaer JB, Søfteland E, Graversen C, et al. Effect of acute hyperglycaemia on sensory processing in diabetic autonomic neuropathy[J]. Eur J Clin Invest, 2010, 40(10): 883 ~ 886.

[16] Bril V, England J, Franklin GM, et al. Evidence-based guideline: Treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy: report of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electro diagnostic Medicine, and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation[J]. Neurology, 2011, 76: 1758 ~ 1765.

[17] WANG Nan, GU Mengjia, YU Juanjuan, et al. Development of analgesic theory in traditional Chinese medicine and exploration of analgesic prescription medication law based on support analysis[J]. Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2018, 36(01): 40-42.

[18] ZHAO Li-Hui, ZHAO Zi-Zhang, LI Jia-Zhou , et al. Study on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and mechanism of active ingredients KTDA and FSA of frankincense and myrrh and their combinations[J]. New Chinese Medicines and Clinical Pharmacology, 2022, 33(11): 1460-1465.

[19] Wang Tuanjie. Research on the effect substance basis of myrrh in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea [D]. Jiangsu University, 2009.

[20] LI Qiang, ZHANG Qingmin, LIU Qiang, et al. -Analysis of the effect of comprehensive treatment of knee osteoarthritis by various clinical means[J]. China Modern Drug Application, 2013, 7(3): 39-40.

[21] Yang K, Wang Y, Li YW, et al. Progress in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022 Apr; 148: 112717. 

[22] Chen Wanning. Research on the extraction mode and antioxidant efficacy of Boswellia serrata extract [D]. Shanghai Jiaotong University, 2018.

[23] MU Xiaodong. Research on the preparation process of effective parts of frankincense-myrrh allotment and its protective effect on ischemic stroke[D]. Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2020.

[24] QIN Xuhua, JIN Shenrui, XIAO Hua, et al. Effects of milk myrrh on tumor suppression and receptor-type tyrosine kinase activity[J]. Pharmacology and Clinics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2015, 31(06): 122-124.

[25] Ge AQ, Yang KL, Liu LF, et al. Exploring the molecular mechanism of frankincense-myrrh drug pair intervening in breast hyperplasia based on network pharmacology[J]. World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2020, 22(04): 914-925.