Analysis of Puerarin’s Mechanism in Treating Diabetic Osteoporosis by using Network Pharmacology

Puerarin can promote the proliferation of osteoblasts and it can also be used as a scaffold material, but its mechanism is unknown. In this study, we explored the primary molecular mechanism of puerarin in diabetic osteoporosis treatment. We used traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform, PubChem, web-based gene set analysis toolkit, cytoscape and so on to screen the drug targets of puerarin and the disease targets of diabetic osteoporosis. We analyzed the puerarin mechanism based on the protein-protein interaction co-expression network, gene ontology, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment, etc., and molecular docking by AutoDock. The main enriched signaling pathways in the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes were non-small cell lung cancer, endocrine resistance and so on. The main enriched biological processes were positive regulation of cell migration, cytokine-mediated signaling pathway and so on. The main enriched cell components of the cellular component were the integrin complex, platelet alpha granule membrane and so on. The main cellular functions of the molecular function were C-X3-C chemokine binding, nitric oxide synthase regulator activity and so on. The tumor necrosis factor, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 with puerarin docking binding energy were all less than -5 kcal/mol-1. In conclusion puerarin may act through multiple targets and some pathways in diabetic osteoporosis.