Study on the Mechanism of Coptis Chinensis in the Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy Based on Network Pharmacology

To investigate the therapeutic effects of Coptis chinensis on diabetic nephropathy using systematic pharmacological techniques. The TCMSP database was used to search the main components and related targets of Coptis chinensis; the GeneCards and CTD databases were used to screen the disease targets of diabetic nephropathy, and the intersection of the targets and disease targets was taken and plotted in Venn diagram; the target protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed from STRING database; the DAVID 6.8 online tool was used to GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed using DAVID 6.8 online tool to obtain the key signaling pathways of Coptis chinensis acting in diabetic nephropathy. Fourteen effective components of Coptis chinensis and 186 targets were obtained from the TCMSP database, and 3358 diabetic nephropathy targets were obtained from the summary of two databases, GeneCards and CTD. 118 intersecting targets of Coptis chinensis components and diabetic nephropathy diseases were obtained, and the core targets were TP53, MAPK1, AKT1, RELA, TNF, CAV1, RXRA, which may act on MAPK signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to regulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress generated by diabetic nephropathy process, thus reducing the disease symptoms. Coptis chinensis can exert its mechanism of action for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy through multiple components with multiple targets and pathways.