Research Article
A Multi-target Mechanism Study of Paeoniflorin in the Treatment of Depression Based on Network Pharmacology
Jing Zhang,
Keming Li,
Xinjing Xie,
Hailing Ding,
Xuehui Wang,
Yihui Li,
Xing Gao*,
Jinlong Han*
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, June 2025
Pages:
15-20
Received:
7 April 2025
Accepted:
16 April 2025
Published:
24 May 2025
Abstract: Objective: To investigate the potential targets and molecular mechanisms of paeoniflorin in treating depression using network pharmacology. Methods: Targets of paeoniflorin were predicted via the Swiss Target Prediction database. Depression-related targets were obtained from the GeneCards database, and an intersection of "drug-disease" targets was constructed. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built using the STRING platform, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses (P < 0.05) via DAVID. Results: Twenty-four paeoniflorin targets and 5,443 depression-related targets were identified, yielding 15 intersection targets. The PPI network contained 11 nodes and 18 edges, with core targets including FGF2, HSP90AA1, and others. GO enrichment analysis revealed: biological processes (BP) involving wound healing, cell chemotaxis, and regulation of body fluid levels; cellular components (CC) enriched in cytoplasmic vesicle lumen and platelet alpha granule; molecular functions (MF) associated with heparin binding and glycosaminoglycan binding. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted significant enrichment in PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, and Ras signaling pathway. Conclusion: Paeoniflorin exerts antidepressant effects through multitargets and multipathways, providing a theoretical basis for its therapeutic application in depression.
Abstract: Objective: To investigate the potential targets and molecular mechanisms of paeoniflorin in treating depression using network pharmacology. Methods: Targets of paeoniflorin were predicted via the Swiss Target Prediction database. Depression-related targets were obtained from the GeneCards database, and an intersection of "drug-disease" targets was ...
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Research Article
Study on the Impact of Targeted Functional Acupuncture on Quality of Life in Patients with Upper Limb Spasticity After Stroke
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, June 2025
Pages:
21-29
Received:
27 November 2025
Accepted:
16 December 2025
Published:
31 December 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijcm.20250802.12
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Abstract: This study aimed to explore the effect of targeted functional acupuncture on improving muscle tone and activities of daily living in patients with upper limb spasticity after stroke. A total of 60 eligible patients admitted between March 2023 and June 2024 were randomly assigned to an experimental group (targeted functional acupuncture combined with basic rehabilitation, n=30) or a control group (conventional electroacupuncture combined with basic rehabilitation, n=30), both undergoing a 28-day intervention period. The Modified Ashworth Scale grade, resting angles of upper limb joints, and Modified Barthel Index score were assessed before and after the intervention. After the intervention, the improvement in ADL score was significantly greater in the experimental group (24.6 ± 18.3) compared to the control group (10.4 ± 15.2), with a statistically significant within-group difference (P < 0.001). The proportion of patients achieving significant muscle tone improvement (decrease ≥ 1 grade) was 60.0% in the experimental group, significantly higher than the 26.7% in the control group (P = 0.019). Furthermore, the number of "not testable" joints decreased from 38 to 22 in the experimental group, corresponding to an improvement rate of 42.1%, which was also significantly better than the 14.3% observed in the control group (P = 0.042). These results indicate that targeted functional acupuncture can effectively alleviate upper limb spasticity, improve muscle tone distribution, and significantly enhance the activities of daily living in post-stroke patients, supporting its use as an effective intervention in the rehabilitation of this population.
Abstract: This study aimed to explore the effect of targeted functional acupuncture on improving muscle tone and activities of daily living in patients with upper limb spasticity after stroke. A total of 60 eligible patients admitted between March 2023 and June 2024 were randomly assigned to an experimental group (targeted functional acupuncture combined wit...
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,
Shan Zeliang
