Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34664825›Full record

ArticleMedicine2021

Investigation on the mechanisms of guiqi huoxue capsule for treating cervical spondylosis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Yingying Liu, Jingyuan Zhang, Xinkui Liu, Wei Zhou, Antony Stalin, Changgeng Fu, Jiarui Wu, Guoliang Cheng, Siyu Guo, Shanshan Jia and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 24% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  3. Elucidating the Anti-Diabetic Mechanisms of Mushroom Chaga (International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Yingying LiuDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Jingyuan ZhangDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Xinkui LiuDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Wei ZhouDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Antony StalinState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China.
Changgeng FuXiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, China.
Jiarui WuDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Guoliang ChengState Key Laboratory of Generic Manufacture Technology of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Linyi, China.
Siyu GuoDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Shanshan JiaDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Bingbing LiXiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, China.
Haojia WangDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Jialin LiDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Shan LuDepartment of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine · CNChina Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences · CNXiyuan Hospital · CNZhejiang A & F University · CN

Funding

National Nature Science Foundation of China 81673829State Key Laboratory of Generic Manufacture Technology of Chinese Traditional Medicine 2010DQ740377
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGuiqi huoxue capsule (GQHXC) is a patented Chinese medicine used for treating a liver and kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome due to qi deficiency. It is caused by cervical spondylosis (cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR), mixed cervical spondylosis mainly composed of nerve root type). Its underlying mechanisms need, however, to be further clarified.

methodsIn this study, collecting compounds, predicting therapeutic targets, constructing networks, and analyzing biological functions and pathways were based on network pharmacology analysis. In addition, molecular docking verification was engaged to assess the binding potential of selected target-compound pairs.

resultsWe established 5 networks: compound-putative target network of GQHXC, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network related to CSR, compound-CSR target network, potential therapeutic targets PPI network, and herb-compound-target-pathway network. Network analysis indicated that 7 targets (tumor necrosis factor [TNF], interleukin 6 [IL6], nitric oxide synthase 3 [NOS3], Interleukin-8 [CXCL8], prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 [PTGS2], vascular endothelial growth factor A [VEGFA], and AP-1 transcription factor subunit [JUN]) might be the therapeutic targets of GQHXC in CSR. Moreover, molecular docking verification showed that TNF, IL6, NOS3, CXCL8, PTGS2, VEGFA, and JUN had a good is interaction with the corresponding compounds. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that GQHXC might exert a curative role in CSR by regulating some important pathways, such as TNF signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, and so on.

conclusionOur study preliminarily explained the underlying mechanisms of GQHXC for treating CSR, and molecular docking verification was adopted as an additional verification. These findings laid a valuable foundation for experimental research and further application of GQHXC in the clinical treatment of CSR.

Indexed as

Administration, OralDrugs, Chinese HerbalHumansMolecular Docking SimulationPharmacologySpondylosisDrugs, Chinese Herbalguipi

Identifiers

PMID34664825
PMCPMC8447999
OpenAlexW3199296702

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.