Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40337969›Full record

ArticleCombinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening2026

Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology Analyses Reveal the Mechanism of Moxibustion in Knee Osteoarthritis.

Yaqiong Su, Minfeng Fang, Ziyao Qiao, Na Zheng, Yun Yang, Jingjing Li, Weijian Zhao, Yaning Zhang, Hong Zhang, Ye Li and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Primary Metabolites in ThreeLife (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
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

11 authors.

Yaqiong SuKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Minfeng FangKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Ziyao QiaoKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Na ZhengKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Yun YangKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Jingjing LiKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Weijian ZhaoKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Yaning ZhangLintong Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710604, China.
Hong ZhangKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Ye LiKey Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Chunliu WangKey Laboratory of TCM Drug Delivery, Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710001, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThis study aimed to explore the mechanism of moxibustion in the knee by combining osteoarthritis metabolomics and network pharmacology.

methodsA rat knee osteoarthritis (KOA) model was established by intra-articular injection of papain. The efficacy of moxibustion in KOA rats was evaluated by swelling degree, pathological progress, and mobility loss of knee joint. On this basis, the metabolic mechanism of moxibustion in relieving knee osteoarthritis was analyzed by metabolomics analysis.

resultsMoxibustion significantly reduced joint swelling and inflammation in the knee joint of KOA rats. Sixteen metabolites and nine metabolic pathways were found to be associated with the mechanism of action of moxibustion in metabolomics analysis results. According to network pharmacology, 3186 KOA disease targets, 158 drug targets, and 89 intersecting targets were obtained. The key targets included MAPK-3, AKT-1, RELA, MAPK-8, MAPK-14, etc. Signal pathways were found to be involved in mechanisms of moxibustion in knee osteoarthritis, such as alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism. DISCUSSION: At present, the mechanism of moxibustion for KOA is not completely clear, but it is certain that its effect is related to the effect produced by heat and radiation. In addition, the aromatic substances produced during the combustion of moxa leaves have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune- enhancing effects on KOA.

conclusionThe mechanism of moxibustion in knee osteoarthritis may involve alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, amino tRNA biosynthesis, and D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism signaling pathways with MAPK-3, AKT-1, RELA, MAPK-8, and MAPK-14 as core targets. More precise mechanisms need to be verified by further systematic molecular biology experiments.

Indexed as

MetabolomicsMoxibustionNetwork PharmacologyOsteoarthritis, KneeAnimalsRatsRats, Sprague-Dawleydifferential metabolitesknee osteoarthritismetabolic pathwaysmetabolomicsMoxibustionnetwork pharmacology

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.