Exploring the mechanisms of different treatments for endotoxic shock through literature mining and systems biology

IntroductionIn traditional Chinese medicine, the same disease is treated with different methods based on syndrome differentiation. Endotoxic shock is treated with Shenfu injection or Niupo Zhibao pellet according to “Heat Block Syndrome” or “Yang Collapse Syndrome”. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of two different treatments used for endotoxic shock – Shenfu Injection and Niupo Zhibao pellet.MethodsThe names of genes related to Shenfu injection, Niupo Zhibao pellet and endotoxic shock were extracted from PubMed through literature mining. Pathway and protein–protein interaction network analysis were applied to these genes to compare the functions of Shenfu injection and Niupo Zhibao pellet.ResultsThough Niupo Zhibao pellet and Shenfu injection are different treatments, they have common functions as they are treating the same disease. The two treatments both regulate the inflammation-related signaling pathway to interfere with the inflammation cascade. Meanwhile, the two treatments aim at different syndromes. The treatment with Niupo Zhibao pellet for endotoxic shock with “Heat Block Syndrome” may eliminate pathogenic factors through regulating activity of ubiquitin-protein ligase. The treatment with Shenfu injection for endotoxic shock with “Yang Collapse Syndrome” may restore Yang to save from collapse through the renin–angiotensin system, immune system, and hormone-mediated cellular signal transduction.ConclusionThe molecular mechanisms of Shenfu injection and Niupo Zhibao pellet reveal the biological basis of different treatments for endotoxic shock. This may help to integrate TCM with western medicine and improve treatment efficacy for endotoxic shock.