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Mechanism of the medicine pair of Sanhe Decoction in treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and benign prostatic hyperplasia with "homotherapy for heteropathy" based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Published on Mar. 31, 2026Total Views: 18 times Total Downloads: 6 times Download Mobile

Author: LI Shenglong 1 JING Shuaishuai 1 LI Hui 1 ZHANG Qingwei 2 GONG Meisheng 3 LIANG Yonglin 4 ZHOU Jiuyun 5 ZHAO Yongqiang 5

Affiliation: 1. College of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730101, China 2. First School of Clinical Medical, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730101, China 3. Graduate School, Heilongjiang Academy of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150036, China 4. School of Basic Medical Sciences, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730101, China 5. Department of Urology, Gansu Provincial Hospital of TCM, Lanzhou 730050, China

Keywords: Chronic prostatitis Chronic pelvic pain syndrome Benign prostatic hy-perplasia Sanhe Decoction Homotherapy for heteropathy Network pharmacology Molecular docking

DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.1004-4337.202507071

Reference: Li SL, Jing SS, Li H, Zhang QW, Gong MS, Liang YL, Zhou JY, Zhao YQ. Mechanism of the medicine pair of Sanhe Decoction in treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and benign prostatic hyperplasia with "homotherapy for heteropathy" based on network pharmacology and molecular docking[J]. Journal of Mathematical Medicine, 2026, 39(2): 179-190. DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.1004-4337.202507071[Article in Chinese]

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Abstract

Objective  To investigate the potential mechanism of Sanhe Decoction in "homotherapy for heteropathy" for chronic prostatitis (CP)/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Methods  Chemical constituents and targets of Sanhe Decoction were screened via TCMSP, TCMID, HERB, PubChem, and Swiss Target Prediction databases; CP/CPPS and BPH targets were retrieved from Disgenet, GeneCards, OMIM, and TTD; Venny 2.1.0 was used to identify shared common targets via Venn diagram analysis; STRING was used to construct a core target protein-protein interaction network (PPI) ; Cytoscape 3.9.1 visualized "herb-active compound-potential target-disease" networks and performed topology analysis; GO and KEGG pathway analyses were performed using the Microbioinfo platform; CB-dock2 validated molecular docking of key components and targets with visualization.

Results  Sanhe Decoction comprised 212 bioactive compounds targeting 951 related targets; 5 512 CP/CPPS and 1 137 BPH related targets were identified with 240 shared targets obtained from the intersection; Key compounds: quercetin, kaempferol, nookatone, stigmasterol, isorhamnetin, etc.; Core targets: TP53, SRC, AKT1, ESR1, STAT3; GO terms: 245 molecular functions, 130 cellular components, and 3 458 biological processes; KEGG screened 269 pathways, including the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, chemical carcinogene-sis-receptor activation, the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and proteoglycans in cancer, suggesting potential mechanisms for the "homotherapy for heteropathy" effect of Sanhe Decoction on CP/CPPS and BPH; Molecular docking verified binding affinity between core compounds and targets.

Conclusion  Sanhe Decoction may exert its "homotherapy for heteropathy" effect on CP/CPPS and BPH by modulating multiple signaling pathways and core targets through active compounds.

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References

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