Network pharmacology and molecular mechanisms of scutellarin in cerebral ischemia

Background: This study examines the relationship between brain ischemia (BI) and scutellarin (SCU). Methods: The GeneCards database was utilized to search targets of BI and SCU. Then, intersection targets were identified through Venn analysis. GO and KEGG analyses were performed to explore the various biological processes and pathways of those intersection genes. Cytoscape was applied to construct the "Disease-Drug-Active Ingredient-Key Target-KEGG Pathway" network. Results: 22 core target proteins were identified among the 30 intersecting targets related to BI and SCU. These core target proteins, including protein kinase B (AKT1), hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A), caspase-3 (CASP3), transcription 3 (STAT3), B-cell lymphoma-2 like 1 (BCL2L1), and others, may play an important role in regulating BI. In addition, functional enrichment analysis revealed that these intersecting targets were involved in multiple biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Conclusions: The results indicate that SCU may exert its pharmacological activity by affecting multiple core targets as well as participating in various biological processes, providing important insights for a deeper understanding of this compound in the treatment or prevention of BI, therefore laying the foundation for more detailed experimental designs and clinical applications future.