Network pharmacology and molecular docking to explore the potential mechanism of Congerjingming Decoction against sensorineural hearing loss

Established formulations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have shown efficacy in the management of age-related sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). In this study, we developed a novel TCM, Congerjingming Decoction (CD), and explored the mechanism of CD in treating SNHL. TCMSP and Swiss Target Prediction databases were used to collect potential targets of corresponding chemicals of CD. The molecular targets implicated in SNHL were searched using GeneCards. A drug-compound-target-disease network was constructed using Cytoscape software. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed using STRING database. The GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were conducted using DAVID platform. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock vina program and visualized with Pymol software. A total of 277 potential targets of CD, 4497 candidate targets associated with SNHL, and 136 CD-SNHL intersection targets were identified. AKT1, TNF, TP53, and CASP3 were identified as hub targets of CD against SNHL. Apigenin, kaempferol, and puerarin were the top three ranked active components of CD. These intersection targets were associated with the regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle and the p53, PI3K-Akt, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. Apigenin, kaempferol, and puerarin exhibited strong binding affinities to AKT1, TNF, and CASP3, with interactions driven by hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bonds. Moreover, CD could protect against cisplatin (CP)-induced viability impairment in HEI-OC1 cells. Our findings suggest that multiple components of CD may work through various targets and pathways in treating SNHL, providing a foundation for further investigation of the pharmacological mechanisms of CD against SNHL.