Mechanisms of Salidroside in Treating Premature Ovarian Insufficiency: Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Background Salidroside has multiple functions such as antiinflammatory, neuroprotection, immunomodulation, antioxidative stress, and antiapoptosis. However, its application in the treatment of ovarian insufficiency is not yet clear. Purpose By means of network pharmacology, we analyzed the mechanism of salidroside in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and verified it with molecular docking technology. Methods We collected the target of salidroside using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database, screened the target genes of POI from GeneCards, and constructed protein–protein interactions (PPI) of salidroside for treating POI by Cytoscape software. We performed PPI, gene ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of key genes using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) and performed molecular docking verification of salidroside and key proteins by AutoDock software. Results From 335 salidroside and 5,177 POI target genes, 223 key genes were identified at their intersection. The top 20 targets, including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), were selected based on maximal clique centrality (MCC), Degree, and maximum neighborhood component (MNC) rankings. These genes play roles in signal transduction, phosphorylation, and apoptosis regulation, and are located in the cytosol, cytoplasm, and nucleus. They are involved in protein binding and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding, with pathways related to cancer, phosphatidylinositol (PI), and lipid metabolism. Molecular docking revealed salidroside’s strong binding to these proteins, indicating its potential in POI treatment through multi-target action. Conclusion Salidroside exerts a multi-target effect on pathways such as signal transduction, demonstrating translational potential to be developed into an effective treatment for POI patients. Its multi-target characteristics may regulate the physiological processes of POI patients, further highlighting its promise in translating research findings into clinical practice for POI therapy.