Exploring the mechanism of Zhengan Xifeng decoction in treating Parkinson disease based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Parkinson disease (PD) is the world's second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Currently, no medications can reverse its progression, and treatment primarily relies on single-target drugs that fail to comprehensively regulate the complex disease network. Zhengan Xifeng decoction (ZGXFD) contains multiple active components capable of targeting PD through multiple pathways. Clinical studies have demonstrated that ZGXFD combined with Madopar significantly improves symptoms in PD patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the active ingredients, key targets, and potential molecular mechanisms of ZGXFD in the treatment of PD using network pharmacology combined with molecular docking. The active ingredients and corresponding targets of ZGXFD and related targets of PD were collected from the public databases. Then analyzing active ingredients, targets, and possible signal pathway of ZGXFD in treating PD by network pharmacology. The binding ability of the active ingredients to the target proteins was predicted by molecular docking. The study revealed 139 active ingredients and 119 PD-related targets of ZGXFD, among which the top 3 active ingredients were β-sitosterol, palmitic acid, and calcium carbonate. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a key target for ZGXFD in treating PD. The neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signaling pathway may play an important role in treating PD by ZGXFD. Molecular docking results showed the top 5 active ingredients all exhibited favorable binding affinities with the target proteins, among which β-sitosterol demonstrated the lowest average binding energy with the 5 key targets. In summary, this study screened the active ingredients of ZGXFD and preliminarily predicted its potential targets and pathways for anti-Parkinsonian effects. These findings await further experimental validation, thus providing a substantial theoretical foundation for subsequent research into the anti-Parkinsonian mechanisms of ZGXFD and the development of related products.