Network pharmacology-based mechanistic insights into Pink Reineckea for the treatment of sleep disorders

Background: Sleep disorders are highly prevalent worldwide and pose serious risks to public health and social productivity. Pink Reineckea (Reineckea carnea), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with sedative and regulatory properties, has shown potential in treating sleep disorders. This study aimed to elucidate its therapeutic mechanisms through network pharmacology. Methods: Targets associated with Pink Reineckea and sleep disorders were identified using A High-throughput Experiment- and Reference-guided database of Traditional Chinese Medicine (HERB) and GeneCards databases, and common targets were obtained through Venny analysis. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database, and Cytoscape software was employed to identify the core genes. Subsequently, Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analyses were conducted using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Finally, a "Disease-Drug-Key Targets-KEGG Pathway" network was established. Results: A total of 44 Pink Reineckea-related targets and 1915 sleep disorders-related targets were obtained, with 23 overlapping genes. 10 core genes were obtained, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), caspase-3 (CASP3), interleukin-1 beta (IL1B), interleukin-6 (IL6), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1A), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), tumor protein p53 (TP53), Fos proto-oncogene (FOS), and interleukin-10 (IL10). GO analysis revealed enrichment in processes related to inflammation, apoptosis, and hypoxic stress, while KEGG pathway analysis highlighted neuronal signaling, inflammatory response, and hypoxia-related pathways. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for elucidating the mechanisms of Pink Reineckea in treating sleep disorders and for supporting future drug development. Conclusions: This study constructed a systematic pharmacological network of Pink Reineckea in the treatment of sleep disorders. The findings address gaps in mechanistic research, offer a theoretical framework for the development of traditional Chinese medicines targeting sleep disorders, and provide a basis for future pharmacological investigations.