From Tea to Topical Agent: Machine Learning and Bioinformatics Reveal KU DING Tea’s Anti-UV Ingredients and Mechanisms

<b>Objectives</b>: KU DING tea is a traditional Chinese herbal tea traditionally used topically for inflammation. This study aimed to investigate its potential anti-UV effects. <b>Methods</b>: The chemical components of KU DING tea were identified using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Permeability prediction was performed to assess transdermal potential. A machine learning was applied to predict anti-UV activity, and network pharmacology analysis was used to explore the potential mechanism of action. <b>Result</b>: A total of 76 chemical components were identified, with 21 predicted to have good transdermal potential. A machine learning Random Forest (RF) model (accuracy 0.84, F1 0.84, AUC 0.93) predicted components like salicylic acid and methyl salicylate likely possess significant anti-UV activity. Network pharmacology indicated the mechanism may involve targets MAPK14 and NFKB1, influencing the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. <b>Conclusions</b>: KU DING tea is a promising natural and safe anti-UV agent, deserving further experimental validation.