Mechanism of anti-hepatitis B virus activity of Tonkinensis based on biological targets network

Tonkinensis is commonly used in the treatment of hepatitis B infection in China with its effect­tiveness in reducing clinical symptoms and improving liver function. However, the mechanism of the anti-HBV (hepatitis B virus) effect of Tonkinensis is still not clear. In this study, an integrative analysis using the network pharmacology and metabolomics was employed in identification of the main targets and mechanisms of Tonkinensis in treatment of HBV infections. First, the "drug-target" network was established by predicting the targets of the main chemical components of Tonkinensis; Secondly, the differential metabolites associated with the anti-HBV effect of Tonkinensis were analyzed with the LC-MS based metabolomics in HepG2.2.15 cells; Finally, the "drug ingredients-targets-metabolites" network was constructed to screen the main anti-HBV targets of Tonkinensis. The results suggest that Tonkinensis may act on 16 target proteins in the network of retinol metabolism, peroxisome proliferator activate-receptors (PPAR) signaling pathway and transcriptional regulation of cancer and so on, which contributed to the control of HBV replication and the regulation of immune function and metabolic disorders.