Study on Mechanism of Alkaloids Therapy of Buxus Microphylla in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease Based on UHPLC-QE-MS Analysis Combined with Network Pharmacology

OBJECTIVE To identify the chemical constituents of alkaloids in Buxus microphylla, and to explore the material basis and mechanism of action in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. METHODS The alkaloid components of Buxus microphylla were characterized, and the active components and corresponding targets of Buxus microphylla alkaloids and related targets of Alzheimer’s disease were obtained by PubChem, SwissADME, Swiss Target Prediction, Genecards and OMIM databases. Cytoscape 3.9.0 software was used to draw the “component-target” network diagram. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed by String platform. The visualization of pathway enrichment analysis was carried out by using the on-line drawing tool of bioinformatics. Molecular docking was performed on the screened core components with AutodockTools-1.5.6 software. RESULTS Twenty-three alkaloid components of Buxus microphylla were identified, 19 active components and 216 corresponding targets were screened. Eight hundred and eighty Alzheimer’s disease targets and 49 drug disease intersection targets were screened. The main biological processes related to GO enrichment analysis include chemical synaptic transmission, anterograde cross synaptic signal, cross synaptic signal and so on. In KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, neuroactive ligand receptor interaction, serotonergic synapse and cAMP signal were the main signal pathways. Molecular docking showed that the screened core targets and core components had strong binding force. CONCLUSION This study preliminarily proves that the alkaloid components of Buxus microphylla can act together in multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways to treat Alzheimer’s disease. It provides a reference for further research on the material basis and mechanism of the effect of Buxus microphylla alkaloids on Alzheimer’s disease.