Background: Cerebral ischemic stroke (CIS) constitutes a serious and common neuropsychiatric complication. Modified Buyang Huanwu (MBYHW) Decoction, a formula incorporating herbs that promote blood circulation, resolve stasis, tonify Qi, and dredge collaterals, has been shown to improve cerebral circulation and function. However, its comprehensive chemical constituents and underlying pharmacological mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Methods: The chemical components of MBYHW were comprehensively examined using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS E . Metabolic analysis was performed on rat plasma after oral administration to identify prototype components and potential metabolites. Network pharmacology approaches, including protein-protein interaction network analysis, Gene Ontology enrichment, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses, and molecular docking, were employed to evaluate the antineuroinflammatory components of MBYHW Decoction for CIS treatment. The in vivo efficacy was further validated using a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model. Results: A total of 190 compounds were identified in MBYHW Decoction in vitro , while 33 prototype components were detected and identified in plasma. Metabolic analysis combined with in vitro antineuroinflammatory evaluation confirmed 5 active components, thereby clarifying the pharmacological substance basis of MBYHW Decoction for CIS treatment. Pharmacodynamic assessments demonstrated that MBYHW Decoction significantly promoted cell survival and inhibited the release of pro-inflammatory factors in BV-2 cells induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation. Specifically, the 5 active compounds—stachydrine hydrochloride, leonurine hydrochloride, albiflorin, salvianolic acid B, and paeoniflorin—significantly suppressed the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced BV-2 cells. Furthermore, in MCAO rats, MBYHW Decoction ameliorated neurological deficits and reduced cerebral infarct volume, further confirming its therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Conclusion: The chemical components of MBYHW Decoction and their metabolites in rat plasma were comprehensively characterized using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS E . A multidimensional component-disease-target-pathway network was subsequently constructed. Integrated analysis incorporating protein-protein interaction network, Gene Ontology enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, and molecular docking revealed that components, including stachydrine hydrochloride, leonurine hydrochloride, albiflorin, salvianolic acid B, and paeoniflorin are pivotal to the therapeutic effects against CIS. These findings were substantiated by in vitro anti-inflammatory assays and in vivo efficacy validation using the MCAO model.
Kang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.