What does this research mean for the field?

Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Decoction treats slow transit constipation combined with depression through the synergistic action of core ingredients like quercetin and kaempferol on key targets including ESR1 and EGFR, primarily modulating the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and apoptosis signaling pathways. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to investigate how Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Decoction (CGGD) affects slow transit constipation combined with depression through network pharmacology.

June 7, 2026Open Access

Study on the mechanism of action of Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Decoction for the treatment of slow transit constipation combined with depression based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Key Points

This study aims to investigate how Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Decoction (CGGD) affects slow transit constipation combined with depression through network pharmacology.
Utilized network pharmacology and molecular docking technologies.
Analyzed active ingredients and target proteins from traditional Chinese medicine databases.
Constructed protein–protein interaction networks and conducted enrichment analysis.
Identified 138 active ingredients and 141 target proteins, with core ingredients like quercetin and key targets like estrogen receptor 1.
Established strong binding affinities between core ingredients and key targets through molecular docking.
Enrichment analysis highlighted 440 biological processes and 131 pathways involved in CGGD's action on STC and depression.

Abstract

Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, this study investigated the mechanism of action of Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Decoction (CGGD) in the treatment of slow transit constipation (STC) combined with depression. The Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database Analysis Platform and BATMAN-TCM databases were utilized to screen the active ingredients and target proteins of CGGD. The keywords “slow transit constipation” and “depression” were used to query the GEO, GeneCards, and OMIM databases to obtain the disease targets; the intersection targets of the TCM formula and the disease were taken to analyze the protein interactions among the target genes, and to construct the protein–protein interaction network diagram and the “drug-ingredient-target-disease” interaction network. Gene Ontology functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway were used to analyze the enrichment, and molecular docking was used to further confirm the interactions between core ingredients and key targets. Identified 138 active ingredients, 141 target proteins, and 17,110 disease targets. Analysis yielded 10 core ingredients, including quercetin, kaempferol, wogonin, and baicalein, alongside 10 key targets such as estrogen receptor 1, epidermal growth factor receptor, caspase-3, and B-cell lymphoma-2. Molecular docking studies demonstrated strong binding affinities between core ingredients and key targets. Enrichment analysis identified 440 biological processes and 131 pathways. CGGD primarily intervenes in STC combined with depression through pathways including the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt signaling pathway, the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and the apoptosis pathway. Through an integrated network pharmacology approach, this study describes the synergistic effects of multiple ingredients, targets, and pathways of CGGD in the treatment of STC combined with depression.

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