Network pharmacology-based therapeutic illustration of Indian medicinal plants in respiratory disorders

The global burden of respiratory disorders is significant and affecting humans socially, physically and economically, therefore, effective multi-target therapeutic strategies have been required. Indian medicinal plants have long been employed for control of respiratory diseases. However, their molecular mechanisms are not fully characterized. This study employed a network pharmacology strategy for testing the multi-target therapeutic activity of a series of medicinal plants, including Linum usitatissimum, Cassia fistula, Adhatoda vasica, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Ocimum sanctum. Phytoconstituents were selected from the literature and compared to those with established respiratory disease-associated targets from the GeneCards database. Compound-protein interaction networks, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, GO enrichment, and disease association studies were conducted by Cytoscape, STRING, Metascape and DisGeNET. The major bioactive compounds detected by the results included quercetin, kaempferol, glycyrrhizin and emodin that interacted with critical targets like NOS1 or NOS3 and AKT1 and CASP3 and were included in the target list. Functional enrichment characterization showed considerable engagement as an integral part of these pathways in the control of inflammation, vasodilation, immune response and metabolic pathways. Patterns of PPI network analysis indicated prominent connection and clustering with target proteins to highlight synergistic effects in therapy. The combined conclusions have reinforced the multifactorial and synergistic actions of Indian medicinal plants in the treatment of respiratory diseases. This study offers a systems-level perspective on their pharmacological actions, and also validates their ability to act in a system as a complementary therapy agent. These results should be confirmed by further experimental validation.