A Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Study of TongBi Formula for Osteoarthritis

This study applied network pharmacology combined with molecular docking to predict the potential therapeutic targets and molecular mechanisms of TongBi Formula (TBF) in osteoarthritis (OA). Active components and corresponding targets of TBF were retrieved from the traditional Chinese medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, while OA-related targets were collected from Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, GeneCards, DrugBank, and Therapeutic Target Database. A network visualization and analysis software was used to construct compound-target and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Gene Ontology functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery platform. Molecular docking analysis was conducted using a molecular docking software to evaluate the predicted binding affinity between key active compounds and core target proteins. A total of 47 overlapping targets between TBF and OA were identified. PPI network analysis highlighted JUN, RELA, IL6, MAPK1, and IL10 as potential hub targets. Enrichment analysis suggested that TBF may regulate inflammation, lipid metabolism, and multiple intracellular signaling pathways associated with OA progression. Molecular docking results demonstrated favorable predicted binding affinities between core active compounds and key OA-related protein targets. These findings provide a computational framework for understanding the potential mechanisms of TBF against OA and support further experimental validation.