OBJECTIVE To explore the potential mechanism of Yishenqinglihuoxue Formula(YSQLF) in treating chronic kidney disease fibrosis in rats based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS technology and network pharmacology.

METHODS UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used for qualitative analysis of Yishenqinglihuoxue Formula-containing serum. Targets of the plasma constituents and the disease were retrieved from SwissTargetPrediction, OMIM, GeneCards, and other databases. Then the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and core targets were screened for GO term enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment. Cytoscape software was employed to construct the "drug-compound-core target-pathway" network and the targets and signaling pathways of Yishenqinglihuoxue Formula against fibrosis were predicted. A model of renal fibrosis was established to verify the core targets and pathway proteins.

RESULTS A total of 56 constituents migrating to blood of Yishenqinglihuoxue Formula were identified. 97 common targets of the constituents and the disease and 33 core targets were screened out. KEGG enrichment and PPI network analysis showed that Yishenqinglihuoxue Formula may play a role in the treatment of fibrosis through PI3K/Akt and other pathways. Furthermore, the results of animal experiments showed that Yishenqinglihuoxue Formula could reduce the levels of Scr and BUN, improve fibrosis areas, inhibit the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, and reduce the protein expression of TNF-α.

CONCLUSION Yishenqinglihuoxue Formula may play a role in the treatment of fibrosis by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and inhibiting TNF-α expression.