Shenxiang Suhe Pill (SXSHP), a Chinese medicine formula, is widely used in clinic to treat coronary heart disease (CHD). However, due to the complex composition of SXSHP, its underlying mechanisms and pharmacodynamic properties are still unknown. In this paper, we try to define the compounds of SXSHP by dual-screening the active ingredients with anti-inflammation and antioxidant effects and predict its multi-target-pathway in CHD therapy using network pharmacology.

The chemical constituents in SXSHP were analyzed by UPLC/Q-TOF. Then, the active ingredients with the anti-inflammation and antioxidant effects were dual-screened by in vitro experiments. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was used to analyze and predict the potential targets and pathways of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of SXSHP.

A total of 38 chemical constituents were identified in SXSHP, among which we screened six anti-inflammatory compounds: luteolin, isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-d-glucoside, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamaldehyde, benzoic acid, kaempferol-3-O-glucuronide acid, and blumeatin; and five antioxidant compounds: vanillin, eugenol, muscone, luteolin, and asiatic acid. IPA showed that eugenol, muscone, and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamaldehyde were closely related to the HIF-1 and IL-15 signaling pathways, which protect against oxidative stress and inflammation, respectively.

Among the 38 ingredients in SXSHP, the anti-inflammatory pharmacological effects of isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-d-glucoside, blumeatin and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamaldehyde were reported for the first time. According to the network pharmacology analysis, eugenol, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamaldehyde and muscone are involved in the antioxidant HIF-1 pathway and the anti-inflammatory IL-15 pathway, and that may be the mechanism of SXSHP in the treatment of CHD.