Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases

Epimedium brevicornu (Yin Yang Huo), a widely used traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient, has garnered significant attention for its role in treating orthopedic diseases such as osteoporosis. Our work through network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis, we identified that out of 27 major act...

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Main Authors: Dan Tong, Long Chen, Zeyi Jiang, Xuxia Ye, Mengjie Ma, Angzhi Ye, Jian Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1628602/full
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author Dan Tong
Long Chen
Zeyi Jiang
Xuxia Ye
Mengjie Ma
Angzhi Ye
Jian Xu
author_facet Dan Tong
Long Chen
Zeyi Jiang
Xuxia Ye
Mengjie Ma
Angzhi Ye
Jian Xu
author_sort Dan Tong
collection DOAJ
description Epimedium brevicornu (Yin Yang Huo), a widely used traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient, has garnered significant attention for its role in treating orthopedic diseases such as osteoporosis. Our work through network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis, we identified that out of 27 major active components in Epimedium brevicornu, 8 key components have therapeutic effects on 11 types of diseases related to orthopedic conditions. The disease-target association analysis indicated that Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Muscle Spasm and Myopathy have relatively clear targets for disease treatment. The KEGG enrichment analysis results indicate that the signaling pathway of Epimedium treatment in Osteoarthritis may be closely related to the Lipid and atherosclerosis pathway, PPAR signaling pathway and Arachidonic acid metabolism. Epimedium may treat osteoporosis with Nitrogen metabolism, GABAergic synapse, and Pathways in cancer. Epimedium may affect muscle spasticity through Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, Serotonergic synapse and Cholinergic synapse closely related to nervous system function; Additionally, our analysis suggests that Epimedium may treat myopathy through Nitrogen metabolism and GABAergic synapse pathways. These studies have not only provided a molecular mechanism-based explanation for the pharmacological effects of Epimedium, but also laid a theoretical foundation for the development of Epimedium-based precision therapeutic regimens.
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spelling doaj-art-cbb98f314aff4fff99bc382d997f63072025-08-20T03:41:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-08-011610.3389/fphar.2025.16286021628602Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseasesDan Tong0Long Chen1Zeyi Jiang2Xuxia Ye3Mengjie Ma4Angzhi Ye5Jian Xu6Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, ChinaSchool of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, ChinaSchool of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, ChinaSchool of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital of Zhuji, Zhuji, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, ChinaEpimedium brevicornu (Yin Yang Huo), a widely used traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient, has garnered significant attention for its role in treating orthopedic diseases such as osteoporosis. Our work through network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis, we identified that out of 27 major active components in Epimedium brevicornu, 8 key components have therapeutic effects on 11 types of diseases related to orthopedic conditions. The disease-target association analysis indicated that Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Muscle Spasm and Myopathy have relatively clear targets for disease treatment. The KEGG enrichment analysis results indicate that the signaling pathway of Epimedium treatment in Osteoarthritis may be closely related to the Lipid and atherosclerosis pathway, PPAR signaling pathway and Arachidonic acid metabolism. Epimedium may treat osteoporosis with Nitrogen metabolism, GABAergic synapse, and Pathways in cancer. Epimedium may affect muscle spasticity through Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, Serotonergic synapse and Cholinergic synapse closely related to nervous system function; Additionally, our analysis suggests that Epimedium may treat myopathy through Nitrogen metabolism and GABAergic synapse pathways. These studies have not only provided a molecular mechanism-based explanation for the pharmacological effects of Epimedium, but also laid a theoretical foundation for the development of Epimedium-based precision therapeutic regimens.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1628602/fullepimediumorthopedic diseasestargetenrichment analysispathway
spellingShingle Dan Tong
Long Chen
Zeyi Jiang
Xuxia Ye
Mengjie Ma
Angzhi Ye
Jian Xu
Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases
Frontiers in Pharmacology
epimedium
orthopedic diseases
target
enrichment analysis
pathway
title Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases
title_full Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases
title_fullStr Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases
title_full_unstemmed Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases
title_short Progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases
title_sort progress in the application of epimedium and its major bioactive components in the treatment of orthopedic diseases
topic epimedium
orthopedic diseases
target
enrichment analysis
pathway
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1628602/full
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