Objective:The Qing’e Pill (QEP) is widely used to alleviate low back pain and sciatica
caused by Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD). However, its active components, key targets,
and molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. The aim of this study is to elucidate the
molecular mechanisms through which the QEP improves IDD using database mining techniques.Methods:Active components and candidate targets of the QEP were identified using the Traditional
Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and the Bioinformatics
Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. IDD-related targets
were obtained from the GeneCards database, and liver- and kidney-specific genes were retrieved
from the BioGPS database. The intersection of these candidate targets was analyzed to
identify potential targets for the QEP in IDD. A protein-protein interaction network analysis was
performed using STRING and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. Core targets were further analyzed
through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment
analyses. Molecular docking was used to assess the binding affinity of active components to
candidate targets, and animal experiments were conducted for validation.Results:We identified 65 potentially active components of the QEP that corresponded to 1,093
candidate targets, 2,108 IDD-related targets, and 1,113 liver- and kidney-specific genes. Key components
included quercetin, berberine, isorhamnetin, and emodin. The primary candidate targets
were Wnt5A, CTNNB1, IL-1β, MAPK14, MMP9, and MMP3. The GO and KEGG analyses revealed
the involvement of these targets in Wnt signaling, TNF signaling, Wnt receptor activation,
Frizzled binding, and Wnt-protein interactions. Molecular docking showed strong binding between
these components and their targets. Animal experiments demonstrated that the QEP treatment
significantly reduced the expression of Wnt5A, CTNNB1, IL-1β, MAPK14, MMP9, and
MMP3 at high, medium, and low doses compared with the model group.Conclusion:The QEP alleviated IDD by modulating the Wnt/MAPK/MMP signaling pathways
and reducing the release and activation of key factors.