Yishen Quzhuo decoction improve chronic kidney disease by regulating amino acid metabolism: An experimental validation guided by network pharmacology

Introduction YiShen QuZhuo Decoction (YSQZD) is a clinically proven traditional Chinese medicine formula for chronic kidney disease (CKD), but its underlying mechanism lacks systematic investigation. CKD is a prevalent renal disorder with limited effective treatments, and traditional herbal medicines are gaining attention as safer alternatives. Renal tubular injury is a key pathological change in CKD, closely linked to renal interstitial fibrosis. Methods Network pharmacology was used to predict active ingredients, key targets, and potential mechanisms of YSQZD against CKD. BATMAN-TCM, GeneCards, STRING, and DAVID databases were employed for target screening, PPI network construction, and GO/KEGG enrichment analysis. TGF-β1-induced HK-2 cell injury model was used for in vitro validation. MTT assay, immunofluorescence staining, and GC-MS-based amino acid metabolomics were performed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of YSQZD. Conclusion Network pharmacology identified 19 active ingredients (score >100, based on BATMAN-TCM default high-confidence threshold and previous literature support) and 57 common targets of YSQZD and CKD. GO/KEGG analysis revealed 26 signaling pathways, including 5 amino acid metabolism-related pathways (P