Mechanisms of Dachengqi Decoction in improving functional constipation based on network pharmacology and experimental validation

Objective To explore the material basis and potential molecular mechanisms of Dachengqi Decoction in the treatment of functional constipation. Methods Using network pharmacology, the active ingredients of Dachengqi Decoction and their corresponding target genes were screened from the TCMSP database. Functional constipation-related targets were retrieved from databases such as GeneCards to construct a "drug-disease" interaction network, identify core targets, and perform Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Additionally, a "drug-effective component-target-pathway" network was constructed, and molecular docking was performed on key active ingredients and potential core targets. The regulation of key targets and signaling molecules in relevant pathways was further validated by in vitro enzyme activity assays and animal experiments. Results The core components of Dachengqi Decoction for treating functional constipation include luteolin and apigenin, with major targets including COX-1 and COX-2. Animal experiments demonstrated that Dachenqi Decoction significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the serum of functional constipation model rats, and inhibited the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors in the IL-17 signaling pathway. Conclusions Dachengqi Decoction may exert its anti-inflammatory effects through a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway collaborative action, thereby alleviating the symptoms of functional constipation. Its mechanisms are likely related to the inhibition of the IL-17 signaling pathway and the reduction of local intestinal inflammation.