Integrated serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology analyses reveal the bioactive metabolites and potential functional mechanism of Piper longum L. in the treatment of gastric ulcer in rats.

The fruit of Piper longum L. (PL) is widely utilized in China for medicinal and dietary purposes, and it is also used in Ayurvedic medicine in India to treat gastric disorders and other ailments. In the present study, a strategy combining serum pharmacochemistry with network pharmacology was proposed to screen the bioactive metabolites derived from PL and explore their potential functional mechanisms. The strategy primarily involved investigating the anti-gastric ulcer activities, network pharmacology analysis, and metabolite identification. The results demonstrated the efficacy of PL in protecting against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers. Through network pharmacology approaches, potential drug-disease common targets were identified. GO enrichment analysis predicted that PL might influence multiple biological processes, such as lipid metabolism and inflammatory response. KEGG enrichment analysis suggested the involvement of the TNF and AGE-RAGE signaling pathways. Molecular docking further indicated that the synergistic effect of sesamin, pipeline, and other ingredients could be the main contributors to PL's anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. Additionally, the serum pharmacochemistry of PL was established, enabling the screening of absorbed components and metabolites for their anti-gastric ulcer activity. A total of 23 prototypes and 17 metabolites were found to significantly contribute to the anti-gastric ulcer activity, suggesting that these bioactive compounds could serve as potential active components of PL. Overall, this investigation provided an experimental foundation to support the clinical application of PL in gastric ulcer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]