Deciphering the mechanism of Chaihu Shugan San in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using network pharmacology and molecular docking.

This article investigates the effects and mechanisms of Chaihu Shugan San (CSS), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in a mouse model induced by a choline-deficient high-fat diet (CDHFD). Using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo experiments, the study identifies 103 active compounds in CSS, highlighting naringenin as a probable key component, and reveals that CSS treatment reduces liver lipid accumulation, inflammation, and serum markers of liver injury in NASH mice. The research further demonstrates that CSS upregulates the expression of SIRT1 (NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1), a hub gene implicated in regulating lipid metabolism and inflammatory pathways, suggesting that SIRT1 modulation is central to CSS's therapeutic effects. These findings provide a molecular basis for CSS as a potential treatment for NASH and support targeting SIRT1 in future clinical strategies.