Function and mechanism exploring of icariin in schizophrenia through network pharmacology

[Display omitted] •Icariin can improve the spatial learning and memory abilities of schizophrenic rats.•Icariin can decrease the oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels of schizophrenic rats.•MAPK1, MAPK3, FOS, RELA, TNF, and JUN are the core targets for icariin in treatment of schizophrenia. This study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and possible mechanisms of icariin in schizophrenia. SD rats were divided into five groups, a control group, a MK801-induced schizophrenia model group, and three icariin treatment groups, with twelve rats in each group. Morris water maze and open field were used to observe the spatial learning and memory ability of rats. Compared with the control group, rats in the MK801-induced model group showed an increase in stereotypic behavior score, distance of spontaneous activities, escape latency, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α expression, but a decrease in platform crossing times and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P