PI3K/AKT/SERBP-1 pathway regulates Alisma orientalis beverage treatment of atherosclerosis in APOE−/− high-fat diet mice

Previously, we found Alisma orientalis beverage (AOB), a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation, had the potential effect of treating atherosclerosis (AS). The underlying mechanism was still unclear. As an extention of our previous work, to investigate the underlying mechanism of action of AOB in the treatment for AS. Network pharmacology was conducted using SwissTargetPrediction, GeneCards, DrugBank, Metascape, etc., to construct component-target-pathway networks. In vivo, AS models were induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 consecutive weeks in APOE −/− mice. After the administration of AOB (3.8 g/kg, i.g.) for 8 weeks, we assessed the aortic plaque, four indicators of blood lipids, and expression of the PI3K/AKT/SREBP-1 pathway in liver. Network pharmacology showed that PI3K/AKT/SREBP-1 played a role in AOB's treatment for AS (PI3K: degree = 18; AKT: degree = 17). Moreover, we found that the arterial plaque area and four indicators of blood lipids were all significantly reversed by AOB treatment in APOE −/− mice fed with HFD (plaque area reduced by about 37.75%). In addition, phosphorylated expression of PI3K/AKT and expression of SREBP-1 were obviously increased in APOE −/− mice fed with HFD, which were all improved by AOB (PI3K: 51.6%; AKT: 23.6%; SREBP-1: 40.0%). AOB had therapeutic effects for AS by improving blood lipids and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/SERBP-1 pathway in the liver. This study provides new ideas for the treatment of AS, as well as new evidence for the clinical application of AOB.