Poly-dimensional network comparative analysis reveals the pure pharmacological mechanism of baicalin in the targeted network of mouse cerebral ischemia.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the pure pharmacological mechanisms of baicalin/baicalein (BA) in the targeted network of mouse cerebral ischemia using a poly-dimensional network comparative analysis.

METHODS: Eighty mice with induced focal cerebral ischemia were randomly divided into four groups: BA, Concha Margaritifera (CM), vehicle and sham group. A poly-dimensional comparative analysis of the expression levels of 374 stroke-related genes in each of the four groups was performed using MetaCore.

RESULTS: BA significantly reduced the ischemic infarct volume (P<0.05), whereas CM was ineffective. Two processes and 10 network nodes were shared between "BA vs CM" and vehicle, but there were no overlapping pathways. Two pathways, three processes and 12 network nodes overlapped in "BA vs CM" and BA. The pure pharmacological mechanism of BA resulted in targeting of pathways related to development, G-protein signaling, apoptosis, signal transduction and immunity. The biological processes affected by BA were primarily found to correlate with apoptotic, anti-apoptotic and neurophysiological processes. Three network nodes changed from up-regulation to down-regulation, while mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6 (MAP2K6, also known as MEK6) changed from down-regulation to up-regulation in "BA vs CM" and vehicle. The changed nodes were all related to cell death and development.

CONCLUSION: The pure pharmacological mechanism of BA is related to immunity, apoptosis, development, cytoskeletal remodeling, transduction and neurophysiology, as ascertained using a poly-dimensional network comparative analysis.