A combined network pharmacology and experimental approach to investigate the mechanisms of curcumin on diabetes through the adipocytokine signaling pathway

Abstract

The present investigation aims to establish the mechanism of curcumin in targeting diabetes and obesity, specifically through its effects on Adipoq, Il-6, and Tnf-α, using network pharmacology-based in silico analysis, followed by in silico validation. Target genes associated with diabetes and obesity were identified using GeneCards and SwissTargetPrediction, revealing that curcumin modulates Adipoq, Il-6, and Tnf-α within the adipocytokine signaling pathway, suggesting a novel therapeutic mechanism. In this study, the effects of curcumin on diabetic rats were evaluated by assessing blood sugar levels (BSL), HbA1c, insulin levels, and adipocytokine expression. Diabetes was induced, and rats were treated with curcumin or pioglitazone for 4 weeks, followed by biochemical analysis. The in silico experimental findings demonstrate that curcumin is more effective than pioglitazone in managing obesity-induced diabetes by modulating the mRNA expression of adipocytokines. These results align with the predictions from in silico analysis, supporting the hypothesis that curcumin targets Adipoq, Il-6, and Tnf-α within the adipocytokine signaling pathway. This study introduces a targeted approach for diabetes management by modulating adipocytokines with curcumin. The integration of in silico analysis with in silico validation provides a comprehensive framework for developing novel therapeutic strategies against obesity-induced diabetes.

Keywords: Adipocytokine signaling pathway; Curcumin; Diabetes; GeneCard; In silico; Network pharmacology; Pioglitazone.