PI3K/Akt Pathway involvement in hepatic inflammation: In silico evaluation of silybum marianum and a research proposal for homeopathic Carduus marianus

Abstract

Silybum marianum (SM) (L.) Gaertn is a natural remedy found in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), homeopathy, and the phytotherapy compendium, often prescribed to treat liver ailments. Using in silico tools based on the TCM research framework, we evaluated SM bioactive compounds within the context of hepatic inflammation. Through Cytoscape software and the STRING platform, we confirmed the therapeutic relevance of several core targets. Via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses, we characterized the pathways involved in hepatic inflammation. The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway ranked among the top three enriched pathways, with an elevated gene count and high statistical significance. Based on in silico results, we designed a research study to evaluate the effects of homeopathic Carduus marianus (CM). By transposing the “like-cures-like” diagnostic theory, we propose a strategy for conducting in vivo research on ultradiluted remedies.