WITHDRAWN: Elucidating the Mechanisms of Action of Lianhua Qingwen decoction for the Treatment of COVID-19 via Systems Pharmacology Approaches

Abstract Due to the severity of the COVID-19 epidemic, to identify a proper treatment for COVID-19 is of great significance. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has shown its great potential in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. One of TCM decoction, Lianhua Qingwen decoction displayed promising treating efficacy. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanism has not been explored for further development and treatment. Through systems pharmacology and network pharmacology approaches, we explored the potential mechanisms of Lianhua Qingwen treating COVID-19 and acting ingredients of Lianhua Qingwen decoction for COVID-19 treatment. Through this way, we generated an ingredients-targets database. We also used molecular docking to screen possible active ingredients. Also, we applied the protein-protein interaction network and detection algorithm to identify relevant protein groupings of Lianhua Qingwen. Totally, 605 ingredients and 1,089 targets were obtained. Molecular Docking analyses revealed that 35 components may be the promising acting ingredients, 7 of which were underlined according to the comprehensive analysis. Our enrichment analysis of the 7 highlighted ingredients showed relevant significant pathways that could be highly related to their potential mechanisms, e.g. oxidative stress response, inflammation, and blood circulation. In summary, this study suggests the promising mechanism of the Lianhua Qingwen decoction for COVID-19 treatment. Further experimental and clinical verifications are still needed.