Exploring therapeutic mechanism of rosemary against Eimeria tenella infection based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology

SUN Xiaohui; YANG Shihao; LUO Wenxuan; HUANG Zhiyuan; WANG Beibei; SONG Zehe; HE Xi; LIU Zikui

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2025.16.013

Abstract：The experiment aims to explore the mechanism of action of rosemary in the treatment of Eimeria tenuifolia infection.The active components of rosemary were obtained through literature retrieval and the Database of Systematic Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCMSP).The transcriptome differential genes and disease targets of Eimeria tenuifolia were obtained through the database,the team's coccidia challenge experiment and the literature.After taking the intersection of the two targets,a protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed.Gene ontology(GO)functional enrichment and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)pathway analyses were performed using the online platform Microbioinformatics and R software,followed by molecular docking.The results showed that a total of 178 potential therapeutic targets were found.GO enrichment analysis revealed 202 significant cellular biological processes,while KEGG analysis identified 104 relevant signaling pathways.Molecular docking demonstrated high binding affinity between the rosemary active compounds ursolic acid and oleanolic acid and key targets prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2),epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR),and proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase(SRC).The study indicates that rosemary may inhibit Eimeria tenella growth and reproduction through multi-target and multi-pathway mechanisms.It may enhance broiler health and growth by improving nutritional status,increasing feed utilization efficiency,and boosting disease resistance.Furthermore,rosemary potentially strengthens immune defense against pathogens like Eimeria tenella by modulating the expression of immune-related genes.