Synergistic effects of notoginsenoside R1 and saikosaponin B2 in atherosclerosis: a novel approach targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and macrophage autophagy

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a significant global contributor to cardiovascular diseases and related mortalities. The traditional treatment primarily employs statins,  but these drugs are often associated with side effects such as liver dysfunction and muscle impairment. Recent studies have highlighted the potential protective properties of saponin compounds derived from traditional herbal sources, such as notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1) and saikosaponin B2 (SSB2), in combating AS. However, the comprehensive effects of these compounds against atherosclerosis and their underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood. Firstly, we employed network pharmacology analysis to identify 113 common targets, including mTOR and CASP3, for NGR1, SSB2, and atherosclerosis (AS) from databases such as TCMSP. We constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and performed GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, revealing key signaling pathways involved in PI3K/Akt, inflammation, and..., , # Synergistic effects of notoginsenoside R1 and saikosaponin B2 in atherosclerosis: a novel approach targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and macrophage autophagy

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.ffbg79d5q](10.5061/dryad.ffbg79d5q)

## Description of the data and file structure

Total protein was extracted from cells or tissue using RIPA buffer (BL504A, Biosharp, China) supplemented with protease inhibitors (P1045, Beyotime, China), and phosphatase inhibitors (P1045, Beyotime, China). Protein concentration was measured using a BCA protein assay kit (Bio-Rad, China).The protein samples were then mixed with 5× SDS sample buffer (P0015, Beyotime, China) and heated at 95°C for 15 minutes. Subsequently, 30 μg of protein from each sample was separated by 7%, 10%, or 12.5% SDS-PAGE (60V for 15 minutes; 110V for 75 minutes).The proteins were transferredl to a 0.22μm PVDF membrane (Millipore, USA) (200mA for 80 minutes). The membrane was blockedwith 5..., ,