Objective: To probe into the active ingredients and mechanism of Yinlai decoction in the treatment of children with pneumonia based on system pharmacology. Methods: Through the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP)

the active ingredients of Yinlai decoction were obtained. Through target prediction and protein-protein interaction analysis

the key proteins of Yinlai decoction were analyzed

and the protein functions and enrichment pathways were further analyzed. Cytoscape 3.8.2 software was used to construct the model of “traditional Chinese medicine medicine-ingredient-target-pathway”

and the key targets were obtained and preliminarily verified by animal experiments. Results: Totally 34 ingredients in Yinlai decoction had strong interactions with 31 key targets

mainly including the interaction of cytokines and receptors

chemokine signaling pathway

interleukin-17 signaling pathway

rheumatoid arthritis pathway

Th17 cell differentiation

intestinal immune response

tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway

asthma pathway and nuclear transcription factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway

etc. Results of animal experiments showed that Yinlai decoction had better therapeutic effects on pulmonary inflammation model in mice. Conclusion: Yinlai decoction can treat children with pneumonia by regulating the immune response and intervening the related disease pathways

reflecting the characteristics of multi-component

multi-target and multi-pathway synergistic action of Yinlai decoction.