OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of Yunv decoction in the treatment of periodontitis based on network pharmacology. METHODS: The chemical components and targets of five traditional Chinese medicines in Yunv decoction were retrieved by traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform（TCMSP） and bioinformatics analysis tool for molecular mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine（BATMAN-TCM）. DrugBank database

online Mendelian inheritance in man

therapeutic target database and GeneCards database were used to screen the potential targets of Yunv decoction in the treatment of periodontitis. Gene annotation of the targets was conducted with UniProt database. The intersection gene of drug and disease was the potential target of Yunv decoction in the treatment of periodontitis. Cytoscape 3.7.1 was used to construct drug-compound-target network. STRING 11.0 was used to construct visual protein-protein interaction network. According to the topological parameters

the core targets of Yunv decoction in the treatment of periodontitis were screened. Gene ontology（GO） functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis were performed through Metascape database. RESULTS: The core active components of Yunv decoction in the treatment of periodontitis were respectively quercetin

kaempferol

wogonin

stigmasterol and baicalein. The core targets were JUN

tumor necrosis factor（TNF）

protein kinase B（Akt） 1

tumor protein p53（TP53）

mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） 14 and interleukin（IL）-6

which were involved in key biological processes and pathways including AGE-RAGE

TNF

IL-17 signaling pathways and Epstein-Barr virus infection. CONCLUSIONS: Yunv decoction may regulate the AGE-RAGE pathway

TNF signaling pathway

Epstein-Barr virus infection and IL-17 signaling pathway by acting on JUN

TNF

Akt1

TP53

MAPK14

IL-6 and other targets to achieve the treatment efficacy of periodontitis.