Objective: To explore the mechanism of Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Tang (GZSYZMT) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using bioinformatics. Method: Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrative Database (TCMID)

Herbal Ingredients' Target Database (HIT)

and TCM Database@Taiwan were retrieved to obtain active components and target proteins of GZSYZMT

and national center for biotechnobgy information (NCBI) was retrieved for genes related to RA. The above proteins and genes were imported into Cystoscape 3.2.1 to respectively build the molecular interaction networks and make analysis of biological processes and biological functions. The networks and biological processes of GZSYZMT and RA were compared

and the mechanism of GZSYZMT in treating RA was discussed on the basis of relevant literatures. Result: Both of biological process and function of GZSYZMT and RA were associated with immune response

inflammatory reaction

cell signal transduction

cell proliferation and apoptosis. The number of the common targets of interaction networks of GZSYZMT and RA was 37

including IL-2

HRAS

IL-6

CD14

CD40

PRKCB

BTK; the common biological pathways were 35 pairs

including toll-like receptor signaling pathway

NF-κB signaling pathway

MAPK signaling pathway

TNF signaling pathway

NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. Conclusion: Analysis method based on bioinformatics can predict the action mechanism of GZSYZMT in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). GZSYZMT shows an effect in treating RA by regulating IL-2

HRAS

IL-6

CD14

CD40

and TLR-NF-κB signaling pathway

TLR-MAPKs signaling pathway

TNF signaling pathway and NLR signaling pathways.