Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanism of ursolic acid (UA)against rheumatoid arthritis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Method: Potential therapeutic targets of UA were searched based on comparative toxicogenomics database(CTD)

Drug Bank

traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology(TCMSP) and other databases. Pathway enrichment analysis of potential targets was conducted by DAVID(DAVID bioinformatics resources). Protein interaction was conducted by STRING

and energy matching between UA and 11 rheumatoid targets was done by molecular docking technique(iGEMDOCK

SystemsDock). The potential targets against rheumatoid arthritis were screened. Result: 66 corresponding targets were collected

and 27 signal pathways were obtained from the enrichment of DAVID pathway (P<0.01)

including 11 key targets proteins in rheumatoid arthritis pathway (matrix metalloproteinase-1

matrix metalloproteinase-3

interleukin-6

transcription factor AP-1

tumor necrosis factor

vascular endothelial growth factor A

granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor

interleukin-1 beta

transforming growth factor beta-1

and proto-oncogene c-Fos). Through protein interaction

four target proteins were found to be supported by experimental data. The molecular docking showed that UA could resist rheumatoid arthritis mainly through matrix metalloproteinase-1

Matrix metalloproteinase-3

tumor necrosis factor

transcription factor AP-1 and interleukin-1 beta. Conclusion: The results of this study reveal the molecular mechanism of UA against rheumatoid arthritis。