Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of chronic liver disease in the world, with a prevalence rate of about 25%, and is the main cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [1]. Based on different liver diseases, NAFLD is a spectrum of diseases characterized by hepatic steatosis, ranging from simple fat accumulation to symptomatic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which increases the risk of complications [2]. Due to the progression of cardiovascular causes and liver damage, the survival time of some NAFLD patients is significantly shortened [3]. The global burden of NAFLD is increasing, and the cases of advanced liver disease and liver-related death in the NAFLD population show a significant upward trend, which has become a major economic and healthcare burden [4]. As a liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction, NAFLD is influenced by metabolic and environmental factors as well as genetic and epigenetic susceptibility, and involves multiple organs and mechanisms [5]. And the complexity of pathogenesis and the diversity of therapeutic targets lead to the lack of recognized and specific drugs in the clinic.

Astragalus memeranaceus Fisch. belongs to the leguminous herb, the medicinal site is the root, and its main components include flavonoids, alkaloids, and polysaccharides [6]. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that it has a variety of pharmacological effects, such as anti-cancer, anti-heart failure, and anti-aging [7]. Previous studies have shown that Astragalus memeranaceus Fisch. is a promising anti-fibrosis drug, including liver fibrosis [8,9], and has a good liver protection effect [10]. Studies have confirmed that Astragalus polysaccharide can alleviate NAFLD in high-fat diet mice [11], and Astragalus saponins can prevent extrahepatic and intrahepatic cholestatic liver fibrosis [12]. As the main active ingredient in Astragalus memeranaceus Fisch., there are relatively few studies on Astragalus flavone in the treatment of NAFLD, and its effective ingredients and specific mechanism need to be further explored. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is generally characterized by complex components and numerous targets. Based on systems biology, network pharmacology explores the relationship between drugs and diseases, and has been widely applied to study the pharmacological mechanism of TCM in recent years, promoting the modernization of TCM research and development [13].

In this study, the active ingredients and targets of Astragalus flavone in the treatment of NAFLD were screened through network pharmacology, their combination was analyzed by molecular docking, and the effects and mechanisms of active ingredients in the treatment of NAFLD were explored using animal models in vivo, aiming to provide new ideas for the treatment of NAFLD.