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A network pharmacology-based study on the anti-hepatoma effect of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae
Luo, Yi Feng, Yu Song, Lei He, Gan-Qing Li, Sha Bai, Sha-Sha Huang, Yu-Jie Li, Si-Ying Almutairi, Mohammed M. Shi, Hong-Lian
Luo, Yi
Feng, Yu
Song, Lei
He, Gan-Qing
Li, Sha
Bai, Sha-Sha
Huang, Yu-Jie
Li, Si-Ying
Almutairi, Mohammed M.
Shi, Hong-Lian
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Abstract
Background
Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (RSM), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown to inhibit tumorigenesis in various human cancers. However, the anticancer effects of RSM on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying mechanisms of action remain to be fully elucidated.
Methods
In this study, we aimed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of RSM in the treatment of HCC using a network pharmacology approach. In vivo and in vitro experiments were also performed to validate the therapeutic effects of RSM on HCC.
Results
In total, 62 active compounds from RSM and 72 HCC-related targets were identified through network pharmacological analysis. RSM was found to play a critical role in HCC via multiple targets and pathways, especially the EGFR and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. In addition, RSM was found to suppress HCC cell proliferation, and impair cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that RSM induced cell cycle G2/M arrest and apoptosis, and western blot analysis showed that RSM up-regulated the expression of BAX and down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 in MHCC97-H and HepG2 cells. Furthermore, RSM administration down-regulated the expression of EGFR, PI3K, and p-AKT proteins, whereas the total AKT level was not altered. Finally, the results of our in vivo experiments confirmed the therapeutic effects of RSM on HCC in nude mice.
Conclusions
We provide an integrative network pharmacology approach, in combination with in vitro and in vivo experiments, to illustrate the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of RSM action on HCC.
Description
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Date
2019-08-06
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Publisher
BMC
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Keywords
Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Network pharmacology
Citation
Luo, Y., Feng, Y., Song, L., He, G. Q., Li, S., Bai, S. S., Huang, Y. J., Li, S. Y., Almutairi, M. M., Shi, H. L., Wang, Q., & Hong, M. (2019). A network pharmacology-based study on the anti-hepatoma effect of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae. Chinese medicine, 14, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-019-0249-6