Gancao Xiexin Decoction inhibits gastric carcinoma proliferation and migration by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The incidence of gastric carcinoma (GC) is increasing rapidly. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) plays a unique role in the treatment of GC. At present, Gancao Xiexin Decoction (GCXXD) has been proved to have a good therapeutic effect on diseases of the spleen and stomach system, but relevant molecular mechanisms remain incompletely explained.

AIM OF STUDY

The mechanism of GCXXD for GC was investigated by network pharmacology and verified by cell experiments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, the public database was used to identify the core targets and key pathways of GCXXD in treating GC, followed by molecular docking and survival analysis. Subsequently, the effects of GCXXD on human gastric cancer AGS and HGC-27 cells were confirmed by a series of experiments, such as CCK-8, colony formation, apoptosis, cell cycle, wound scratch assay, transwell chamber assay, qRT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS

This study identified quercetin, wogonin, kaempferol, baicalein, sitosterol and beta-sitosterol as key ingredients, along with AKT1, TP53, JUN, STAT3, TNF, MAPK3, HSP90AA1 and EGFR as co targets, and the JAK/STAT signalling pathway as the key pathway. The experimental results showed that GCXXD inhibited the growth of GC cells, increased the apoptosis rate and the ratio of G0/G1 phase cells, and weakened the clone formation rate and inhibited cell migration and invasion. It also reduces the expression of core target genes and downregulates the expression of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, and p-STAT3 proteins.

CONCLUSION

GCXXD inhibits GC cell growth, reduces clonogenic capacity, induces apoptosis, blocks the cell cycle, and decreases cell migration and invasion rates by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Integrated ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry-based components analysis and network pharmacology strategy of Gancao Xiexin Decoction in treating gastric ulcer

Gancao Xiexin Decoction (GCXXD) is a traditional Chinese decoction that is often used in treating gastric ulcers. However, the substance basis and mechanism of action remain unclear. In this study, in vivo and in vitro components of GCXXD were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry. The compound Discover platform was used to ultimately enable rapid identification of compounds. Acquire X intelligent data acquisition technology software was innovatively adopted. In the process of collecting drug-containing plasma, all components detected in blank plasma samples were excluded to eliminate the interference and influence of endogenous components in plasma, making the analysis results more accurate and reliable. At the same time, the possibility of selecting precursor parent ions with low concentration levels within the chromatographic peak can be increased, improving the coverage and integrality of the detection of components in vivo. Also, the targeted network pharmacology strategy combined with molecular docking was established to explore the mechanism of GCXXD in treating gastric ulcers. As a result, 113 components were identified, 41 of which could enter the bloodstream and exert therapeutic effects in vivo. The main effective components are glycyrrhizic acid, 6-gingerol, jatrorrhizine, wogonin, palmatine, and liquiritigenin, main targets in vivo were related to ALB, IL6, and VEGF, which play an important role in anti-inflammatory and promoting angiogenesis. In summary, this study adopted a comprehensive analysis strategy to reveal the pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism of GCXXD against gastric ulcers, providing a scientific basis for its clinical application.