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Published on: March 3, 2023
Molecular Evidence of Compound Kushen Injection Against Lung Cancer: A Network Pharmacology-Based Investigation from
Sixian Liang1, Yin Li2, Xiangguo Zhang1
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shaoguan, Guangdong, China.
Background:
Compound Kushen Injection (CKI) is used clinically for relieving cancer pain and treating various solid tumors, particularly lung cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of CKI in lung cancer remain to be further elucidated.
Objective:
This study aimed to obtain evidence regarding the potential efficacy of the active compounds and therapeutic targets of CKI at a molecular level by using Network Pharmacology (NP), which is an emerging technique for dealing with complex systems, such as those of herbal medicine.
Methods:
The chemical and predicted target information of CKI was obtained from databases and computational prediction, respectively; lung-cancer drugs and their corresponding targets were retrieved from Drugbank and Drugcentral. The online tool, STRING, was used to gather target-pathway interactions for establishing a target-(pathway)-target network to identify the target group that was most relevant to cancer. Based on this module, a protein-protein interaction network was established for identifying the potential therapeutic targets and the potential active ingredients.
Results:
CKI might affect lung cancer drug targets or their neighbor nodes to trigger anti-cancer effects. The compounds that were predicted to bind to the potential therapeutic targets were recommended as potential active ingredients of CKI, which included naringenin from Baituling, and kurarinone and isoxanthohumol from Kushen.
Conclusion:
This NP-based study might provide insights into understanding CKI from the perspective of modern science with reference to approved Western medicine for lung cancer. Moreover, network-based methods could also be further used with distinct advantages in dealing with complex information and systems of medicine.
Insights
Network pharmacology reveals Compound Kushen Injection (CKI) may treat lung cancer by targeting key pathways. Active compounds like naringenin, kurarinone, and isoxanthohumol are identified for their potential anti-cancer effects.
Area of Science:
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Compound Kushen Injection (CKI) is clinically used for cancer pain and solid tumors, especially lung cancer.
- The precise molecular mechanisms of CKI in lung cancer treatment require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms and identify active compounds and therapeutic targets of CKI in lung cancer using Network Pharmacology (NP).
- To provide a scientific basis for CKI's efficacy in lung cancer treatment by integrating traditional medicine with modern scientific approaches.
Main Methods:
- Utilized NP to analyze CKI's chemical components and predicted targets.
- Integrated data from databases (Drugbank, Drugcentral) for lung cancer drugs and targets.
- Constructed protein-protein interaction and target-pathway networks using STRING to identify key therapeutic targets and active ingredients.
Main Results:
- CKI potentially exerts anti-cancer effects by influencing lung cancer drug targets or related nodes.
- Identified naringenin, kurarinone, and isoxanthohumol as potential active ingredients of CKI based on their predicted binding to therapeutic targets.
Conclusions:
- This NP study offers molecular insights into CKI's anti-lung cancer mechanisms, referencing Western medicine standards.
- Highlights the utility of network-based methods for analyzing complex traditional medicine systems and their therapeutic potential.
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