Traditional Chinese Medicine in Colorectal Cancer Therapy: A Focus on <i>Panax quinquefolium L.</i> through Text Mining and Network Medicine Approaches

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to identify traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) with potential anti-colorectal cancer (CRC) properties and their core active constituents. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature regarding CRC treatment using TCM was conducted using the PubMed database. A text mining approach was employed to ascertain the correlation between TCM and CRC, highlighting the top ten TCMs. The most significantly correlated TCM underwent network medical analysis. Component data were sourced from the TCMSP and HERB databases, while their targets were identified through public databases. Concurrently, various databases were utilized to pinpoint CRC-associated target genes. Network medicine was then employed to ascertain the network proximity between component targets and CRC genes. Potential targets for both TCMs and CRC were mapped and were subsequently input into the String database to craft a protein-protein interaction (PPI) diagram. Visualization and analysis of the TCM-ingredients-targets and PPI diagrams were performed using Gephi 0.9.2. Lastly, DAVID database was used for GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of the intersecting targets. Results: Text mining revealed Panax quinquefolium L. displays the most pronounced anti-CRC properties. Notably, key ingredients of Panax quinquefolium L., including Ginsenoside Rb3, Papaverine, Ginsenoside Rg3, and Ginsenoside Rb1, were found to have substantial impacts on cancer and microRNA-cancer signaling pathways. Conclusions: The TCM Panax quinquefolium L. showcases a strong potential in CRC treatment, particularly due to the efficacy of Ginsenoside Rb3 and Ginsenoside Rg3. This study provides a foundational analysis for further exploration into the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of Panax quinquefolium L. in combating CRC.