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. 2023 Feb 13;18:14. doi: 10.1186/s13020-023-00719-7

Table 2.

Effects of Chinese herbal formulas on preventing and treating CRC

Formula Herbs Experiments Effects Molecular mechanism Signal pathways Refs.
In vitro model In vivo model
Gegen Qinlian Decoction (GQD) Ge Gen (Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.), Huang Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi), Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.) CT-26 spleen transplanted mice Proliferation ↓, Migration ↓ ↑: p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-FOXO1, ABTB1 PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 [55]
Tounong Powder extracts (TNSEs) Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), Dang Gui (Aaugellica sinensis(Oliv) Diels.), Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.), Zao Jiao Ci ( Gleditsia sinensis Lam.), Chuan Shan Jia (Manis pentadactyia Linnaeus) LoVo Proliferation ↓, Apoptosis ↑, Block cell cycle

↑: cleaved caspase-3,cleaved caspase-9

↓: PI3K,p-AKT, p-mTOR, p-p70s6k1

PI3K/Akt [56]
Jiedu Sangen decoction (JSD) Pu Gong Ying Gen (Taraxacum mongolicumHand. –Mazz.), Lu Gen (Phragmites communis Trin.), Mao Gen (Perotis indica (L.) Kuntze) HCT-8/5-FU Glycolysis ↓, Apoptosis ↑

↑: caspase-3,caspase-9, caspase-6, caspase-7

↓: HIF-1α, PI3K AKT/p-AKT, HKII, Glut1

PI3K/ Akt/HIF-1α [57]
Wu-Mei-Wan (WMW) Wu Mei (Prunus mume (Sieb.) Sieb.et Zucc.), Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Xi Xin (Asarum heterotropoides Fr.Schmidt var.mandshuricum(Maxim.)kitag.), Gui Zhi (Cinnamomum cassia Presl), Dang Shen (Changium smyrnioides Wolff ), Fu Zi (Aconitum carmichaeli Debx.), Hua Jiao (Zanthoxylum schinifolium Sieb.et Zucc.), Gan Jiang (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), Huang Bai (Phellodendron chinense Schneid.), Dang Gui (Aaugellica sinensis(Oliv) Diels.). AOM/DSS induced CAC model mice Proliferation ↓ ↓: IL-6, p65, p-STAT3 NF-κB/IL-6/STAT3 [77]
Zuo-Jin-Wan (ZJW) Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth.) HCT-116/L-OHP Drug-resistance ↓, Apoptosis ↑ ↓: p-Akt (Ser473), p-NF-κB PI3K/Akt/NF-κB [78]
Yi-Qi-Fu-Sheng (YQFS) Dang Shen (Changium smyrnioides Wolff ), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Gan Cao (Gl. uralensis Fisch.), Rou Dou Kou (Myristica fragrans Houtt), Ba Yue Zha (Akebiaquinata(Thunb.)Decne.) HCT-116 Apoptosis ↑, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓ ↓: p-ERK ERK/MAPK [101]
HCT-116 xenograft mice Tumor growth ↓ ↓: ERK, MMP2, MMP9 ERK
Qizhen capsule (QZC) Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), Ren Shen (Panax ginseng C.A.Mey.), Da Qing Ye (Isatis indigotica Fort.), Chong Lou (Paris polyphylla Smith Var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz), Zhen Zhu (Pteria martensii (Dunker)) HCT-116 Apoptosis ↑

↑: cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, Bax, NAG-1/GDF15, p-mTOR, p-MAPK/ERK、p-AMPK, p-p38

↓: Bcl-2

MAPK/ERK [102]
Geijigajakyak Decoction (GJD) Rou Gui (Cinnamomum cassia Presl), Gan Cao (Gl. uralensis Fisch.), Shao Yao (Raeonia lactiflora pall.), Gan Jiang (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), Da Zao (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) HCT-116 Invasion ↓ ↓: p-JNK, p-p38 MAPK

JNK

p38 MAPK

[103]
Weichang’an (WCA) Tai Zi Shen (Peseudostellaria heterophylla (Miq.)Pax ex pax et Hoffm.), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Ban Xia (Pinellia ternata (Thunb) Breit.), Chen Pi (Citrus reticulata Blanco), Qing Pi (Citrus reticulata Blanco), Xia Ku Cao (Prunella vulgaris L.), Da Xue Teng (Sargentodoxa cuneata (oliv.) Rehd.et wi1s.), Teng Li Gen (Actinidia chinensis Planch.), Ye Pu Tao Teng (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.)Trautv.), Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Mu Li (Ostrea gigas Thunberg), Bi Hu (Gekko), Bai Bian Dou (Dolichos lablab L.), Lv E Mei (Prunus mume (Sieb.) Sieb.et Zucc.), Ji Nei Jin (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson) HCT-116 Migration ↓, Invasion ↓,

↑: ARHGAP25

↓: MMP7, MMP9, ZEB1, β-catenin

Wnt/β-catenin [126]
Zuo Jin Wan (ZJW) Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth.) SW408 Apoptosis ↑, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓, Block cell cycle

↑: 5-HTR1D, Axin1

↓: Dvl2, p-GSK3β, LEF1, TCF4, MMP2, MMP7, ICAM-1, CXCR4

5-HTR1D-Wnt/β-catenin [127]
Pai-Nong-San (PNS) Zhi Shi (Citrus aurantium L.), Shao Yao (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Jie Geng (Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC. ) AOM/DSS induced CAC model mice Inflammation ↓, Gut microbiota ↑

↑: GSK3β, p-β-catenin

↓: p-GSK3β, β-catenin, c-Myc

Wnt [128]
JianPi JieDu Recipe (JPJD) Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Ye Pu Tao Teng(Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.)Trautv.), Ba Yue Zha (Akebiaquinata(Thunb.)Decne.), Shi Jian Chuan (Salvia chinensia Benth.), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth.) LoVo Orthotopic transplantation tumor mice (LoVo) EMT ↓, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓

↑: E-cadherin

↓: p-Smad2/3, Snali

TGF-β/Smad 2/3 [194]
Modified Shenlingbaizhu Decoction (MSD) Ren Shen (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Liao Ge Wang (Wikstroemia indica (L.) C. A. Mey), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Cu Ye Rong (Ficus hirta Vahl), Huo Tan Mu (Polygonum chinense L.), Ci Qiu (Kalopanax septemlobus (Thunb.) Koidz.),ErZhu (Curcuma phaeocaulis Val.), Yi Yi Ren (Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf), Chun Pi (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) Orthotopic transplantation tumor mice (SW480) Proliferation ↓, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓ ↓: TβRI, CD133, Vimentin, OCT-4 A, SOX2 TGF-β/Smad [195]
Pien Tze Huang (PZH) She Xiang (Moschus berezovskii Flerov), Niu Huang (Bos taurus domesticus Gmelin), San Qi (Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen), She Dan (Python molurus bivittatus Schlegel) CT-26 Orthotopic transplantation tumor mice (CT-26) EMT ↓, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓

↑: E-cadherin

↓: N-cadherin, TGF-β, p-Smad2/3, p-Smad 4

TGF-β/Smad [196]
Qingjie Fuzheng granule (QFG) Bai Hua She She Cao (Oldenlandia diffusa (willd.) Roxb), Ban Zhi Lian (Scutellaria barbata D. Don), Mai Ya (Hordeum vulgare L.), Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)) HCT-116 xenograft mice Autophagy ↑, EMT ↓

↑: E-cadherin, LC3-II, Beclin-1

↓: N-cadherin,, Vimentin, TWIST1, p62, PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, p-mTOR/mTOR

mTOR [226]
Jianpi Jiedu Decoction (JPJD) Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), San Qi (Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chens), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Yi Yi Ren (Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf), Tu Fu Ling (Smilax glabra Roxb.), Bai Hua She She Cao (Oldenlandia diffusa (willd.) Roxb), Ban Zhi Lian (Scutellaria barbata D. Don), Chong Lou (Paris polyphylla Smith Var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz), Mi Hou Tao (Actinidia chinensis Planch.), Gan Cao (Gl. Fisch.) HCT-116 HCT-116 xenograft mice Migration ↓, Invasion ↓, Angiogenesis ↓, Tumor growth ↓ ↓: mTOR, HIF-1α, VEGF, phospho-p70S6K, p-4E-BP1 mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGF [227]
Qingjie Fuzheng Granules (QFG) Bai Hua She She Cao (Oldenlandia diffusa (willd.) Roxb), Ban Zhi Lian (Scutellaria barbata D. Don), Mai Ya (Hordeum vulgare L.), Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)) HCT-116 xenograft mice Proliferation ↓, Apoptosis ↑, Angiogenesis ↓

↑: Bax/Bcl-2, p21

↓: SHH, Smo, Cli1, Ki-67, CyclinD1, CDK4, VEGF-A, VEGFR-2

Sonic Hedgehog [252]