Exploring the mechanism of action of rehmannia glutinosa for the treatment of gastric cancer based on network pharmacology

This study investigates the molecular mechanisms of Rehmannia glutinosa in gastric cancer treatment using network pharmacology, supported by experimental validation. Network pharmacology methods, including active ingredient prescreening, target prediction, gene enrichment analysis, network analysis, and cell-based experiments, were applied to explore the therapeutic action of Rehmannia glutinosa against gastric cancer. Analysis revealed 33 active components and identified 41 potential targets. Gene Ontology analysis indicated that these targets were primarily associated with the biological processes “positive regulation of cell death,” “apoptotic signaling pathway,” and “response to mechanical stimulus.” Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that the targets were enriched in the cancer signaling, prostate cancer, tumor necrosis factor signaling, endocrine resistance-related signaling, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. In vitro experiments demonstrated that R. glutinosa total glycosides upregulated Caspase-3 activity, reduced PARP expression levels, and induced cell apoptosis. In conclusion, network pharmacology and experimental results suggest that R. glutinosa may exert its antigastric cancer effects through multiple biological processes and signaling pathways.