Chin Med: Astragalus and Curcuma decoction can inhibit colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC), which includes colon and rectal cancer, is the most common digestive tract malignancy
in humans.
In 2015, CRC ranked fifth
among all malignant tumors in China.
In China, traditional Chinese medicine combined with chemotherapy is one of the most important methods for the comprehensive treatment of
colorectal cancer.
What's more, many TCM have shown potential anti-cancer effects, including colorectal cancer
.
Among these Chinese herbal medicines, it has been established that astragalus and curcuma have antitumor effects on a variety of tumors, including lung cancer or breast cancer
.
In clinical practice in China, astragalus or curcuma has been used in cancer patients, and the survival rate and quality of life of colorectal cancer patients have been significantly improved
after treatment.
Astragalus or curcuma decoctions have also shown their potential in experimental studies for the treatment of colorectal cancer, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear
.
Therefore, the therapeutic effect of astragalus combined with curcuma on colorectal cancer needs to be confirmed
by more studies.

Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway disorders are widely present in different types of malignancies, especially in digestive tumors
.
In colorectal cancer, approximately 80% of patients have abnormal activation of
the WNT pathway.
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and its associated factors have become diagnostic and prognostic indicators
of gastrointestinal tumors.
Therefore, targeting Wnt/β-catenin for the treatment of CRC has become a therapeutic strategy and continues to attract the attention
of researchers.

The content of 9 compounds in AR soup and AR-CS:

Methods: The aim of this study was to explore the potential of astragalus and curcuma decoction (AR decoction) in the treatment of CRC and explore its potential mechanism
.
SW620 cells are transiently transfected to overexpress or knock down wnt 5 or β-Catenin
.
Serum containing astragalus and curcuma (AR-CS) is used to interfere with SW620 cells
.
Additional AR-CS, Wnt5 inhibitor (IWP-4), and β-catenin inhibitor (JW55) were used to intervene in SW620 cells
.
In addition, SW620 cells were injected subcutaneously into the right side of nude mice, replicating xenografted mice, which were treated with AR decoction for 21 days
.

AR-CS inhibits proliferation and migration of SW620 cells:

Results: AR-CS significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expression levels of Wnt5, β-Catenin, ARF6 and N-Cadherin in SW620 cells, while inhibiting the proliferation and migration
of SW620 cells.
In cells overexpressing Wnt5 or β-Catenin, these effects of AR-CS are significantly inhibited
.
Conversely, when Wnt5 or β-Catenin is knocked down or inhibited by inhibitors, AR-CS enhances inhibition of mRNA and protein levels of ARF6 and N-Cadherin and cell proliferation and migration of SW620
.
In addition, in xenografted tumor mouse models, AR decoctions can not only reduce tumor volume, inhibit mRNA levels and protein levels of Wnt5, β-Catenin, ARF6, and N-Cadherin in tumors, but also inhibit protein levels
in tumors.
LRP5, LRP6, TCF-4 and LEF1
.

AR decoction inhibits tumor growth in nude mouse xenograft models:

Taken together, the findings provide evidence that AR decoctions inhibit Wnt5/β-catenin signaling and inhibit the development of CRC, a promising traditional drug
in the clinical treatment of CRCs.

Bian Y, Wang G, Zhou J, Yin G, Liu T, Liang L, Yang X, Zhang W, Ni K, Tang D, Yu Y.
Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi) and Rhizoma curcumae (Ezhu) decoction suppresses colorectal cancer via downregulation of Wnt5/β-Catenin signal.
Chin Med.
2022 Jan 6; 17(1):11.
doi: 10.
1186/s13020-021-00564-6.
PMID: 34991661; PMCID: PMC8740427.