Matching traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine-based research: Advanced nutraceutical development for proactive gastric cancer prevention

Table 1 Molecular mechanisms and clinical effects of traditional Chinese medicine formulas and plant components

TCM formulas	Plant components	Clinical studies outcome	In vitro studies outcome	Key molecular targets	Molecular mechanisms
Banxia Xiexin Decoction	Pinellia ternata, coptis chinensis, scutellaria baicalensis	-	Inhibits proliferation, invasion, metastasis of GC cells	Wnt/β-catenin, PD-L1, HIF-1, EGFR, TLR4	Inhibits Wnt/β-catenin pathway, induces oxidative stress, modulates apoptosis
Sijunzi Decoction	Panax ginseng, Atractylodes macro cephala, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis	Enhances immune function, improves nutritional status in GC patients	Affects cell lines like MKN-28 and HGC-27	TNF-α, IL-6, TP53, JUN, VEGFA, PI3K/AKT	Regulates PI3K/AKT pathway, induces apoptosis, reduces tumor growth
Xiang-Sha-Liu-Jun-Zi-Tang	Panax ginseng, Poria cocos, Atractylodes macro cephala, Pinellia ternata, Citrus reticulata, Aucklandia lappa, Villous Amomum, Glycyrrhiza uralensis	Enhances survival post-surgery and chemotherapy for GC	Phytochemical study identified 144 active ingredients	TP53, MMP9, TIMP1, MYC, TNF, IL-17 signaling	Targets TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways, induces apoptosis, inhibits proliferation
Jianpi Yangzheng Xiaozheng Decoction	Astragalus membranaceus, Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macro cephala, Angelica sinensis, Paeonia lactiflora, Sparganium stoloniferum, Curcuma zedoaria, Citrus reticulata, Aucklandia lappa, Hedyotis diffusa, Salvia chinensis, Glycyrrhiza uralensis	Used in patients with advanced GC	Inhibits cancer cell proliferation	PD-L1, IL-6/JAK2/STAT3	Modulates immune response, decreases expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells
Shenqi Fuzheng Formula	Radix codonopsis, radix astragali	Improves quality of life and immune function in combination with chemotherapy	-	Not specified in detail	Enhances immune function, reduces chemotherapy side effects, improves patient outcomes

GC: Gastric cancer; TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine.

Table 2 Molecular mechanisms and clinical effects of compounds isolated from Chinese plants

Plant name	Active molecules	Clinical data	In vitro studies	Molecular targets	Biological effects
Glycyrrhiza uralensis	Glycyrol	Not specified	Induces apoptosis in MGC-803 and Jurkat cell lines	Fas-FasL/caspase-8 pathway, p53 independent	Enhances plasma membrane permeability, increases intracellular calcium, reduces mitochondrial potential
Atractylodes macrocephala	Atractylenolide I, II, III	Reduces appetite loss, improves Karnofsky performance	Affects viability of HGC-27, MGC-803, MKN-45 cells	Notch signaling, Ras/ERK, PI3K/Akt pathways	Induces apoptosis, inhibits inflammation, modulates immune responses
Panax ginseng	Ginsenosides (Rg3, others)	Enhances immune function, improves survival rates	Inhibits cell proliferation and enhances apoptosis	PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Fas-FasL pathways	Modulates chemoresistance, enhances immune function, reduces inflammation
Zingiber officinale	6-gingerol, 6-shogaol	Reduces GC risk, enhances antioxidant activity	Affects apoptosis in GC cell lines	Various cellular pathways (including Fas-FasL)	Induces apoptosis, inhibits inflammation, reduces oxidative stress, improves mitochondrial function
Scutellaria baicalensis	Baicalin, scutellarein	Not specified	Induces apoptosis in AGS cells	PIK3CB, CIP2A, ESR1, fos	Modulates cellular apoptosis pathways, downregulates critical proteins for cancer cell survival
Citrus reticulata	Polymethoxyflavones	Associated with reduced risk of GC	Induces apoptosis in human GC cells SNU-668	Bcl-2, Bax, CASP-3, RARβ, caspase pathways	Regulates apoptosis-related genes

GC: Gastric cancer.