Integrating network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation, this study explores the mechanism of action of Typhonii Rhizoma in colon cancer

Introduction Typhonii Rhizoma (TR), the dried tuber of Typhonium giganteum Engl. from the Araceae family, exhibits significant anticancer activity, although its underlying mechanism in colon cancer remains unclear. Methods This study employed a comprehensive approach combining network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation to elucidate the potential anticancer mechanism of TR against colon cancer. Initially, the targets of TR and colon cancer were retrieved from public databases, and their intersection targets were identified. Subsequently, these targets were subjected to protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses to identify key pathways. Molecular docking was then performed to evaluate potential interactions between active TR components and core targets. Finally, the predicted mechanisms were validated through a series of in vitro experiments. Results Network pharmacology analysis identified 101 intersection targets shared by TR and colon cancer, with the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway emerging as the core pathway mediating the anti-colon cancer effects of TR. Furthermore, molecular docking suggested favorable interactions between several candidate components of TR and AKT1/PI3K. Consistent with these predictions, in vitro experiments demonstrated that TR was associated with reduced PI3K/AKT pathway activity and suppressed cell proliferation. Discussion These findings suggest that TR inhibits malignant phenotypes of colon cancer cells and may be associated with modulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in vitro . This study provides preliminary mechanistic support for further investigation of TR in colon cancer and a rationale for future in vivo and rational combination studies.