Study on the Mechanism of Cistanche in the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology.

To study the mechanism of Cistanche deserticola in the treatment of colorectal cancer by network pharmacology. Methods: The chemical constituents of Cistanche deserticola and the related targets were screened by TCMSP. Gene Cards, OMIM, PharmGkb, GrugBank, and TTD databases were used to screen colorectal cancer-related targets. The network of “active components-targets” was constructed and the common targets were chosen as potentially therapeutic. The GO function enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were carried out for the target screening by the R package cluster profiler. Finally, Auto dock Vina was used to realize the molecular docking of core components and key targets. Results: There were 6 active compounds and 154 potential targets for Cistanche deserticola; 12877 targets for Colorectal cancer were obtained. There were 149 intersecting targets, which were enriched in multiple malignancies including colorectal cancer pathways. Conclusion: This study provides a scientific basis for explicating the potential of Cistanche deserticola in the treatment of colorectal cancer and establishing a foundation for further investigation of the role of its active components in cancer drug design.