Network Pharmacology with Experimental Investigation of the Mechanisms of Rhizoma Polygonati against Prostate Cancer with Additional Herbzymatic Activity

A combination therapy of RhizomaPolygonati (RP) with goji (Lycium chinense) has earned a long history in the prescriptions to promote male health. However, the mechanisms at both molecular and nanoscale quantum levels are unclear. Here, we found that processed RP extract induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells, thereby inhibiting prostate cancer cell proliferation enhanced by processed goji extract associated with an augment of the nanoscale herbzyme of phosphatase. For network pharmacology analysis, RP-induced PI3K-AKT pathways are essential for both benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, and the RP/goji combination induces potent pathways which include androgen and estrogen response, kinase regulation, apoptosis, and prostate cancer singling. In addition, the experimental investigation showed that the prostate cancer cells are sensitive to RP extract for inhibiting colony formation. Finally, the natural compound baicalein found in RP ingredients showed a linked activity of top-ranked signaling targets of kinases including MAPK, AKT, and EGFR by the database of cMAP and HERB. Thus, both the nanozyme and ingredients might contribute to the RP in anti-prostate cancer which can be enhanced by goji extract. The proposed nanoscale RP extract might be of significance in developing novel anti-prostate cancer agents by combining goji compositions and targeted therapy compounds.