Table 2 Effects of Chinese herbal formulas on preventing and treating CRC

Gegen Qinlian Decoction (GQD)

Ge Gen (Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.), Huang Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi), Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.)

–

CT-26 spleen transplanted mice

Proliferation ↓, Migration ↓

↑: p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-FOXO1, ABTB1

PI3K/AKT/FOXO1

[55]

Tounong Powder extracts (TNSEs)

Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), Dang Gui (Aaugellica sinensis(Oliv) Diels.), Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.), Zao Jiao Ci ( Gleditsia sinensis Lam.), Chuan Shan Jia (Manis pentadactyia Linnaeus)

LoVo

–

Proliferation ↓, Apoptosis ↑, Block cell cycle

↑: cleaved caspase-3,cleaved caspase-9

↓: PI3K,p-AKT, p-mTOR, p-p70s6k1

PI3K/Akt

[56]

Jiedu Sangen decoction (JSD)

Pu Gong Ying Gen (Taraxacum mongolicumHand. –Mazz.), Lu Gen (Phragmites communis Trin.), Mao Gen (Perotis indica (L.) Kuntze)

HCT-8/5-FU

–

Glycolysis ↓, Apoptosis ↑

↑: caspase-3,caspase-9, caspase-6, caspase-7

↓: HIF-1α, PI3K AKT/p-AKT, HKII, Glut1

PI3K/ Akt/HIF-1α

[57]

Wu-Mei-Wan (WMW)

Wu Mei (Prunus mume (Sieb.) Sieb.et Zucc.), Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Xi Xin (Asarum heterotropoides Fr.Schmidt var.mandshuricum(Maxim.)kitag.), Gui Zhi (Cinnamomum cassia Presl), Dang Shen (Changium smyrnioides Wolff ), Fu Zi (Aconitum carmichaeli Debx.), Hua Jiao (Zanthoxylum schinifolium Sieb.et Zucc.), Gan Jiang (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), Huang Bai (Phellodendron chinense Schneid.), Dang Gui (Aaugellica sinensis(Oliv) Diels.).

–

AOM/DSS induced CAC model mice

Proliferation ↓

↓: IL-6, p65, p-STAT3

NF-κB/IL-6/STAT3

[77]

Zuo-Jin-Wan (ZJW)

Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth.)

HCT-116/L-OHP

–

Drug-resistance ↓, Apoptosis ↑

↓: p-Akt (Ser473), p-NF-κB

PI3K/Akt/NF-κB

[78]

Yi-Qi-Fu-Sheng (YQFS)

Dang Shen (Changium smyrnioides Wolff ), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Gan Cao (Gl. uralensis Fisch.), Rou Dou Kou (Myristica fragrans Houtt), Ba Yue Zha (Akebiaquinata(Thunb.)Decne.)

HCT-116

–

Apoptosis ↑, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓

↓: p-ERK

ERK/MAPK

[101]

–

HCT-116 xenograft mice

Tumor growth ↓

↓: ERK, MMP2, MMP9

ERK

Qizhen capsule (QZC)

Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), Ren Shen (Panax ginseng C.A.Mey.), Da Qing Ye (Isatis indigotica Fort.), Chong Lou (Paris polyphylla Smith Var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz), Zhen Zhu (Pteria martensii (Dunker))

HCT-116

–

Apoptosis ↑

↑: cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, Bax, NAG-1/GDF15, p-mTOR, p-MAPK/ERK、p-AMPK, p-p38

↓: Bcl-2

MAPK/ERK

[102]

Geijigajakyak Decoction (GJD)

Rou Gui (Cinnamomum cassia Presl), Gan Cao (Gl. uralensis Fisch.), Shao Yao (Raeonia lactiflora pall.), Gan Jiang (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), Da Zao (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.)

HCT-116

–

Invasion ↓

↓: p-JNK, p-p38 MAPK

JNK

p38 MAPK

[103]

Weichang’an (WCA)

Tai Zi Shen (Peseudostellaria heterophylla (Miq.)Pax ex pax et Hoffm.), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Ban Xia (Pinellia ternata (Thunb) Breit.), Chen Pi (Citrus reticulata Blanco), Qing Pi (Citrus reticulata Blanco), Xia Ku Cao (Prunella vulgaris L.), Da Xue Teng (Sargentodoxa cuneata (oliv.) Rehd.et wi1s.), Teng Li Gen (Actinidia chinensis Planch.), Ye Pu Tao Teng (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.)Trautv.), Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Mu Li (Ostrea gigas Thunberg), Bi Hu (Gekko), Bai Bian Dou (Dolichos lablab L.), Lv E Mei (Prunus mume (Sieb.) Sieb.et Zucc.), Ji Nei Jin (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson)

HCT-116

–

Migration ↓, Invasion ↓,

↑: ARHGAP25

↓: MMP7, MMP9, ZEB1, β-catenin

Wnt/β-catenin

[126]

Zuo Jin Wan (ZJW)

Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth.)

SW408

–

Apoptosis ↑, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓, Block cell cycle

↑: 5-HTR1D, Axin1

↓: Dvl2, p-GSK3β, LEF1, TCF4, MMP2, MMP7, ICAM-1, CXCR4

5-HTR1D-Wnt/β-catenin

[127]

Pai-Nong-San (PNS)

Zhi Shi (Citrus aurantium L.), Shao Yao (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Jie Geng (Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC. )

–

AOM/DSS induced CAC model mice

Inflammation ↓, Gut microbiota ↑

↑: GSK3β, p-β-catenin

↓: p-GSK3β, β-catenin, c-Myc

Wnt

[128]

JianPi JieDu Recipe (JPJD)

Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Ye Pu Tao Teng(Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.)Trautv.), Ba Yue Zha (Akebiaquinata(Thunb.)Decne.), Shi Jian Chuan (Salvia chinensia Benth.), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth.)

LoVo

Orthotopic transplantation tumor mice (LoVo)

EMT ↓, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓

↑: E-cadherin

↓: p-Smad2/3, Snali

TGF-β/Smad 2/3

[194]

Modified Shenlingbaizhu Decoction (MSD)

Ren Shen (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Liao Ge Wang (Wikstroemia indica (L.) C. A. Mey), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Cu Ye Rong (Ficus hirta Vahl), Huo Tan Mu (Polygonum chinense L.), Ci Qiu (Kalopanax septemlobus (Thunb.) Koidz.),ErZhu (Curcuma phaeocaulis Val.), Yi Yi Ren (Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf), Chun Pi (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle)

–

Orthotopic transplantation tumor mice (SW480)

Proliferation ↓, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓

↓: TβRI, CD133, Vimentin, OCT-4 A, SOX2

TGF-β/Smad

[195]

Pien Tze Huang (PZH)

She Xiang (Moschus berezovskii Flerov), Niu Huang (Bos taurus domesticus Gmelin), San Qi (Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen), She Dan (Python molurus bivittatus Schlegel)

CT-26

Orthotopic transplantation tumor mice (CT-26)

EMT ↓, Migration ↓, Invasion ↓

↑: E-cadherin

↓: N-cadherin, TGF-β, p-Smad2/3, p-Smad 4

TGF-β/Smad

[196]

Qingjie Fuzheng granule (QFG)

Bai Hua She She Cao (Oldenlandia diffusa (willd.) Roxb), Ban Zhi Lian (Scutellaria barbata D. Don), Mai Ya (Hordeum vulgare L.), Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.))

–

HCT-116 xenograft mice

Autophagy ↑, EMT ↓

↑: E-cadherin, LC3-II, Beclin-1

↓: N-cadherin,, Vimentin, TWIST1, p62, PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, p-mTOR/mTOR

mTOR

[226]

Jianpi Jiedu Decoction (JPJD)

Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)), San Qi (Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chens), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.), Fu Ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), Yi Yi Ren (Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf), Tu Fu Ling (Smilax glabra Roxb.), Bai Hua She She Cao (Oldenlandia diffusa (willd.) Roxb), Ban Zhi Lian (Scutellaria barbata D. Don), Chong Lou (Paris polyphylla Smith Var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz), Mi Hou Tao (Actinidia chinensis Planch.), Gan Cao (Gl. Fisch.)

HCT-116

HCT-116 xenograft mice

Migration ↓, Invasion ↓, Angiogenesis ↓, Tumor growth ↓

↓: mTOR, HIF-1α, VEGF, phospho-p70S6K, p-4E-BP1

mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGF

[227]

Qingjie Fuzheng Granules (QFG)

Bai Hua She She Cao (Oldenlandia diffusa (willd.) Roxb), Ban Zhi Lian (Scutellaria barbata D. Don), Mai Ya (Hordeum vulgare L.), Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.))

–

HCT-116 xenograft mice

Proliferation ↓, Apoptosis ↑, Angiogenesis ↓

↑: Bax/Bcl-2, p21

↓: SHH, Smo, Cli1, Ki-67, CyclinD1, CDK4, VEGF-A, VEGFR-2

Sonic Hedgehog

[252]