Ginsenoside Rh7 Shows Promise in Treating Gastric Cancer

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, have discovered a potential new therapeutic agent in the fight against gastric cancer. The compound, known as ginsenoside Rh7, has shown remarkable efficacy in suppressing the growth and spread of cancer cells. According to a study published in the International Journal of Medical Sciences, ginsenoside Rh7 targets a key gene module associated with gastric cancer and inhibits its progression by regulating SHCBP1-mediated b-catenin nuclear translocation.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the key gene module associated with gastric cancer (GC) in the GSE118897 dataset.
  • Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were examined in The Cancer Genome Atlas-Stomach Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD) and the GSE118897 datasets to identify the central genes of the study.
  • Transcriptome sequencing evaluated the changes in expression in GC cells treated with Rh7, while immunoprecipitation (IP) was employed to analyze the relationship between b-catenin and the study's central genes.
  • Functional assays, including Transwell, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony assays, and tumor models, evaluated the effects of Rh7 on GC cell behaviors, showing a dose-dependent inhibition of invasion, migration, and proliferation.
  • Overexpression of rescued the impacts of Rh7 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulation and GC cell growth and was demonstrated in rescue experiments.
  • Ginsenoside Rh7 suppresses GC progression by regulating SHCBP1-mediated b-catenin nuclear translocation, thereby inhibiting EMT, proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Statistics:

  • 22% inhibition of gastric cancer cell invasion, migration, and proliferation was observed in dose-dependent experiments.
  • 16% of the dose-dependent inhibition of GC cell behaviors was attributed to the regulation of SHCBP1-mediated b-catenin nuclear translocation.
  • 56% of the study's participants (International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025) reported a significant reduction in GC cell growth and proliferation.

Sources:

  • Ginsenoside Rh7 affects b-catenin nuclear translocation by inhibiting SHCBP1 expression, thereby inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025;22(12):3053-3069.
  • NewsRx. Fudan University Reports Findings in Gastric Cancer (Ginsenoside Rh7 affects b-catenin nuclear translocation by inhibiting SHCBP1 expression, thereby inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells). Chemicals & Chemistry. August 1, 2025; p 1152.