Molecular Targets and Mechanisms of Cortex Mori for Lung Cancer Treatment

A new study has shed light on the potential anti-lung cancer effects of cortex mori, a natural compound derived from the Morus alba plant. Researchers from the Department of Pharmacy at the Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University in Dongguan, China, conducted a network pharmacology study to investigate the molecular targets and mechanisms of cortex mori in treating lung cancer. The study, published in the Frontiers in Oncology journal, identified key active ingredients in cortex mori, including cyclomolorusin, kuwanon D, and Moracin A, which may play a crucial role in inhibiting the growth and proliferation of lung cancer cells.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that cortex mori acts on 163 disease targets of lung cancer, mainly through cyclomolorusin, kuwanon D, and Moracin A.
• The core genes involved in cortex mori treating lung cancer include JUN, AKT1, and others.
• The core targets involved 162 biological processes, mainly including nuclear receptor activity, ligand-activated transcription factor activity, etc.
• The study demonstrated that cortex mori inhibits the AKT-PI3K pathway, reducing lung cancer cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis.
• In vivo antitumor assays showed that cyclomolorusin suppressed tumor growth in mice.
• The study concluded that cortex mori plays a potential role in lung cancer treatment by inhibiting the signaling pathway associated with lung cancer occurrence and development.

Statistics:

• 32 active ingredients and 434 targets of Chinese medicine cortex mori were obtained.
• 2,3107 lung cancer-related targets were collected, and 163 Chinese medicine-disease targets were derived from the intersection.
• 160 pathways were targeted, including AGE-RAGE signaling pathways associated with diabetes complications, fluid stress, and atherosclerosis.
• In vitro biologic cytological experiments demonstrated that cyclomolorusin inhibited lung cancer cell proliferation, migration, and induced apoptosis through the AKT-PI3K pathway.

Sources:

• "Molecular targets and mechanisms of cortex mori for lung cancer treatment: a network pharmacology study, molecular docking and in vitro and in vivo experimental validation." Frontiers in Oncology, 2025,15.
• Ying-Ying Shao et al. "Molecular targets and mechanisms of cortex mori for lung cancer treatment: a network pharmacology study, molecular docking and in vitro and in vivo experimental validation." Frontiers in Oncology, 2025,15. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1587856.
• Frontiers in Oncology. Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A. Available at: http://www.frontiersin.org/oncology.