ObjectiveTo investigate the potential mechanism of Danggui Buxuetang （DBT） in the treatment of vascular dementia （VAD）. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly assigned to the sham-operated group， model group， DBT low-， medium-， and high-dose groups， and the donepezil group. Except for the sham-operated group， rats in all other groups underwent bilateral common carotid artery ligation. After successful modeling， DBT was administered at doses of 9.2， 18.4， 36.8 g·kg^-1 for the low-， medium-， and high-dose groups， respectively， while the donepezil group received 3 mg·kg^-1 donepezil solution by gavage once daily. After 4 consecutive weeks of drug treatment， rats underwent the Morris water maze test， novel object recognition test， Nissl staining to observe hippocampal neurons， and immunofluorescence staining to detect the expression of neuronal nuclear protein （NeuN） in the hippocampus. Western blot was used to assess the expression of PTEN-induced kinase 1 （PINK1）， Parkin， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Ⅱ （LC3Ⅱ）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe hippocampal neuronal ultrastructure. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of NADPH oxidase subunits p22^phox and p47^phox in hippocampal tissues. The levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and total antioxidant capacity were measured to evaluate oxidative stress levels. ResultsIn the Morris water maze test， escape latency changed significantly over time in all groups except the model group. Compared with the sham-operated group， the model group showed significantly prolonged escape latency （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， rats in the DBT groups and the donepezil group exhibited significantly shorter escape latency （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The number of crossings over the original platform was significantly reduced in the model group compared with the sham-operated group （P<0.01）， whereas rats in the DBT and donepezil groups showed significantly increased platform crossings compared with the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the sham-operated group， exploration time of new objects was significantly reduced in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， exploration time of new objects increased significantly in the medium- and high-dose DBT groups and the donepezil group （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while no significant change was observed in the low-dose DBT group. Compared with the high-dose DBT group， rats in the donepezil group had significantly prolonged escape latency and reduced platform crossings and new-object exploration time （P<0.05）. Nissl staining showed decreased density of healthy neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus in the model group， with loss of Nissl bodies and nuclear atrophy or disappearance. In the high-dose DBT group， neuronal density in CA1 and CA3 increased， with neurons arranged closely and displaying normal morphology. Immunofluorescence showed that compared with the sham-operated group， the hippocampal NeuN⁺ cell count in the VAD model group was significantly decreased（P<0.01）， compared with the VAD model group， the hippocampal NeuN⁺ cell count in the high-dose DBT group was significantly increased（P<0.01）. Compared with the sham-operated group， the expression of PINK1， Parkin， LC3Ⅱ， and Bax proteins was significantly increased（P<0.01）， while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased in the VAD model group（P<0.01）. Compared with the VAD model group， the high-dose DBT group showed significantly decreased expression of PINK1， Parkin， LC3Ⅱ， and Bax proteins（P<0.01）and significantly upregulated Bcl-2 expression（P<0.01）. The medium-dose DBT group exhibited significantly reduced expression of Parkin， LC3Ⅱ， and Bax proteins（P<0.05，P<0.01） and significantly increased Bcl-2 expression（P<0.01）， while no statistically significant differences were observed in the low-dose DBT group. Transmission electron microscopy showed mitochondrial pyknosis， thickened cristae， increased electron density， and the presence of mitochondrial autophagy in the model group. In contrast， hippocampal neurons in the high-dose DBT group contained abundant mitochondria with intact morphology， clear cristae， and uniform matrix. Compared with the sham-operated group， total antioxidant capacity， SOD activity， and GSH levels were significantly decreased， while MDA levels were significantly increased in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， total antioxidant capacity and antioxidant levels （SOD， GSH） increased significantly， and MDA decreased significantly in the medium- and high-dose DBT groups （P<0.01）， while no significant changes were observed in the low-dose DBT group. Compared with the sham-operated group， mRNA expression of p22^phox and p47^phox was significantly increased in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， expression of p22^phox and p47^phox was significantly decreased in the DBT groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDBT may exert neuroprotective effects by regulating PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial autophagy， thereby improving learning and memory abilities and treating VAD.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to establish a monocrotaline （MCT）-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension （PAH） rat model to systematically evaluate the protective effect of Xiao Qinglongtang （XQLT） on right cardiac function in model rats and further elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanism. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly assigned to the normal group， model group， XQLT low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （XQLT-L/M/H）， and the beraprost sodium tablet group （BST）. Except for the normal group， rats in all other groups were given a single subcutaneous injection of MCT （60 mg·kg^-1） to induce PAH. Three weeks after injection， rats in the XQLT-L/M/H groups were administered XQLT intragastrically at 3.07， 6.14， 12.28 g·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively. Rats in the BST group received beraprost sodium at 12.6 μg·kg^-1·d^-1， and rats in the model group received an equal volume of saline. All treatments lasted for 3 weeks. Right ventricular systolic pressure （RVSP） was measured by right ventricular catheterization. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. The right ventricle was weighed to calculate the right ventricular hypertrophy index （RVHI）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Masson staining， and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe myocardial morphology. Serum metabolomic changes were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS）. Data-independent acquisition （DIA） proteomics was used to detect differentially expressed （DE） proteins in the right ventricle， and Western blot was used to measure the expression of uncoupling protein 3 （UCP3）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit p110α （PIK3CA）， L1 cell adhesion molecule （L1CAM）， and quinone oxidoreductase （CRYZ）. UPLC-MS/MS was used to analyze the chemical components of XQLT. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly increased RVSP and RVHI （P<0.05）， along with pathological changes in myocardial morphology. Compared with the model group， all XQLT-treated groups exhibited reductions in RVSP and RVHI as well as significant improvements in cardiac function and myocardial morphology. Among the XQLT groups， XQLT-M showed the most pronounced effects （P<0.05）， comparable to the BST group. Serum metabolomics revealed 105 differential metabolites in the XQLT groups versus the model group ［variable importance in projection （VIP） >1， P<0.05］， including 58 upregulated and 47 downregulated metabolites. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that XQLT intervention downregulated phenylalanine metabolism （P<0.01） and upregulated unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis （P<0.05）. Proteomics analysis showed that 982 DE proteins were identified in the MCT groups versus the normal group， including 455 upregulated and 527 downregulated proteins （|fold change （FC）| >1.3， P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， 237 DE proteins were identified in the XQLT groups， including 124 upregulated and 113 downregulated proteins （|FC| >1.3， P<0.05）， with 57 overlapping DE proteins. KEGG enrichment suggested that XQLT mainly modulated pathways related to mineral absorption， ribosomal biogenesis， peroxisomes， glycolysis/gluconeogenesis， spliceosomes， and thyroid hormone signaling. Western blot analysis showed that， compared with the model group， XQLT increased the expression of UCP3， PIK3CA， and L1CAM， while decreasing the expression of CRYZ （P<0.05）. ConclusionXQLT exerts a protective effect on right heart function in MCT-induced PAH rats， and its mechanism is associated with maintaining myocardial homeostasis and alleviating right ventricular remodeling.

ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effects of curcumol （Cur） on the proliferation and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms. MethodsIn vivo， a subcutaneous tumor xenograft model was established to evaluate the antiproliferative effect of Cur. In vitro， the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to assess the effects of Cur at concentrations of 0， 60， 120， 240， 360， 480， 600， 720， 840， 960 μmol·L^-1 on the viability of NCI-A549 and NCI-H23 cells， and to evaluate its inhibitory effect on the proliferation of human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. Wound healing and Transwell migration assays were conducted to assess changes in cell migratory capacity following Cur treatment. Immunohistochemistry （IHC-P） was used to investigate the regulatory effect of Cur on the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （JAK2/STAT3） signaling pathway in tumor tissues. Western blot was performed to determine the protein expression levels of phosphorylated JAK2 （p-JAK2）， phosphorylated STAT3 （p-STAT3）， proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） in tumor tissues and cells. To further verify the role of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the pharmacological effects of Cur， rescue experiments were performed using the pathway agonist colivelin. ResultsIn vivo experiments showed that， compared with the model group， the tumor volumes of subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice in both low- and high-dose Cur groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， and the tumor inhibition rates were significantly increased （P<0.05）. The inhibitory effect in the high-dose group was comparable to that of the cisplatin group， and the body weight of mice in the Cur groups remained stable throughout the experiment. In vitro， compared with the control group， Cur at concentrations of 120 and 240 μmol·L^-1 inhibited the proliferation of NCI-A549 and NCI-H23 cells in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.05）， with a significant inhibitory effect observed at 360 μmol·L^-1 （P<0.01）， while no significant effect on the viability of BEAS-2B cells was observed. Migration assays demonstrated that， compared with the control group， Cur treatment significantly reduced the migration rates of both cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.05）， with an inhibitory effect at 360 μmol·L^-1 comparable to that of the cisplatin group. Mechanistic validation showed that， compared with the control group， the protein expression levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in tumor tissues and cells were significantly downregulated in the Cur groups （P<0.01）， and the expression levels of downstream proteins PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA were also significantly decreased with increasing Cur concentration （P<0.05）. In the rescue experiments， compared with the control group， colivelin pretreatment increased cell proliferation and migration rates （P<0.05） and upregulated the expression of related proteins （P<0.05）. Compared with the Cur group， the colivelin+Cur group showed significantly increased proliferation and migration rates （P<0.05）， along with significantly upregulated protein expression levels （P<0.05）. ConclusionCur can significantly inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC both in vivo and in vitro， and its mechanism of action is closely associated with the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which oxyresveratrol （OXY） inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway. MethodsCell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assays were used to determine the survival rates of A549 and H1299 cells treated with different concentrations of OXY， and appropriate concentrations （0， 30， 60， 90 μmol·L^-1） were selected. The effects of OXY on the proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells were evaluated using 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine （EdU） assays and colony formation assays. Wound healing assays and Transwell invasion assays were performed to assess the effects of OXY on cell migration and invasion. Western blot （WB） was used to detect the expression levels of Snail， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin in A549 and H1299 cells. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to predict the mechanism of action of OXY， and WB was used to evaluate the effects of OXY on proteins in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Rescue experiments were conducted using the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway agonist 740Y-P. Under activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway， the effect of OXY on proliferation， migration， and invasion phenotypes， as well as on the expression levels of PI3K/Akt pathway-related proteins and EMT markers （Snail， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin）， were examined. ResultsIn the forward experiments， CCK-8 assay results showed that， compared with the control group， the survival rates of NSCLC cells in the OXY-treated groups （20-120 μmol·L^-1） were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） values of A549 and H1299 cells after 48 h of OXY treatment were 113.6 μmol·L^-1 and 92.53 μmol·L^-1， respectively. Therefore， concentrations of 0， 30， 60， 90 μmol·L^-1 were selected as the gradient for subsequent phenotypic and mechanistic studies. Compared with the control group， the proliferation rate， colony number， migration rate， and invasion number of NSCLC cells in the OXY groups （30， 60， and 90 μmol·L^-1） were significantly decreased （P<0.01， P<0.05）. WB results showed that， compared with the control group， the protein expression levels of Snail， N-cadherin， and Vimentin in NSCLC cells of the OXY groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， whereas E-cadherin expression was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Network pharmacology and molecular docking results indicated that OXY could act on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and exhibited good binding affinity with PI3K and Akt proteins. Further WB results showed that， compared with the control group， there were no statistically significant differences in the expression levels of PI3K and Akt proteins in NSCLC cells of the OXY groups， whereas the expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K） and phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt） were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. In the rescue experiments， compared with the control group， the proliferation rate， colony number， migration rate， and invasion number of NSCLC cells in the 740Y-P group （15 μmol·L^-1） were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the control + OXY group （90 μmol·L^-1）， these indices in the 740Y-P + OXY group （15 μmol·L^-1 + 90 μmol·L^-1） were also significantly increased （P<0.01）. WB results showed that， compared with the control group， there were no statistically significant differences in the expression levels of PI3K and Akt proteins in the 740Y-P group. However， the expression levels of p-PI3K， p-Akt， Snail， N-cadherin， and Vimentin were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while E-cadherin expression was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the control + OXY group， there were no statistically significant differences in PI3K and Akt protein expression in the 740Y-P + OXY group. However， the expression levels of p-PI3K， p-Akt， Snail， N-cadherin， and Vimentin were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while E-cadherin expression was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. ConclusionOXY inhibits the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and suppresses the EMT process， thereby exerting anti-metastatic effects in NSCLC.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which eupatilin （Eup） inhibits proliferation， invasion， and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） through the enhancer of zeste homolog 2/histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation （EZH2/H3K27me3） signaling pathway. MethodsIn vivo， a subcutaneous xenograft tumor model was established in nude mice using H1299 cells to evaluate the anti-NSCLC effects of Eup. Immunohistochemistry （IHC-P） was used to detect the expression of proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins， including proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）. In vitro， cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assays were performed to determine the viability of H1299 cells treated with different concentrations of Eup （0-200 μmol·L^-1） and to select appropriate concentrations. Colony formation and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine （EdU） assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Wound healing and invasion assays were conducted to assess cell migration and invasion. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell （HUVEC） angiogenesis assays were used to evaluate the effects of Eup on angiogenesis. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to identify the targets of Eup in H1299 cells and to explore its major functions. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to predict the binding affinity and interaction stability between Eup and its target proteins. Western blot was used to detect the effects of Eup on the expression levels of EZH2/H3K27me3 pathway-related proteins and proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins， including PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA. ResultsIn the subcutaneous xenograft model， compared with the model group， Eup treatment dose-dependently inhibited the growth of H1299 xenograft tumors， and the tumor inhibition rate was significantly increased （P<0.05）. IHC-P results showed that， compared with the model group， high-dose Eup significantly reduced the expression levels of PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA in vivo （P<0.05）. In vitro， compared with the control group， Eup inhibited the proliferation， invasion， and metastasis of NSCLC cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcriptomic analysis further showed that， compared with the control group， Eup significantly downregulated EZH2 expression， and its functional effects were associated with inhibition of tumor metastasis. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that Eup exhibited strong binding affinity with EZH2 and stable interactions. Western blot results demonstrated that， compared with the model group， Eup significantly inhibited， in a dose-dependent manner， the expression levels of EZH2， H3K27me3， and proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins （PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA） in both in vivo and in vitro experiments （P<0.05）. In vitro， compared with the control group， overexpression of EZH2 via plasmid transfection partially reversed the inhibitory effects of Eup on the expression of key proteins involved in proliferation and invasion/metastasis in H1299 cells. ConclusionEup effectively inhibits the proliferation， migration， and invasion of H1299 cells both in vivo and in vitro. The underlying mechanism may be related to inhibition of the EZH2/H3K27me3 signaling pathway and downregulation of proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins， including PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA. Eup may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for suppressing proliferation and invasion/metastasis in NSCLC.

Lung cancer， particularly non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）， is the malignant tumor with the highest incidence and mortality in China and worldwide. In 2022， the global number of deaths reached 1.8 million， accounting for 18.7% of all cancer-related deaths， seriously threatening human health and life， and posing a severe challenge for prevention and treatment. Although treatment strategies for lung cancer have been continuously enriched in recent years， and progress has been made in targeted therapy and immunotherapy， long-term survival benefits remain limited due to primary or acquired drug resistance， low immune responsiveness， and chemotherapy-related toxicities. Therefore， there is an urgent need to explore safe and effective adjunctive therapeutic strategies. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its advantages of holistic regulation and individualized syndrome differentiation， has played an increasingly prominent role in comprehensive cancer treatment. TCM holds that "Yang deficiency leads to accumulation" is a key pathogenesis of tumors. Based on the theory that "Yang transforms Qi， while Yin forms substance"， deficiency of Yang Qi results in impaired warming and transformation functions， leading to internal accumulation of Yin-cold. This is closely related to dysregulation of the immune microenvironment， "cold tumor" characteristics， and dysfunction of the neuroendocrine system in modern medicine. Accordingly， the therapeutic strategy of "warming Yang， supporting healthy Qi， and combating cancer" has gained increasing attention. In recent years， commonly used Yang-warming Chinese herbs， including Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata， Zingiberis Rhizoma， Cinnamomi Cortex， Epimedii Folium， and Psoraleae Fructus， as well as their active constituents， have achieved notable progress in anti-lung cancer research by regulating multiple signaling pathways， inducing apoptosis， inhibiting metastasis， and reversing drug resistance. In addition， Yang-warming formulae such as Sini Tang and Yanghe Tang have shown promising effects in alleviating myelosuppression， improving cancer-related fatigue， managing malignant pleural effusion， and relieving cancer pain. These therapies exhibit toxicity-reducing and efficacy-enhancing effects， significantly improving patients' quality of life and survival benefits. To systematically summarize the roles and mechanisms of Yang-warming Chinese herbal medicines and compound formulae in lung cancer， this paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advances， aiming to offer insights for the clinical practice of TCM in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.

ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effects of curcumol （Cur） on the proliferation and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms. MethodsIn vivo， a subcutaneous tumor xenograft model was established to evaluate the antiproliferative effect of Cur. In vitro， the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to assess the effects of Cur at concentrations of 0， 60， 120， 240， 360， 480， 600， 720， 840， 960 μmol·L^-1 on the viability of NCI-A549 and NCI-H23 cells， and to evaluate its inhibitory effect on the proliferation of human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. Wound healing and Transwell migration assays were conducted to assess changes in cell migratory capacity following Cur treatment. Immunohistochemistry （IHC-P） was used to investigate the regulatory effect of Cur on the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （JAK2/STAT3） signaling pathway in tumor tissues. Western blot was performed to determine the protein expression levels of phosphorylated JAK2 （p-JAK2）， phosphorylated STAT3 （p-STAT3）， proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） in tumor tissues and cells. To further verify the role of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the pharmacological effects of Cur， rescue experiments were performed using the pathway agonist colivelin. ResultsIn vivo experiments showed that， compared with the model group， the tumor volumes of subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice in both low- and high-dose Cur groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， and the tumor inhibition rates were significantly increased （P<0.05）. The inhibitory effect in the high-dose group was comparable to that of the cisplatin group， and the body weight of mice in the Cur groups remained stable throughout the experiment. In vitro， compared with the control group， Cur at concentrations of 120 and 240 μmol·L^-1 inhibited the proliferation of NCI-A549 and NCI-H23 cells in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.05）， with a significant inhibitory effect observed at 360 μmol·L^-1 （P<0.01）， while no significant effect on the viability of BEAS-2B cells was observed. Migration assays demonstrated that， compared with the control group， Cur treatment significantly reduced the migration rates of both cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.05）， with an inhibitory effect at 360 μmol·L^-1 comparable to that of the cisplatin group. Mechanistic validation showed that， compared with the control group， the protein expression levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in tumor tissues and cells were significantly downregulated in the Cur groups （P<0.01）， and the expression levels of downstream proteins PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA were also significantly decreased with increasing Cur concentration （P<0.05）. In the rescue experiments， compared with the control group， colivelin pretreatment increased cell proliferation and migration rates （P<0.05） and upregulated the expression of related proteins （P<0.05）. Compared with the Cur group， the colivelin+Cur group showed significantly increased proliferation and migration rates （P<0.05）， along with significantly upregulated protein expression levels （P<0.05）. ConclusionCur can significantly inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC both in vivo and in vitro， and its mechanism of action is closely associated with the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which oxyresveratrol （OXY） inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway. MethodsCell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assays were used to determine the survival rates of A549 and H1299 cells treated with different concentrations of OXY， and appropriate concentrations （0， 30， 60， 90 μmol·L^-1） were selected. The effects of OXY on the proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells were evaluated using 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine （EdU） assays and colony formation assays. Wound healing assays and Transwell invasion assays were performed to assess the effects of OXY on cell migration and invasion. Western blot （WB） was used to detect the expression levels of Snail， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin in A549 and H1299 cells. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to predict the mechanism of action of OXY， and WB was used to evaluate the effects of OXY on proteins in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Rescue experiments were conducted using the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway agonist 740Y-P. Under activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway， the effect of OXY on proliferation， migration， and invasion phenotypes， as well as on the expression levels of PI3K/Akt pathway-related proteins and EMT markers （Snail， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin）， were examined. ResultsIn the forward experiments， CCK-8 assay results showed that， compared with the control group， the survival rates of NSCLC cells in the OXY-treated groups （20-120 μmol·L^-1） were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） values of A549 and H1299 cells after 48 h of OXY treatment were 113.6 μmol·L^-1 and 92.53 μmol·L^-1， respectively. Therefore， concentrations of 0， 30， 60， 90 μmol·L^-1 were selected as the gradient for subsequent phenotypic and mechanistic studies. Compared with the control group， the proliferation rate， colony number， migration rate， and invasion number of NSCLC cells in the OXY groups （30， 60， and 90 μmol·L^-1） were significantly decreased （P<0.01， P<0.05）. WB results showed that， compared with the control group， the protein expression levels of Snail， N-cadherin， and Vimentin in NSCLC cells of the OXY groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， whereas E-cadherin expression was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Network pharmacology and molecular docking results indicated that OXY could act on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and exhibited good binding affinity with PI3K and Akt proteins. Further WB results showed that， compared with the control group， there were no statistically significant differences in the expression levels of PI3K and Akt proteins in NSCLC cells of the OXY groups， whereas the expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K） and phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt） were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. In the rescue experiments， compared with the control group， the proliferation rate， colony number， migration rate， and invasion number of NSCLC cells in the 740Y-P group （15 μmol·L^-1） were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the control + OXY group （90 μmol·L^-1）， these indices in the 740Y-P + OXY group （15 μmol·L^-1 + 90 μmol·L^-1） were also significantly increased （P<0.01）. WB results showed that， compared with the control group， there were no statistically significant differences in the expression levels of PI3K and Akt proteins in the 740Y-P group. However， the expression levels of p-PI3K， p-Akt， Snail， N-cadherin， and Vimentin were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while E-cadherin expression was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the control + OXY group， there were no statistically significant differences in PI3K and Akt protein expression in the 740Y-P + OXY group. However， the expression levels of p-PI3K， p-Akt， Snail， N-cadherin， and Vimentin were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while E-cadherin expression was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. ConclusionOXY inhibits the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and suppresses the EMT process， thereby exerting anti-metastatic effects in NSCLC.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which eupatilin （Eup） inhibits proliferation， invasion， and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） through the enhancer of zeste homolog 2/histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation （EZH2/H3K27me3） signaling pathway. MethodsIn vivo， a subcutaneous xenograft tumor model was established in nude mice using H1299 cells to evaluate the anti-NSCLC effects of Eup. Immunohistochemistry （IHC-P） was used to detect the expression of proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins， including proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）. In vitro， cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assays were performed to determine the viability of H1299 cells treated with different concentrations of Eup （0-200 μmol·L^-1） and to select appropriate concentrations. Colony formation and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine （EdU） assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Wound healing and invasion assays were conducted to assess cell migration and invasion. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell （HUVEC） angiogenesis assays were used to evaluate the effects of Eup on angiogenesis. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to identify the targets of Eup in H1299 cells and to explore its major functions. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to predict the binding affinity and interaction stability between Eup and its target proteins. Western blot was used to detect the effects of Eup on the expression levels of EZH2/H3K27me3 pathway-related proteins and proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins， including PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA. ResultsIn the subcutaneous xenograft model， compared with the model group， Eup treatment dose-dependently inhibited the growth of H1299 xenograft tumors， and the tumor inhibition rate was significantly increased （P<0.05）. IHC-P results showed that， compared with the model group， high-dose Eup significantly reduced the expression levels of PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA in vivo （P<0.05）. In vitro， compared with the control group， Eup inhibited the proliferation， invasion， and metastasis of NSCLC cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcriptomic analysis further showed that， compared with the control group， Eup significantly downregulated EZH2 expression， and its functional effects were associated with inhibition of tumor metastasis. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that Eup exhibited strong binding affinity with EZH2 and stable interactions. Western blot results demonstrated that， compared with the model group， Eup significantly inhibited， in a dose-dependent manner， the expression levels of EZH2， H3K27me3， and proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins （PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA） in both in vivo and in vitro experiments （P<0.05）. In vitro， compared with the control group， overexpression of EZH2 via plasmid transfection partially reversed the inhibitory effects of Eup on the expression of key proteins involved in proliferation and invasion/metastasis in H1299 cells. ConclusionEup effectively inhibits the proliferation， migration， and invasion of H1299 cells both in vivo and in vitro. The underlying mechanism may be related to inhibition of the EZH2/H3K27me3 signaling pathway and downregulation of proliferation- and invasion/metastasis-related proteins， including PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， and VEGFA. Eup may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for suppressing proliferation and invasion/metastasis in NSCLC.

Lung cancer， particularly non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）， is the malignant tumor with the highest incidence and mortality in China and worldwide. In 2022， the global number of deaths reached 1.8 million， accounting for 18.7% of all cancer-related deaths， seriously threatening human health and life， and posing a severe challenge for prevention and treatment. Although treatment strategies for lung cancer have been continuously enriched in recent years， and progress has been made in targeted therapy and immunotherapy， long-term survival benefits remain limited due to primary or acquired drug resistance， low immune responsiveness， and chemotherapy-related toxicities. Therefore， there is an urgent need to explore safe and effective adjunctive therapeutic strategies. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its advantages of holistic regulation and individualized syndrome differentiation， has played an increasingly prominent role in comprehensive cancer treatment. TCM holds that "Yang deficiency leads to accumulation" is a key pathogenesis of tumors. Based on the theory that "Yang transforms Qi， while Yin forms substance"， deficiency of Yang Qi results in impaired warming and transformation functions， leading to internal accumulation of Yin-cold. This is closely related to dysregulation of the immune microenvironment， "cold tumor" characteristics， and dysfunction of the neuroendocrine system in modern medicine. Accordingly， the therapeutic strategy of "warming Yang， supporting healthy Qi， and combating cancer" has gained increasing attention. In recent years， commonly used Yang-warming Chinese herbs， including Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata， Zingiberis Rhizoma， Cinnamomi Cortex， Epimedii Folium， and Psoraleae Fructus， as well as their active constituents， have achieved notable progress in anti-lung cancer research by regulating multiple signaling pathways， inducing apoptosis， inhibiting metastasis， and reversing drug resistance. In addition， Yang-warming formulae such as Sini Tang and Yanghe Tang have shown promising effects in alleviating myelosuppression， improving cancer-related fatigue， managing malignant pleural effusion， and relieving cancer pain. These therapies exhibit toxicity-reducing and efficacy-enhancing effects， significantly improving patients' quality of life and survival benefits. To systematically summarize the roles and mechanisms of Yang-warming Chinese herbal medicines and compound formulae in lung cancer， this paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advances， aiming to offer insights for the clinical practice of TCM in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.