{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,23]],"date-time":"2026-04-23T06:35:56Z","timestamp":1776926156479,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,23]],"date-time":"2026-04-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776902400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100017691","name":"Guangxi Key Research and Development Program","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100017691","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pharmacol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Shandougen (SDG), the dried root and rhizome of\n                      <jats:italic>Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep.<\/jats:italic>\n                      , has been historically documented in Ben Cao Qiu Zhen for its properties of \u201cclearing heat, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and relieving throat disorders.\u201d It is highly valued as a primary herb for relieving throat swelling and abscesses. SDG-based formulas, such as \u201cBi Yan Ling Tablets\u201d and the \u201cBi\u2019ai Formula,\u201d have shown definite efficacy against heat-toxin accumulation type nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Despite this, the specific active monomer in SDG inhibiting NPC remains unclear, warranting further investigation.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aimed to identify the bioactive monomers underlying SDG\u2019s anti-NPC efficacy and elucidate their molecular mechanisms.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Guided by HPLC fingerprinting, targeted isolation and purification of components from the active fraction were performed. 13 compounds were screened for activity, with benzofuran compound 2-(2\u2032,4\u2032-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,6-methylenedioxybenzofuran (ABF) showing the most potent\n                      <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic>\n                      effects. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to evaluate the binding affinity and stability of ABF with the target protein. The anti-proliferative mechanisms of ABF were investigated in cells, and its anti-tumor capacity was evaluated using a nude mouse xenograft model.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      ABF exhibited stronger anti-proliferative activity against CNE1 and CNE2 cells compared to SDG extract, with a 10-fold lower 48-h IC\n                      <jats:sub>50<\/jats:sub>\n                      value. ABF inhibits the invasion and metastasis of NPC cells, which is associated with S-phase cell cycle arrest and the downregulation of cyclin E1 and CDK2 proteins. Apoptosis induction by ABF was associated with increased caspase family proteins and lowered the Bcl-2\/Bax ratio. PCR and Western blot analyses confirmed that ABF is involved in the downregulation of the PI3K\/AKT\/mTOR pathway, inhibiting NPC cell growth. Additionally, in a nude mouse xenograft model, ABF treatment at high doses achieved tumor inhibition rates of 46.59% and 45.71%, respectively,and the expression of the tumor proliferation marker KI67 was significantly reduced.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>ABF demonstrates promising anti-NPC potential, providing scientific evidence for the traditional anti-cancer use of SDG. This molecule may serve as a natural lead compound for NPC growth inhibitors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2026.1778697","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,23]],"date-time":"2026-04-23T05:36:40Z","timestamp":1776922600000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Benzofuran compound from Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep suppresses nasopharyngeal carcinoma growth via PI3K\/AKT\/mTOR pathway: evidence from molecular dynamics simulation and in vitro experiments"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Peiying","family":"Wu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiaomei","family":"Gong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wenyu","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dandan","family":"Mo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lili","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zhijun","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chunli","family":"Ou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Meng","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiaolei","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xingyu","family":"Xiao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xianghua","family":"Xia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shuo","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Engineering Research Center of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants","place":["Nanning, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11096","DOI":"10.1039\/d3ra01383a","article-title":"Anticancer therapeutic potential of benzofuran scaffolds","volume":"13","author":"Abbas","year":"2023","journal-title":"RSC Advances"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ph16091265","article-title":"Synthesis and Biological studies of Benzo[b]furan derivatives: a review from 2011 to 2022","volume":"16","author":"Arce-Ramos","year":"2023","journal-title":"Pharm. 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