Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancers: How can OMICS and other advanced approaches help in understanding their mechanisms of action?

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About this Research Topic

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Background

Multiple factors are limiting the advances of knowledge in the action of medicinal plants for the treatment of human gastrointestinal cancers. The complex phytochemical compositions of medicinal plants hinder the identification of active anti-tumor ingredients. The tumor-host interaction, as well as tumor cell-stroma interaction play complicated roles in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, the host gut microbiota has also been shown as a crucial part of cancer progression. Powerful and systematic research approaches are necessary to understand the pharmacological actions of anti-cancer natural compounds, extracts and formulation of medicinal herbs on the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal cancers.

OMICS are a variety of disciplines in the study of biology collectively characterize and quantify global sets of molecules using high-throughput techniques, in combination with the advanced system biology tools for biostatistical and bioinformatic analysis. Common OMICS studies in the study of medicinal plant interactions include genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and microbiomics. The OMICs approaches have been used as powerful and useful tools in unravelling the complex interaction networks and identifying the key target molecules in the study of medicinal herbs. There has been great progress recently to the understanding of anticancer pharmacological actions of medicinal plants using OMICS studies with the aid of bioinformatics.

In this Research Topic, we aim to collect contributions that combine OMICS technology and advanced bioinformatics approaches to identify and study scientific evidence related to anticancer medicinal plants in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, gallbladder cancer, anal cancer and gastrointestinal carcinoid cancer. All kinds of herbal medicines, not limiting to traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Jamu traditional medicine, traditional African medicine, or American herbal medicine, are relevant and open to contribute. Original research, reviews and clinical trials on the usage of medicinal herbs on the treatment, prevention of the disease, as well as adjuvant therapies are welcome.

Some subtopics recommended include but are not limited to:
1. Global and systemic identification of key target molecules in the action of anticancer medicinal plants
2. Understanding of the pharmacological effects of medicinal plants on the tumor microenvironment;
3. Analysis of the host-intestinal flora interaction in the anti-cancer effect of medicinal plants;
4. Understand the role of medicinal plants in the harmonizing host-tumor interaction;
5. Use of bioinformatics to develop personalized anti-cancer herbal treatment;

Important notes:

Please note that in the case of alleged anti-cancer / cytotoxic agents, for in vivo studies the design and dose level must be realistic and should not exceed the levels as outlined in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.112230.

Please be also noted that network pharmacology study without appropriate experimental validation will not be considered for publication in this Research Topic.

One can find more information about the Article Types guidelines in the Ethnopharmacology section here).

All the manuscripts submitted to this project will be peer-reviewed and need to fully comply with the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version here).

Keywords: medicinal plants, OMICs, gastrointestinal cancers, bioinformatics, anticancer action

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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