Phytochemicals as estrogen receptor modulators?-a commentary of a network pharmacology study of two commonly employed Chinese herbal medicines in non-small cell lung cancer treatment

Abstract

The proposed model for mechanisms of action involved in C. reticulata and P. ternata -induced NSCLC growth inhibition would be the modulation of the nuclear receptor (ESR1)—Co-repressor (NCOA3) complex in control of cell cycle via c-Fos transcription factor. Diverse phytochemicals showed their modulatory effects in all these molecular events as the downregulation of c-Fos signaling by flavonoids from the peels of Citrus unshiu (Vu 2021), the modulatory effects of the phytochemicals of Punica granatum against estrogen receptors (Usha 2021), or even their impact on the production of inflammatory mediators AP-1 and MAPKs among others (Prasad 2022), suggesting that phytochemicals are natural reserves of novel drugs for cancer therapy. As concluding remarks, the antiproliferative effect of phytocompounds from medicinal plants through the modulation of estrogen receptors, specifically in lung cells, is a promising mechanism of action that could provide scientific information to find new therapeutic targets.