Exploring anti-tumor potential of food and medicine homology substances: An in-silico evaluation of Citri Grandis Exocarpium against gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly lethal solid tumor, with primary treatment modalities encompassing surgery and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the quality of life for patients is markedly diminished due to the toxicity and adverse effects of conventional pharmacological treatments. Consequently, exploring low-toxicity therapeutic alternative strategies for GBC is crucial. The concept of food and medicine homology, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, underscores the dual role of certain substances in providing nutritional benefits and therapeutic efficacy in disease management. This dual function offers promising prospects for the development of low-toxicity therapies for GBC. Citri Grandis Exocarpium (CGE, Huajuhong in Chinese), a food and medicine homology species, is promising in anti-tumor research. Investigating its potential anti-GBC effect and elucidating its underlying mechanism is crucial. This study employed network pharmacology and molecular docking to identify active compounds and potential targets involved in CGE against GBC, laying the groundwork for exploring the application of food and medicine homology substances in tumor therapy. Furthermore, the efficacy of CGE on GBC in vitro has been demonstrated through using CCK-8 and wound healing assays.