Exploration of the role of Fomitopsis officinalis Ames in the treatment of gastric cancer using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro experiments

Network pharmacology and molecular docking studies have shown that the triterpenic acid components in FOA exhibit strong molecular binding affinity with the core targets CASP3 and EGFR. They also predict that FOA may exert anti-gastric cancer effects by regulating pathways such as neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and cancer-related pathways. Additionally, a method for extracting and purifying FOA triterpenic acids was successfully established, with its methodological validation meeting the required standards; chromatographic peaks of triterpenic acid indicator components were observed at the corresponding retention times (4.37 min, 16.71 min). <i>In vitro</i> experiments demonstrated that Fomitopsis officinalis polysaccharides and triterpenic acids could significantly inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer cells. The IC50 after 24 h and 48 h of treatment were 41.26 μg/mL and 16.21 μg/mL, respectively. These components arrested the gastric cancer cell cycle at the G1, inhibited cell migration and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis by activating CASP3. All these findings further highlight the potential application value of FOA in gastric cancer treatment.