Actinidia eriantha Benth. Root as a New Phytomedicine Inhibits Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Regulating·TGF-β/FOXO/mTOR

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for over 80% of lung cancer cases and remains challenging to treat due to high recurrence and mortality rates. While cisplatin (CDDP) is a first-line chemotherapy for NSCLC, its clinical utility is limited by toxicity, drug resistance, and inadequate tumor suppression. Plant-derived extracts have shown promise as complementary therapies, offering potential benefits including enhanced efficacy and reduced treatment side effects. The aqueous extract of Actinidia eriantha Benth. root (WE-AER) exhibits significant antitumor activity, though its mechanisms in NSCLC remain unclear. This study demonstrates WE-AER’s potent anti-NSCLC effects through multiple mechanisms. In vitro, WE-AER dose-dependently inhibited A549 cell growth (74.74% inhibition, IC50 = 210.38 µg/mL) by inducing apoptosis via TGF-β/FOXO/mTOR pathway modulation. In vivo, WE-AER suppressed tumor growth and angiogenesis while activating immune responses and reducing inflammation in mouse models, with excellent biosafety. These findings elucidate WE-AER’s anticancer mechanisms and support its potential as a novel herbal therapy for NSCLC.