Investigating the mechanism of

This study focused on the mechanism of action of Macleaya cordata (Willd.) R. Br. root (MCR) against melanoma. 28 chemical components were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Network pharmacology was used to predict 147 potential intersection targets of MCR and melanoma, and these intersection targets were used to construct a PPI network. Enrichment analysis predicted that MCR exerted its anti-melanoma effect through cancer signalling pathways, AKT-PI3K signalling pathways, etc. Molecular docking verified that the active components of MCR had a strong binding to the core proteins. MCR had the effect of inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis in B16 cells. It further decreased the protein expressions of Bcl-2, p-AKT, and p-PI3K, and increased the protein expression of Bax. To sum up, these results indicate that MCR may be a potential drug for anti-melanoma therapy.