Dehydrocorydaline Exerts Anti-Pancreatic Cancer Effects Through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the pharmacological effects and potential mechanisms of dehydrocorydaline, the primary active component of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang, as a potential therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer, thereby providing new insights into its treatment. Methods: The pharmacological effects were assessed through MTT assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, scratch wound assay, and transwell assay. Potential mechanisms were explored through bioinformatics analysis and Western blot. Results: Dehydrocorydaline was verified to stimulate apoptosis and inhibit the growth, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 cells. These effects may be associated with suppressed HSP90α expression, induced ERBB2 degradation, and subsequent inhibition of STAT3 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway activation, as well as altered expression of multiple downstream proteins. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that dehydrocorydaline is the main active component of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang with anti-pancreatic cancer activity. Based on protein expression-level evidence, it may exert its effects by inhibiting HSP90α expression and inducing ERBB2 degradation, thereby affecting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and STAT3 pathways, ultimately suppressing proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis in BxPC-3 cells. These findings justify further investigation of dehydrocorydaline as a potential treatment for pancreatic cancer.