Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate and systematically describe the mechanism of action of Prunella vulgaris (P. vulgaris) against digestive system tumors and related toxicity reduction. METHODS: This study briefly describes the history of medicinal food and the pharmacological effects of P. vulgaris, focusing on the review of the anti-digestive tumor effects of the active ingredients of P. vulgaris and the mechanism of its toxicity reduction. RESULTS: The active ingredients of P. vulgaris may exert anti-tumor effects by inducing the apoptosis of cancer cells, inhibiting angiogenesis, inhibiting the migration and invasion of tumor cells, and inhibiting autophagy. In addition, P. vulgaris active ingredients inhibit the release of inflammatory factors and macrophages and increase the level of indicators of oxidative stress through the modulation of target genes in the pathway to achieve the effect of toxicity reduction. CONCLUSION: The active ingredients in the medicine food homology plant P. vulgaris not only treat digestive system tumors through different mechanisms but also reduce the toxic effects. P. vulgaris is worthy of being explored more deeply.