Mechanism of traditional drug treatment of cancer-related ascites: through the regulation of IL-6/JAK-STAT3 pathway.

This article focuses on the investigation of JiJiaoLiHuang Pill (JJLH), a traditional Chinese medicine formulation, for the treatment of malignant ascites (MA), particularly associated with liver cancer. Clinical observations and animal experiments demonstrated that JJLH significantly reduces abdominal circumference, increases urine output, and improves patients’ quality of life. Network pharmacology and molecular docking identified five key active ingredients—quercetin, EUPATIN, kaempferol, Obtucarbamate B, and isorhamnetin—and five key target genes—SRC, HSP90AA1, MAPK1, STAT3, and PIK3CA—suggesting that JJLH exerts its effects by inhibiting the IL-6/JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway and related inflammatory factors, including aquaporin-3 (AQP-3). While preliminary findings support JJLH’s potential to inhibit malignant ascites formation and improve prognosis, the study notes the need for further randomized clinical trials and mechanistic research to confirm these results.