Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38969093›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced research2025

Ginsenoside Rh4 inhibits colorectal cancer via the modulation of gut microbiota-mediated bile acid metabolism.

Xue Bai, Zhiguang Duan, Jianjun Deng, Zhuo Zhang, Rongzhan Fu, Chenhui Zhu, Daidi Fan

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

40 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  9. Ginsenosides fromJournal of ginseng research · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Xue BaiEngineering Research Center of Western Resource Innovation Medicine Green Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China; Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China.
Zhiguang DuanEngineering Research Center of Western Resource Innovation Medicine Green Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China; Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China.
Jianjun DengEngineering Research Center of Western Resource Innovation Medicine Green Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China; Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China.
Zhuo ZhangPlastic and Cosmetic Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710061, China.
Rongzhan FuEngineering Research Center of Western Resource Innovation Medicine Green Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China; Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China. Electronic address: rongzhanfu@nwu.edu.cn.
Chenhui ZhuEngineering Research Center of Western Resource Innovation Medicine Green Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China; Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China. Electronic address: zch2005@nwu.edu.cn.
Daidi FanEngineering Research Center of Western Resource Innovation Medicine Green Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China; Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China. Electronic address: fandaidi@nwu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDysbiosis of the gut microbiota is emerging as a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Ginsenoside Rh4 (Rh4) is an active compound isolated from ginseng with beneficial effects in modulating intestinal inflammation and gut microbiota dysbiosis, but how Rh4 regulates the gut microbiota to alleviate CRC remains underexplored.

objectivesWe investigated the impact of Rh4 on CRC and the mechanism of its action in inhibiting CRC via modulation of gut microbiota.

methodsWe used the AOM/DSS model and employed transcriptomics, genomics and metabolomics techniques to explore the inhibitory impact of Rh4 on CRC. Furthermore, we employed experiments involving antibiotic treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to investigate the role of the gut microbiota. Finally, we elucidated the pivotal role of key functional bacteria and metabolites regulated by Rh4 in CRC.

resultsOur research findings indicated that Rh4 repaired intestinal barrier damage caused by CRC, alleviated intestinal inflammation, and inhibited the development of CRC. Additionally, Rh4 inhibited CRC in a gut microbiota-dependent manner. Rh4 increased the diversity of gut microbiota, enriched the probiotic Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila), and alleviated gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by CRC. Subsequently, Rh4 regulated A. muciniphila-mediated bile acid metabolism. A. muciniphila promoted the production of UDCA by enhancing the activity of 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7α-HSDH). UDCA further activated FXR, modulated the TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway, thus inhibiting the development of CRC.

conclusionOur results confirm that Rh4 inhibits CRC in a gut microbiota-dependent manner by modulating gut microbiota-mediated bile acid metabolism and promoting the production of UDCA, which further activates the FXR receptor and regulates the TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway. Our results confirm that Rh4 has the potential to be used as a modulator of gut microbiota for preventing and treatment of CRC.

Indexed as

Bile Acids and SaltsColorectal NeoplasmsGastrointestinal MicrobiomeGinsenosidesAnimalsDysbiosisFecal Microbiota TransplantationHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLToll-Like Receptor 4Bile Acids and SaltsGinsenosidesToll-Like Receptor 4Akkermansia muciniphilaBile acidColorectal cancerGinsenosideGut microbiotaUrsodeoxycholic acid

Identifiers

PMID38969093
PMCPMC12147625

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.