AccScience Publishing / EJMO / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/EJMO026110127
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Bugbanosides from Cimicifuga racemosa target cyclin-dependent kinase 1 degradation to trigger PANoptosis in liver cancer

Qiang Fu1 ,  Yanyuan Qiao1 ,  Rong Lu2 ,  Yiwen Ding3 ,  Xuemei Lin4 ,  Yufan Bai1 ,  Qiaolin Kang4 ,  Pingxian Song1 ,  Yong Zhang1*
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1 Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic-Thyroid-Vascular Surgery, Yuxi People’s Hospital, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
2 The Nephrology Center of Yuxi People’s Hospital, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
3 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yuxi People’s Hospital, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
4 Department of Anesthesiology, Yuxi People’s Hospital, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
EJMO, 026110127 https://doi.org/10.36922/EJMO026110127
Received: 13 March 2026 | Revised: 7 May 2026 | Accepted: 15 May 2026 | Published online: 13 July 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Introduction: Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and novel natural-product-based therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Cimicifuga racemosa is a medicinal plant, and its active components exhibit anti-cancer potential. However, the molecular targets and mechanisms of action in liver cancer remain poorly defined.

Objective: We applied network pharmacology analysis to identify key components of C. racemosa that regulate pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis (PANoptosis) in liver cancer.

Methods: Transcriptomic data analysis, molecular docking, and experimental approaches were employed to identify cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) as a potential target of C. racemosa components. The effects of C. racemosa extracts and purified compounds on CDK1 activity, cell viability, and PANoptosis induction were evaluated in liver cancer cells.

Results: Bugbanosides A, C, and F from C. racemosa were identified as potential CDK1 inhibitors through molecular docking. C. racemosa extracts and these bugbanosides dose-dependently inhibited CDK1 activity, destabilized CDK1 protein, and induced PANoptosis in HepG2 cells, as evidenced by the activation of apoptotic, pyroptotic, and necroptotic markers. Overexpression of CDK1 partially rescued the PANoptosis-inducing effects.

Conclusion: Our study identifies CDK1 as a target of bioactive components from C. racemosa and demonstrates that these components induce PANoptosis in liver cancer cells, suggesting their potential as novel anti-cancer agents for liver cancer treatment.

Keywords
Liver cancer
Cimicifuga racemosa
PANoptosis
Cyclin-dependent kinase 1
Bugbanosides
Funding
This work was supported by the Yunnan High-level Talent Cultivation Support Program (YNWR-MY-2020-058).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare there is no conflict of interest.
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Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology, Electronic ISSN: 2587-196X Print ISSN: 2587-2400, Published by AccScience Publishing
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