Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of total flavonoids from Valeriana jatamansi Jones (TFV) on gastric cancer cells AGS proliferation, migration and invasion and its possible mechanism. Methods In vitro cultured human gastric cancer cells AGS were randomly divided into Con group, TFV-L group, TFV-M group, TFV-H group, miR-NC group, miR-4429 group, TFV + anti-miR-NC group, and TFV + anti-miR-4429 group. The expression of miR-4429, cell proliferation, clone formation ability, cell migration and invasion were detected by qRT-PCR, CCK-8, plate colony formation assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. The expression levels of E-cadherin and N-cadherin proteins were detected by Western blotting. Results Compared with the Con group, the expression levels of E-cadherin, proliferation inhibition rate and miR-4429 expression level in the TFV-L, TFV-M, and TFV-H groups were increased (P< 0. 05), while the expression level of N-cadherin and the wound healing rate were decreased (P< 0. 05), the number of colonies formed and the number of invasive cells were decreased (P < 0. 05), all in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the miR-NC group, the cell proliferation inhibition rate and the expression level of E-cadherin in the miR-4429 group were increased (P< 0. 05), while the number of cell clones and the number of invasive cells were decreased (P< 0. 05), the wound healing rate and the expression level of N-cadherin were decreased (P < 0. 05). Compared with the TFV + anti-miR-NC group, the cell proliferation inhibition rate and the expression level of E-cadherin in the TFV + anti-miR-4429 group were decreased (P< 0. 05), while the number of colonies formed and the number of invasive cells were increased (P< 0. 05), the wound healing rate and the expression level of N-cadherin were increased (P< 0. 05). Conclusion Total flavonoids from Valeriana jatamansi Jones can inhibit gastric cancer AGS cells proliferation, migration and invasion, and its anti-tumor mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of miR-4429 expression.

Key words: gastric cancer, total flavonoids from Valeriana jatamansi Jones, miR-4429, cell proliferation, migration, invasion