Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs

Potential mechanisms of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis in modulating α-synuclein pathological cascade associated with non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(19): 7886-7898.

Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) involve multidimensional manifestations such as hyposmia, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, mood disorder, cognitive impairment and autonomic nerve dysfunction, which can occur in the prodromal and progressive stages of the disease. Its occurrence and development are closely related to abnormal folding, aggregation, clearance disorder of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) and prion-like transmission. Ciwujia (Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis)has the effects of invigorating qi and spleen, tonifying kidney and tranquilizing mind. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that its multi-components, multi-targets and multi-pathways regulation characteristics are highly compatible with the complexity of the pathological cascade of α-syn. Focusing on the pathological cascade of α-syn, by systematically combing the physiological conformation dynamics of α-syn, the basis of pathological transformation, the driving factors of aggregation, the imbalance of cell homeostasis and the mechanism of central nervous circuit damage, the potential role of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulisin indirectly affecting the abnormal accumulation of α-syn and the pathological process related to non-motor symptoms by improving α-syn pathological related microenvironment such as oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, protein clearance disorder, neurotransmitter imbalance and brain-gut axis abnormality was further analyzed, which provided a new research idea for the comprehensive intervention of non-motor symptoms of PD.

Research progress on phase-state characteristics and pharmacodynamic material basis of traditional Chinese medicine decoctions from perspective of supramolecular “imprinting template” theory

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(19): 7899-7912.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) decoctions are not single true-solution systems, but complex heterogeneous and multiphase dispersed systems formed through the self-assembly of multiple constituents via non-covalent interactions. The supramolecular “imprinting template” theory of TCM provides an analytical perspective for interpreting multi-component recognition, non-covalent assembly, phase-state formation, and the material forms underlying pharmacological activity in decoctions. From this theoretical perspective, this review summarizes the formation mechanisms, physicochemical characterization, component distribution patterns, and pharmacological relevance of different phase states in TCM decoctions, including true solution, colloidal, suspension, and precipitate phases. Different phase states show marked physical differences in particle size, potential, and microscopic morphology, and chemical constituents exhibit phase-preferential distribution. Key active constituents such as alkaloids and flavonoids are often selectively enriched in colloidal or precipitate phases. These specific supramolecular phase-state structures may represent important material forms mediating pharmacological effects and are closely related to drug dissolution, stability, in vivo transport, and bioavailability. Among them, colloidal phases often show potential passive targeting characteristics and solubilization effects, whereas suspension and precipitate phases may play important roles in toxicity attenuation and sustained release through physical encapsulation, providing a phase-state-based explanation for understanding the compatibility of TCM formulas. In addition, this review further summarizes the main research strategies, including decoction kinetic evolution, phase separation based on particle size differences, physicochemical characterization and pharmacological evaluation of different phase states, and reverse assembly and mechanism verification based on characteristic constituents. The key challenges in applying phase-state characteristics to TCM quality evaluation are also discussed. Future studies may be deepened in terms of in situ characterization, in vivo transformation processes, quantitative analysis of phase-state fingerprints, and quality evaluation, providing references for elucidating the pharmacodynamic material basis of TCM decoctions and promoting the modern formulation transformation of classical prescriptions.

Research progress on effects of rhizosphere microorganisms on quality of medicinal plants

HE Jiaqi, LIU Xianxuxin, FU Jinjin, MA Suiyang, ZHENG Pinkang, LIU Shaonan, ZHANG Yating, LYU Junjie, WANG Zhiyong, YANG Xiujuan, LI Shuo, DUAN Guojian

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(19): 7913-7921.

As a core ecological factor in the root zone of plants, rhizosphere microorganisms’ community structure and functional diversity directly affect medicinal plants’ nutrient utilization, stress response, and secondary metabolite synthesis. Systematically elucidating the mechanisms by which rhizosphere microorganisms regulate medicinal plant quality is of great significance for developing ecological cultivation techniques based on microecological regulation and stabilizing the genuine characteristics of medicinal herbs. This paper systematically reviews the core mechanisms by which rhizosphere microorganisms influence medicinal plant quality through improving nutrient absorption, regulating endogenous hormone balance, inducing systemic resistance (ISR), and directly participating in the synthesis of active compounds. It also summarizes application strategies such as rhizosphere microecological regulation mediated by root exudates, microbial inoculant improvement, and construction of synthetic microbial communities, while analyzing practical bottlenecks such as unstable field colonization of functional microbial inoculants and competition with native microorganisms, aiming to provide a theoretical reference for the rhizosphere microecology of medicinal plants and the green production of authentic medicinal herbs.

Research progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Olibanum

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(19): 7922-7928.

Ruxiang (Olibanum) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal material with a long history of clinical application, and it is known for its effects of promoting blood circulation, relieving pain, reducing swelling, and promoting tissue regeneration. To date, more than 400 compounds have been isolated and identified from Olibanum, among which diterpenoids and triterpenoids are considered the major bioactive constituents. Olibanum and its active components exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and antitumor effects. The underlying mechanisms involve multiple pathways, such as the inhibition of inflammatory mediator release and the regulation of oxidative stress. This review summarizes the recent advances in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Olibanum, aiming to provide a reference for its further development and utilization, as well as for related basic and clinical research.

Research progress on traditional Chinese medicine in prevention and treatment of organ fibrosis

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(18): 7073-7085.

Organ fibrosis is an important pathological basis for the progression of many chronic diseases to the end stage. Its development is closely associated with chronic injury, inflammatory and immune responses, fibroblast activation, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and tissue structural remodeling. Current antifibrotic therapies have limited efficacy, and advanced fibrosis remains difficult to reverse. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by multiple components and multiple targets, has been investigated as a potential approach for the prevention and treatment of organ fibrosis. This review summarizes recent progress in the use of TCM for organ fibrosis, including the pathological basis of fibrosis and TCM concepts of “root deficiency with branch excess” and “chronic illness entering the collaterals.” Particular attention is given to mechanisms involving transforming growth factor-β/Smad, nuclear factor-κB, and nuclear factor E2 related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling and to processes including inflammation, oxidative stress, ECM metabolism, cell phenotypic transition, autophagy, ferroptosis, cellular senescence, and metabolic reprogramming. The current research on representative TCM formulas, proprietary Chinese medicines, and active compounds for liver, pulmonary, renal, and myocardial fibrosis is also reviewed. Current studies on TCM antifibrosis still have limitations such as insufficiently clarified mechanisms of action, unclear pharmacodynamic material basis, and inadequate evidence of long-term efficacy and safety. Future studies should identify the major active components and molecular targets of TCM by integrating multi-omics, single-cell sequencing and other technologies, and evaluate long-term efficacy and safety in well-designed clinical trials, so as to provide evidence for the clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of organ fibrosis.

Research progress on traditional Chinese medicine against liver fibrosis

ZHOU Xuan, ZHAO Wenduo, WANG Zuchi, QI Shuang, LI Xiao

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(18): 7086-7096.

Liver fibrosis is a chronic wound-healing response of the liver, essentially characterized by diffuse excessive deposition and abnormal distribution of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Although etiological therapy can slow fibrosis progression, drug development directly targeting the fibrotic process still faces substantial challenges, and clinical options remain extremely limited. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted extensive attention in the field of liver fibrosis research due to its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway properties. However, current studies are still predominantly based on preclinical experiments, and systematic integration of mechanisms and sorting of clinical evidence are still inadequate. This review outlines the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, with emphasis on the polarization of Kupffer cells, the capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, the activation of hepatic stellate cells, and ECM metabolic imbalance. Antifibrotic effects of active components from herbs are summarized by chemical categories. Furthermore, the interactive network of signaling pathways is integrated from three hierarchical levels—the “inflammation initiation, metabolic regulation, and fibrotic progression”—to explore the systemic mechanisms underlying synergistic modulation by multiple components of TCM. Finally, the limitations of current research are identified, and future directions driven by cutting-edge technologies, including multi-omics integration, single-cell sequencing, artificial intelligence-based screening, and etiology-stratified precision therapy, are discussed. This review provides insights into mechanism interpretation and clinical translation of TCM against liver fibrosis.

Research progress on traditional Chinese medicine on anti-pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting cell senescence

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(18): 7097-7109.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is the terminal manifestation of various interstitial lung diseases. It is pathologically characterized by progressive destruction of alveolar structure and functional alveolar units, as well as persistent fibrosis of lung tissue. The prognosis is extremely poor, seriously affecting the quality of life of patients. In the pathological process of PF, there are typical “senescence-associated features” such as telomere shortening, resistance to apoptosis, and senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Cellular senescence, as one of the pathogenic mechanisms, plays an important role in the occurrence and development of PF. Studies have shown that the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), single medicinal herbs and compound preparations of TCM can achieve the therapeutic effect of delaying the progression of PF by directly or indirectly inhibiting cellular senescence. Therefore, this article elaborates on the connection between cellular senescence and PF, summarizes the current research status of TCM in treating PF by inhibiting cellular senescence in recent years, and provides a reference for the clinical treatment of PF.

Advances on effects of terpenoids against hepatic fibrosis and their mechanisms

YANG Jianzhan, WU Fan, SHEN Dongning, FU Ting, LIU Bo, XU Fangfang

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(18): 7110-7123.

Hepatic fibrosis is the pathological consequence of abnormal extracellular matrix deposition in the liver during the self-repair process following chronic injury. Persistent hepatic fibrosis can progress to malignant conditions such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently, no specific therapeutic drugs exist for hepatic fibrosis, therefore, early prevention and intervention are of great significance for delaying disease progression and reducing the incidence of severe liver diseases. In recent years, terpenoids have emerged as a research hotspot due to their significant multi-target and multi-pathway anti-hepatic fibrosis effects. Their mechanisms are associated with anti-inflammation, antioxidative stress, anti-apoptosis, and the regulation of extracellular matrix deposition and degradation. This article systematically reviews natural terpenoids with anti-hepatic fibrosis activity reported in domestic and international literature in recent years, and summarizes their chemical structures and molecular mechanisms, providing a theoretical basis and research perspectives for the research and development of innovative anti-hepatic fibrosis drugs derived from terpenoids.

Effect and mechanism of senkyunolide A against liver fibrosis via inducing hepatic stellate cell senescence using integrated network pharmacology

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(18): 7124-7137.

Objective To explore the mechanisms by which by which senkyunolide A (SenA) ameliorated liver fibrosis via inducing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) senescence in vitro and in vivo. Methods SenA targets and liver fibrosis related targets were obtained using the SwissTargetPrediction database and GeneCards database. The intersection targets were used for gene ontology (GO) function and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Metascape was used to analyze protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, core targets were screened and confirmed, functional enrichment analysis on core targets was performed, and molecular docking with SenA was performed. A mouse model of liver fibrosis was established using common bile duct ligation. Human hepatic stellate LX-2 cells and rat hepatic stellate HSC-T6 cells were induced using transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), respectively. After SenA intervention, senescence indicators were characterized by senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining, EdU staining, qRT-PCR, etc. Results The results of network pharmacology revealed that SenA and liver fibrosis shared 39 common targets, the common target genes were enriched in cellular senescence pathways. A total of 19 genes obtained based on PPI network may be the core targets of SenA on regulation of liver fibrosis progression, and it was found that core targets related to cellular aging are highly expressed in HSCs. Combining molecular docking experiments, it was found that SenA had the strongest binding ability to Aurora kinase A (AURKA), suggesting that AURKA may be a key molecular target for SenA in HSCs. The results of in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that SenA significantly induced HSCs senescence (P < 0.05, 0.01, 0.001), significantly downregulated the expressions of proliferation related genes Cyclin D1 (CCND1) and cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) (P < 0.05, 0.01), and upregulated the expressions of senescence related genes p21, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (P < 0.05, 0.01), thereby significantly inhibiting HSC activation and collagen deposition (P < 0.05, 0.01, 0.001). Conclusion SenA induces HSC senescence to inhibit HSC activation, thereby improving liver fibrosis.

Mechanism of Sedum sarmentosum extracts in improvement of liver fibrosis mediated by AMPK/SIRT1/LXRs signaling pathway

WU Yunuo, WANG Chenyu, CUI Zhenyu, LIAN Lihua, NAN Jixing, WU Yanling

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(18): 7138-7149.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Sedum sarmentosum extract in improving liver fibrosis based on adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/liver X receptors (LXRs) signaling pathway. Methods A rat model of liver fibrosis was established using ip dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), and after intervention with S. sarmentosum extract or Fuzheng Huayu Capsules (扶正化瘀胶囊) for five weeks, serum and liver tissue were collected. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were determined. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson staining were used to detect pathological changes in liver tissue. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and qRT-PCR were used to detect fibrosis, apoptosis, inflammation, AMPK/SIRT1/LXRs signaling pathway related proteins and gene expressions in liver tissue. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) was used to stimulate hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) for 2 h, followed by treatment with S. sarmentosum extract or AMPK agonist AICAR or LXRβ agonist GW3965 for 6 h. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were used to detect the expressions of fibrosis and AMPK-SIRT1-LXRs signaling pathway related proteins. After transfecting LX-2 cells with AMPK or LXRβ siRNA, TGF-β stimulation was given for 2 h, followed by treatment with S. sarmentosum extract for 6 h. Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of AMPK/SIRT1/LXRs signaling pathway related proteins. Results The results of in vivo experiments showed that S. sarmentosum extract significantly reduced the activities of ALT and AST in serum of rats induced by DMN (P < 0.001), improved pathological changes and extracellular matrix deposition in liver tissue, inhibited cell apoptosis and inflammatory factor expressions in liver tissue (P < 0.001), and upregulated the expressions of AMPK/SIRT1/LXRs signaling pathway related proteins (P < 0.05, 0.01, 0.001). The in vitro experimental results showed that S. sarmentosum extract significantly inhibited the expressions of extracellular matrix related proteins in activated HSCs (P < 0.001), and upregulated the expressions of AMPK-SIRT1-LXRs signaling pathway related proteins (P < 0.001), with similar effects as AMPK agonists or LXRβ agonists. In addition, the absence of AMPK or LXRβ significantly weakened the inhibition of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in activated LX-2 cells and the activation of AMPK/SIRT1/LXRs signaling pathway by S. sarmentosum extract (P < 0.001). Conclusion S. sarmentosum extract effectively improves the progression of liver fibrosis by mediating AMPK/SIRT1/LXRs signaling pathway, to regulate extracellular matrix homeostasis and inflammatory responses.