Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs

Advances in traditional Chinese and Western medicine for chronic fatigue syndrome: Theoretical origins, modern mechanisms, and clinical intervention strategies

LI Jixin, WANG Wenru, QIU Linjie, REN Yan, LI Meijie, ZOU Chacha, WU Zijing, WANG Peili, ZHANG Jin

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1909-1923.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by persistent fatigue as its core symptom, often accompanied by cognitive impairment, pain, sleep disturbances, and emotional abnormalities. Its pathophysiology involves the interplay of multiple factors including genetics, infection, dysbiosis, immune-inflammatory dysregulation, oxidative stress, and metabolic abnormalities. Clinically, the lack of specific diagnostic markers and effective treatment options have made CFS a significant public health challenge. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) classifies it under the categories of “consumptive disease” and “deficiency syndrome”. The core pathogenesis is attributed to dual deficiency of the spleen and kidney, leading to impaired qi transformation. Spleen deficiency results in inadequate transportation and transformation, causing deficiency of qi and blood, which in turn fails to nourish the limbs, leading to fatigue. Kidney deficiency manifests as depletion of essence and marrow, resulting in exhaustion of primordial energy, causing mental fatigue and weakness of tendons and bones. Mutual impairment of spleen and kidney disrupts qi transformation, causing internal retention of water and dampness, which further exacerbates deficiency. Throughout history, TCM case studies addressing CFS are not uncommon. Its holistic perspective and syndrome differentiation approach align with CFS’s complex, multi-targeted, and multi-pathway pathology. This study therefore systematically reviews the etiology and pathogenesis of CFS from both TCM and Western medical perspectives, summarizing the applications of both traditional and modern medicine in CFS treatment to provide insights for clinical management and academic research.

Multitargeted antioxidant mechanisms of puerarin and its disease intervention strategies

LI Hanxue, REN Qiuyue, ZHANG Jiamin, ZHANG Jinyu, JI Xijun, FENG Zhihai

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1924-1937.

Oxidative stress is a central pathological process driving the onset and progression of multiple chronic diseases, characterized by excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species and imbalance of endogenous antioxidant defenses. Puerarin, a natural isoflavone glycoside extracted from Gegen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), exhibits potent multi-target antioxidant activities. Accumulating evidence indicates that puerarin alleviates oxidative stress and cell death processes such as ferroptosis, pyroptosis and apoptosis by directly scavenging free radicals, activating endogenous antioxidant systems, inhibiting pro-oxidant enzymes, modulating key signaling pathways such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and protein kinase B (Akt), and improving the functional homeostasis of cellular organelles including mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes. This review systematically summarizes the multi-target antioxidant mechanisms of puerarin, its current clinical applications, pharmacokinetic limitations, and recent advances in novel drug delivery systems, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the development of puerarin as a precision-targeted therapeutic agent for oxidative stress-related diseases.

Research progress on application of fermentation technology in Eucommiae Folium, a traditional Chinese medicine with both medicinal and edible properties

CHANG Xudong, XIE Xingwen, LI Ning, CHEN Xin, HOU Junhu, SHI Xiaofeng, SONG Peng

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1938-1946.

Duzhongye (Eucommiae Folium), as a medicinal herb with dual food and medicinal properties, exerts functions such as nourishing the liver and kidneys, strengthening tendons and bones, alleviating aches and pains, and enhancing mental focus and vital energy. Modern fermentation technology, integrated with microbiology and modern biotechnology, enables precise regulation of the fermentation process to efficiently produce fermentation products. In recent years, modern fermentation technology has been extensively applied in Chinese medicine. Fermentation can enhance or modify the therapeutic effects of herbal medicines, reduce toxicity, and broaden their clinical applications. Based on the current research status of Eucommiae Folium fermentation, this paper reviews fermentation methods, microbial strain selection, fermentation processes, and pharmacological effects. It aims to provide a reference for further in-depth research and development of Eucommiae Folium fermentation.

Research progress on chemical components and pharmacological effects of Poria cocos

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1947-1957.

Fuling (Poria cocos) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with a sweet, bland taste and neutral nature, which is attributed to the heart, lung, spleen, and kidney meridians. It exerts the effects of inducing diuresis to eliminate dampness, invigorating the spleen and tranquilizing the mind, and is mainly indicated for the treatment of symptoms and diseases including edema with oliguria, phlegm retention accompanied by vertigo and palpitations, poor appetite caused by spleen deficiency, loose stools and diarrhea, mental restlessness, and palpitations with insomnia. Studies have shown that the active components of P. cocos mainly include polysaccharides, triterpenes, sterols, and so on. It exhibits various pharmacological activities, such as diuretic, immunomodulatory, antitumor, lipid-regulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other effects. By systematically searching relevant literature at home and abroad, this study comprehensively reviews the chemical components and pharmacological effects of P. cocos, and further explores its potential mechanisms of action, aiming to provide new ideas and scientific basis for the modern research and clinical development of P. cocos.

Advances in material basis and quality control of Shuanghuanglian Powder Injection

XU Qinghua, WEI Sihan, NING Xia, HUO Jinhai, WANG Weiming

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1958-1970.

Shuanghuanglian Powder Injection (SHLPI) is an innovative traditional Chinese medicine powder injection derived from Shuanghuanglian Injection (SHLI). It addresses the limitations of the conventional dosage form, such as poor stability and easy degradation of active ingredients, and has been widely used in the clinical treatment of respiratory system infections and viral diseases. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports on its adverse reactions, including allergic reactions, raising widespread concerns regarding its quality controllability and medication safety. Focusing on elucidating the material basis and establishing a quality control system for SHLPI, this study retrieves and integrates relevant data to summarize the research advances in its chemical components, pharmacological mechanisms, and the application of quality control technologies. It also identifies current challenges such as unclear pharmacodynamic mechanisms of certain components and inadequate coverage of quality control standards. This work aims to provide insights for improving the quality stability and medication safety of SHLPI, as well as scientific references for the upgrading of quality standards and secondary development.

Advances in molecular regulation and cultivation strategies of ginsenoside biosynthesis in Panax ginseng adventitious roots

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1971-1981.

Panax ginseng is a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal herb with both therapeutic and nutritional properties, and ginsenosides are its principal active components. Due to the limited availability of wild resources, increasing market demand, and constraints of conventional cultivation methods, the development of an efficient and controllable in vitro culture system has become a major research focus. Based on recent multi-omics studies, this review summarizes the biosynthetic pathways of ginsenosides and the regulatory mechanisms of their key enzyme genes. It systematically discusses the advantages of adventitious root culture and its potential applications in the production of secondary metabolites, with particular emphasis on the effects of medium optimization, elicitor strategies, and environmental factors on ginsenoside production. Future studies should aim to uncover the post-modification steps in ginsenoside biosynthesis, integrate multi-omics data to construct dynamic metabolic models, and refine eco-friendly elicitation strategies to facilitate the industrial-scale application of adventitious root culture technology in P. ginseng production.

Solid dispersion-based traditional Chinese medicine droplet pills: Pharmaceutical properties, process mechanisms, and smart manufacturing development

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1982-1994.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dripping pills represent a modern dosage form founded on solid dispersion systems. Characterized by rapid dissolution, enhanced bioavailability, precise dosing, and convenient administration, they exhibit considerable potential in improving the release and absorption of multi-component TCM formulations. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the pharmaceutic characteristics of dripping pills, processing mechanisms, and recent advances in their intelligent manufacturingand and clinical applications. Particular attention is given to the physical states, as well as to the formulation characteristics underlying their rapid-release and solubilization behaviors that enhance oral absorption efficiency. Furthermore, by integrating intelligent manufacturing technology , this article discusses the engineering challenges and developmental strategies associated with process optimization and quality control. Overall, this review aims to offer theoretical insights and technical references for the systematic investigation, industrial upgrading, and clinical translation of TCM dripping pills.

Tensor technology promotes the modernization of quality standards of Chinese medicine

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(5): 1995-2008.

The controllability and scientific rigor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) quality standards are fundamental to ensuring their clinical efficacy. The core limitation of current TCM quality standards lies in the inherent conflict between holistic and reductionist approaches, which hinders their international recognition under reductionist frameworks and significantly impedes TCM’s globalization. As a mathematical tool for processing complex high-dimensional data, tensor theory demonstrates exceptional computational efficiency when applied in artificial intelligence (AI) and big data technologies, thereby accelerating the development of sophisticated AI models and applications. Furthermore, tensor-based theoretical and algorithmic research in high-dimensional data modeling provides essential mathematical tools for practical problem-solving. By applying the second-order tensor correction method and the third-order tensor correction method, we can accurately analyze the components of TCM, thus establishing the logical relationship between the macro-quality of TCM and the micro-components, and effectively solving the contradiction between the integrity and reducibility of TCM quality. Therefore, tensor technology is expected to provide new theoretical support and technical means for the modernization of quality standards of TCM.

Progress and application prospects of artificial intelligence promoting reshaping of research and development paradigms for classic famous prescriptions

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(4): 1209-1220.

As the core carrier of the theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), classic famous prescriptions play a vital role in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases and major diseases. However, their secondary development still faces numerous technical bottlenecks, such as limitations caused by insufficient data standardization and inadequate evidence chains in evidence-based medicine, which restrict the transformation process from clinical practice to industrialization. Artificial intelligence (AI) has promoted the shift of traditional empirical medicine to a new research paradigm of “algorithm-model-data-scenario-application”, providing a brand-new perspective for data mining, prescription optimization, and new drug research and development of classic famous prescriptions, and empowering the modernization of TCM. This article systematically investigates how AI is reshaping the research paradigm of classic famous prescriptions, proposing an integrated framework centered on intelligent data mining, in-depth mechanism analysis, and precise efficacy evaluation. Firstly, it elaborates on the foundational basis of key technologies such as machine learning and their applicable scenarios. Secondly, from application dimensions including intelligent screening of candidate prescriptions, analysis of the material basis for efficacy, and in-depth exploration of mechanisms of action, it summarizes the research progress and application prospects of the integration of AI and classic famous prescriptions. Finally, it analyzes challenges such as data heterogeneity, lack of standards, and poor adaptability between models and TCM theories, and proposes targeted solutions, aiming to provide references for AI empowering the secondary development of classic famous prescriptions.

Chemical constituents from fruits of Phyllanthus emblica and their antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(4): 1221-1227.

Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of the fruits of Phyllanthus emblica and evaluate their antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities. Methods Compounds were isolated and purified using silica gel and reversed-phase silica gel RP-18 column chromatography, followed with semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The chemical structures were elucidated based on physicochemical properties, together with UV, NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction methods, and comparison with literature data. Antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities were assessed by DPPH free radical scavenging and α-glucosidase inhibitory assays. Results Nine compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the methanol extract of P. emblica fruits and identified as 1-(2-aminobenzofuran-3-yl)-2-(2-methoxyphenyl)ethan-1-one (1), methyl dioxindole-3-acetate (2), aurantiamide (3), phyllaemblicin G3 (4), mucic acid dimethyl ester 2-O-gallate (5), chebulic acid trimethyl ester (6), 3,4,8,9,10-pentahydroxydibenzo[b,d]pyran-6-one (7), ellagic acid (8), and methyl 1-O-benzoyl-3-α- glucuronosyl glycerol (9), respectively. The bioassay showed that compounds 5-8 exhibited significant DPPH radical scavenging capacity (scavenging rates = 86.59% − 90.75%), and 1, 7, and 8 displayed inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.44 to 33.06 μmol/L. Among them, compound 7 showed the strongest inhibition, which was superior to the positive control quercetin (IC₅₀ = 4.96 μmol/L). Conclusion Compound 1 is a new alkaloid, named emblicine A, while 2, 3, and 9 are reported from the titled plant for the first time. It is the first study to identify alkaloid with hypoglycemic activity from P. emblica, providing a scientific basis for its traditional use in glycemic control and antioxidant defense.