Recent advances in bioaffinity strategies for preclinical and clinical drug discovery: Screening natural products, small molecules and antibodies.

Bioaffinity drug screening strategies have gained popularity in preclinical and clinical drug discovery for natural products, small molecules and antibodies owing to their superior selectivity, the large number of compounds to be screened and their ability to minimize the time and expenses of the drug discovery process. This paper provides a systematic summary of the principles of commonly used bioaffinity-based screening methods, elaborates on the success of bioaffinity in clinical drug development and summarizes the active compounds, preclinical drugs and marketed drugs obtained through affinity screening methods. Owing to the high demand for new drugs, bioaffinity-guided screening techniques will play a greater part in clinical drug development.

MYC Oncogene: A Druggable Target for Treating Cancers with Natural Products.

Various diseases, including cancers, age-associated disorders, and acute liver failure, have been linked to the oncogene, MYC. Animal testing and clinical trials have shown that sustained tumor volume reduction can be achieved when MYC is inactivated, and different combinations of therapeutic agents including MYC inhibitors are currently being developed. In this review, we first provide a summary of the multiple biological functions of the MYC oncoprotein in cancer treatment, highlighting that the equilibrium points of the MYC/MAX, MIZ1/MYC/MAX, and MAD (MNT)/MAX complexes have further potential in cancer treatment that could be used to restrain MYC oncogene expression and its functions in tumorigenesis. We also discuss the multifunctional capacity of MYC in various cellular cancer processes, including its influences on immune response, metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis, multidrug resistance, and intestinal flora. Moreover, we summarize the MYC therapy patent landscape and emphasize the potential of MYC as a druggable target, using herbal medicine modulators. Finally, we describe pending challenges and future perspectives in biomedical research, involving the development of therapeutic approaches to modulate MYC or its targeted genes. Patients with cancers driven by MYC signaling may benefit from therapies targeting these pathways, which could delay cancerous growth and recover antitumor immune responses.

A comprehensive quality evaluation for Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu decoction by integrating UPLC-DAD/MS chemical profile and pharmacodynamics combined with chemometric analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD), a classical Chinese formula originally recorded in Jin Kui Yao Lue, was used for the treatment of human "blood impediment" (a type of "Bi" syndrome). In clinical practice, HGWD has been applied to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). AIM OF THE STUDY: The characterization of chemical markers reflecting both efficacy and chemical characteristics is of great significance for TCM quality control. With the anti-RA effects of HGWD as an example, the aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive strategy combining the overall chemical profile and biological activity data to identify chemical markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (UPLC-DAD) fingerprint was established and validated to evaluate the holistic quality of HGWD of different origins. Characteristic markers associated with HGWD from different geographical origins were screened by a combination of UPLC-DAD fingerprint and chemometrics methods. Second, the chemical profiles of the 15 batches of HGWD samples were characterized by UPLC coupled tohybrid linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS). The in vitro anti-RA activities of the 15 HGWD samples were then evaluated. Third, spectrum-effect relationship analysis was performed to identify bioactive compounds that could potentially be used as quality markers. Finally, a UPLC-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry approach was optimized and established for quantitative analysis of the characteristic and quality markers in 15 batches of HGWD. RESULTS: In total, 30 common peaks were assigned in the UPLC-DAD fingerprint. Nine peaks were recognized and considered characteristic markers: protocatechuic acid, coumarin, cinnamic acid, oxypaeoniflorin, paeoniflorin, calycosin, formononetin, catechin, and albiflorin. Furthermore, ninety-five common compounds were identified in the UPLC-HRMS chemical profile. The pharmacological analysis indicated that the anti-RA activities of the 15 HGWD samples were vastly different. The spectrum-effect relationship analysis revealed 30 potential bioactive constituents positively correlated with anti-RA activity. Among them, five compounds with relative amounts >1%, paeoniflorin, astragaloside IV, hexahydrocurcumin, formononetin and calycosin-7-glucoside, were selected as quality markers, and their activity was verified in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Finally, the above 12 representative components were simultaneously quantified in the 15 batches of HGWD samples. CONCLUSION: Combining a holistic chemical profile with representative component evaluation, this systematic strategy could be a reliable and effective method to improve quality evaluations of HGWD.

From mundane to classic: Sinomenine as a multi-therapeutic agent.

Sinomenine is an active substance extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Sinomenium acutum. Sinomenine has been shown to mediate a wide range of pharmacological actions and is known to possess good anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, antitumor, neuroprotective, antiarrhythmic and other pharmacological effects. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and the association between the targets and the pharmaceutical effects on different diseases is crucial to the discovery and design of new treatment strategies. In this review, we aim to give a systematic and comprehensive overview of the research progress of sinomenine over the past 20 years. We first describe the metabolism of sinomenine in vivo and then summarize the pharmacological actions of sinomenine on different diseases. Furthermore, the potential binding properties of sinomenine and the potential of developing new sinomenine-based drugs are also reviewed.

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma: The popular occurrence of herbal medicine applied in classical prescriptions.

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is a well-known herbal medicine with a wide range of pharmacological functions that has been used throughout Chinese history. This review presents a comprehensive introduction to this herb and its classical prescriptions. The article discusses the resources and distribution of species, methods of authentication and determination chemical composition, quality control of the original plants and herbal medicines, dosages use, common classical prescriptions, indications, and relevant mechanisms of the active content. Pharmacokinetic parameters, toxicity tests, clinical trials, and patent applications are discussed. The review will provide a good starting point for the research and development of classical prescriptions to develop herbal medicines for clinical use.

Exploring the active components and potential mechanisms of Rosa roxburghii Tratt in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus based on UPLC-Q-exactive Orbitrap/MS and network pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global disease with growing prevalence that is difficult to cure. Rosa roxburghii Tratt is an edible and medicinal plant, and modern pharmacological studies have shown that it has potential anti-diabetic activity. This is the first study to explore the active components and potential mechanisms of Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit for treating T2DM based on UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS and network pharmacology. METHODS: The active components of Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit were obtained from UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS analysis and retrieval in the SciFinder, PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI databases. The potential targets of the active components were obtained from the SwissTargetPrediction and PharmMapper databases. The disease targets for T2DM were obtained from GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, DisGENent, and GEO databases. The intersection of the two datasets was used to obtain the potential targets of Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit against T2DM. The target protein interaction network was constructed using the String database and Cytoscape software. The R software ClusterProfiler package was used for target enrichment analysis and the Cytoscape CytoNCA plug-in was used to screen core targets. Molecular docking and result visualization were performed using PyMOL and Autodock Vina software. RESULTS: We obtained 20 bioactive ingredients, including alphitolic acid, quercetin, and ellagic acid, as well as 13 core targets, such as AKT1, TNF, SRC, and VEGFA. All bioactive ingredients in Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit were active against T2DM-related therapeutic targets. Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit may play a therapeutic role in T2DM by regulating the PI3K/AKT, RAS, AGE-RAGE, and other signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: This study explored the active components and potential mechanisms of Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit in the treatment of T2DM, laying the foundation for a further experimental study based on pharmacodynamic substances and their mechanisms of action.

Novel Anti-Cancer Products Targeting AMPK: Natural Herbal Medicine against Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is a common cancer in women worldwide. The existing clinical treatment strategies have been able to limit the progression of breast cancer and cancer metastasis, but abnormal metabolism, immunosuppression, and multidrug resistance involving multiple regulators remain the major challenges for the treatment of breast cancer. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) can regulate metabolic reprogramming and reverse the "Warburg effect" via multiple metabolic signaling pathways in breast cancer. Previous studies suggest that the activation of AMPK suppresses the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells, as well as stimulating the responses of immune cells. However, some other reports claim that the development and poor prognosis of breast cancer are related to the overexpression and aberrant activation of AMPK. Thus, the role of AMPK in the progression of breast cancer is still controversial. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of AMPK, particularly the comprehensive bidirectional functions of AMPK in cancer progression; discuss the pharmacological activators of AMPK and some specific molecules, including the natural products (including berberine, curcumin, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, ginsenosides, and paclitaxel) that influence the efficacy of these activators in cancer therapy; and elaborate the role of AMPK as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer.

Isolation and identification of angiogenesis-promoting components in Huanglian Jiedu decoction using live cell bio-specific extraction.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJDD) is a traditional heat-dissipating and detoxicating prescription used in Chinese medicine and has been extensively applied in the clinical treatment of ischemic stroke. Preliminary research confirmed that HLJDD exerts a neuroprotective effect on brain tissue injury caused by cerebral ischemia by promoting angiogenesis. However, the components of HLJDD responsible for its medicinal activity in ischemic injury remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to identify the active components of HLJDD that could promote angiogenesis and investigate its underlying mechanism, as well as Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalings in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The specific binding components of HLJDD with HUVECs were isolated and identified through a combination of live cell biospecific extraction, solid-phase extraction, and ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid mass spectrometry (MS). Their pharmacological activity against oxygen-glucose deprivation-reperfusion (OGD/R) injury and in vitro pro-angiogenesis was validated using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and tube formation analysis, respectively. Finally, we explored the effect of active ingredients on the expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Molecular docking was used to predict the potential binding of six active components to phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), serine/threonine-specific protein kinase (AKT) and Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) proteins, which are involved in the regulation of HIF-1α and are highly associated with angiogenesis. RESULTS: A total of 13 HUVECs-specific HLJDD components were identified, and 10 of them were shown to protect against OGD/R injury. We were the first to demonstrate that two of these components have a protective role in OGD/R-induced HUVECs injury. Additionally, seven of these 10 components exhibited angiogenesis-promoting activity, and two of these components were shown, for the first time, to promote angiogenesis in HUVECs. These effects might occur through the HIF-1α/VEGF pathway. Molecular docking results showed that all six active ingredients could stably bind to PI3K and AKT proteins, suggesting that these two proteins may be potential targets for six active ingredients. CONCLUSIONS: The approach employed in this study effectively identified proangiogenic components in HLJDD that might act via PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF pathways and other mechanisms involved in angiogenesis. In conclusion, this study was the first to demonstrate four compounds with new bioactivities and could also provide insight into the isolation and discovery of new bioactive compounds existing in Chinese medicine with potential clinical value.

The safety of Chinese medicine: A systematic review of endogenous substances and exogenous residues.

BACKGROUND: Safety and toxicity have become major challenges in the internationalization of Chinese medicine. Inspite of its wide application, security problems of Chinese medicine still occur from time to time, raising widespread concerns about its safety. Most of the studies either only partially discussed the intrinsic toxicities or extrinsic harmful residues in Chinese medicine, or briefly described detoxification and attenuation methods. It is necessary to systematically discuss Chinese medicine's extrinsic and intrinsic toxic components and corresponding toxicity detoxification or detection methods as a whole. PURPOSE: This review comprehensively summarizes various toxic components in Chinese medicine from intrinsic and extrinsic. Then the corresponding methods for detoxification or detection of toxicity are highlighted. It is expected to provide a reference for safeguards for developing and using Chinese medicine. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in the databases, including PubMed, Web of Science,Wan-fang database, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Keywords used were safety, toxicity, intrinsic toxicities, extrinsic harmful residues, alkaloids, terpene and macrolides, saponins, toxic proteins, toxic crystals, minerals, heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, sulfur dioxide, detoxification, detection, processing (Paozhi), compatibility (Peiwu), Chinese medicine, etc., and combinations of these keywords. All selected articles were from 2006 to 2022, and each was assessed critically for our exclusion criteria. Studies describe the classification of toxic components of Chinese medicine, the toxic effects and mechanisms of Chinese medicine, and the corresponding methods for detoxification or detection of toxicity. RESULTS: The toxic components of Chinese medicines can be classified as intrinsic toxicities and extrinsic harmful residues. Firstly, we summarized the intrinsic toxicities of Chinese medicine, the adverse effects and toxicity mechanisms caused by these components. Next, we focused on the detoxification or attenuation methods for intrinsic toxicities of Chinese medicine. The other main part discussed the latest progress in analytical strategies for exogenous hazardous substances, including heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins. Beyond reviewing mainstream instrumental methods, we also introduced the emerging biochip, biosensor and immuno-based techniques. CONCLUSION: In this review, we provide an overall assessment of the recent progress in endogenous toxins and exogenous hazardous substances concerning Chinese medicine, which is expected to render deeper insights into the safety of Chinese medicine.

The effects of bioactive components from the rhizome of gastrodia elata blume (Tianma) on the characteristics of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related chronic neurodegenerative disease caused by the death and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. The decrease of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the patient's brain leads to various motor symptoms. PD drugs mainly enhance dopamine levels but cannot prevent or slow down the loss of dopaminergic neurons. In addition, they exhibit significant side effects and addiction issues during long-term use. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to develop novel drugs that have fewer side effects, can improve PD symptoms, and prevent the death of dopaminergic neurons. The rhizome of Gastrodia elata Blume (Tianma) is a well-known medicinal herb and has long been used as a treatment of nervous system-related diseases in China. Several clinical studies showed that formula comprising Tianma could be used as an add-on therapy for PD patients. Pharmacological studies indicated that Tianma and its bioactive components can reduce the death of dopaminergic neurons, α-synuclein accumulation, and neuroinflammation in various PD models. In this review, we briefly summarize studies regarding the effects of Tianma and its bioactive components' effects on major PD features and explore the potential use of Tianma components for the treatment of PD.

Potential Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibitors in Management of Cancer: Therapeutic Opportunities from Herbal Medicine.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a multifunctional protein involved in cellular communication, integrating and transducing extracellular signals from cell-surface membrane receptors. It plays a central role intracellularly and extracellularly within the tumor microenvironment. Perturbations in FAK signaling promote tumor occurrence and development, and studies have revealed its biological behavior in tumor cell proliferation, migration, and adhesion. Herein we provide an overview of the complex biology of the FAK family members and their context-dependent nature. Next, with a focus on cancer, we highlight the activities of FAK signaling in different types of cancer and how knowledge of them is being used for screening natural compounds used in herbal medicine to fight tumor development.

Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Derivatives: Promising Candidates for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease, which is characterized by hyperglycemia, chronic insulin resistance, progressive decline in ß-cell function, and defect in insulin secretion. It has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. At present, there is no cure for T2DM, but it can be treated, and blood glucose levels can be controlled. It has been reported that diabetic patients may suffer from the adverse effects of conventional medicine. Therefore, alternative therapy, such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), can be used to manage and treat diabetes. In this review, glycyrrhizic acid (GL) and its derivatives are suggested to be promising candidates for the treatment of T2DM and its complications. It is the principal bioactive constituent in licorice, one type of TCM. This review comprehensively summarized the therapeutic effects and related mechanisms of GL and its derivatives in managing blood glucose levels and treating T2DM and its complications. In addition, it also discusses existing clinical trials and highlights the research gap in clinical research. In summary, this review can provide a further understanding of GL and its derivatives in T2DM as well as its complications and recent progress in the development of potential drugs targeting T2DM.

Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Quality Control of Xiasangju: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula.

As a traditional Chinese herbal formula, Xiasangju (XSJ) is widely used in China for antipyresis and influenza treatment. However, XSJ still fails to have a comprehensive summary of the research progress in the last decade. This review summarizes the advanced research on the extraction process, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, and quality control of XSJ. Current research mainly focuses on quality control and the pharmacological effects of single herbs and active ingredients, but many pharmacological mechanisms of the formula are unclear. The development of active ingredients reflects the active characteristics of triterpenes, phenolic acids and flavonoids, but the hepatotoxicity of Prunella vulgaris L. has not been taken into account. XSJ has extensive historical practical experiences, while systematic clinical trials remain lacking. Therefore, it is necessary to study the active ingredients and define the mechanisms of XSJ to develop multiple applications, and further studies on the dose range between its hepatoprotective activity and hepatotoxicity are necessary to improve the safety of the clinical application. In this review, the current problems are discussed to facilitate the reference basis for the subsequent research on the development of XSJ and future application directions.

Holism of Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions for inflammatory bowel disease: A review based on clinical evidence and experimental research.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory disease that causes a heavy burden and lacks effective treatments. Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions (CHMPs), which are characterized by a synergistic usage of herbs, are widely used in the management of IBD. The molecular mechanisms of action of CHMP are still ambiguous as the canonical "one-compound-one-target" approach has difficulty describing the dynamic bioreactions among CHMP objects. It seems more flexible to define the holism of CHMP for IBD by employing high-throughput analysis. However, studies that discuss the development of CHMP in treating IBD in a holistic view are still lacking. PURPOSE: This review appraised preclinical and clinical research to fully describe the anti-IBD capacity of CHMPs and discussed CHMPs' holistic characteristics that can contribute to better management of IBD. METHODS & RESULTS: We screened clinical and preclinical references of CHMP being used as treatments for IBD. We discussed the complexity of IBD and the development of CHMP to present the sophistication of CHMP treatments. To describe the clinical effectiveness of CHMPs against IBD, we performed an umbrella review of CHMP-associated META analyses, in which 1174 records were filtered down to 12 references. Then, we discussed 14 kinds of CHMPs that had a long history of use and analyzed their mechanisms of action. Representative herbs were employed to provide a subordinate explanation for the whole prescription. As holism is the dominant characteristic of CHMPs, we explored applications of CHMPs for IBD with the help of omics, gut microbiome, and network pharmacology, which are potential approaches to a dynamic figure of bioactions of CHMPs. CONCLUSION: This review is the first to discuss the potential of CHMPs to manage IBD in a holistic context and will provide inspiring explanations for CHMP applications for further product transformation and application to other diseases.

Neuroendocrine-Immune Regulatory Network of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver.

Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (E. ulmoides) is a popular medicinal herb and health supplement in China, Japan, and Korea, and has a variety of pharmaceutical properties. The neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) network is crucial in maintaining homeostasis and physical or psychological functions at a holistic level, consistent with the regulatory theory of natural medicine. This review aims to systematically summarize the chemical compositions, biological roles, and pharmacological properties of E. ulmoides to build a bridge between it and NEI-associated diseases and to provide a perspective for the development of its new clinical applications. After a review of the literature, we found that E. ulmoides has effects on NEI-related diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative disease, hyperlipidemia, osteoporosis, insomnia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. However, clinical studies on E. ulmoides were scarce. In addition, E. ulmoides derivatives are diverse in China, and they are mainly used to enhance immunity, improve hepatic damage, strengthen bones, and lower blood pressure. Through network pharmacological analysis, we uncovered the possibility that E. ulmoides is involved in functional interactions with cancer development, insulin resistance, NAFLD, and various inflammatory pathways associated with NEI diseases. Overall, this review suggests that E. ulmoides has a wide range of applications for NEI-related diseases and provides a direction for its future research and development.

Epigenetic Regulation in the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. The etiology of RA remains undetermined and the pathogenesis is complex. There remains a paucity of ideal therapeutic drugs and treatment strategies. The epigenetic modifications affect and regulate the function and characteristics of genes through mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, chromosome remodeling, and RNAi, thereby exerting a significant impact on the living state of the body. Recently, the phenomenon of epigenetic modification in RA has garnered growing research interest. The application of epigenetically modified methods is the frontier field in the research of RA pathogenesis. This review highlights the research on the pathogenesis of RA based on epigenetic modification in the recent five years, thereby suggesting new methods and strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of RA.

Immunomodulatory potential of natural products from herbal medicines as immune checkpoints inhibitors: Helping to fight against cancer via multiple targets.

Immunotherapy sheds new light to cancer treatment and is satisfied by cancer patients. However, immunotoxicity, single-source antibodies, and single-targeting stratege are potential challenges to the success of cancer immunotherapy. A huge number of promising lead compounds for cancer treatment are of natural origin from herbal medicines. The application of natural products from herbal medicines that have immunomodulatory properties could alter the landscape of immunotherapy drastically. The present study summarizes current medication for cancer immunotherapy and discusses the potential chemicals from herbal medicines as immune checkpoint inhibitors that have a broad range of immunomodulatory effects. Therefore, this review provides valuable insights into the efficacy and mechanism of actions of cancer immunotherapies, including natural products and combined treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which could confer an improved clinical outcome for cancer treatment.

Immunometabolism modulation, a new trick of edible and medicinal plants in cancer treatment.

The edible and medicinal plants (EMPs) are becoming an abundant source for cancer prevention and treatment since the natural and healthy trend for modern human beings. Currently, there are more than one hundred species of EMPs widely used and listed by the national health commission of China, and most of them indicate immune or metabolic regulation potential in cancer treatment with numerous studies over the past two decades. In the present review, we focused on the metabolic influence in immunocytes and tumor microenvironment, including immune response, immunosuppressive factors and cancer cells, discussing the immunometabolic potential of EMPs in cancer treatment. There are more than five hundred references collected and analyzed through retrieving pharmacological studies deposited in PubMed by medical subject headings and the corresponding names derived from pharmacopoeia of China as a sole criterion. Finally, the immunometabolism modulation of EMPs was sketch out implying an immunometabolic control in cancer treatment.

A recent update on the use of Chinese medicine in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic idiopathic disease that is characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Proper management of IBD requires both early diagnosis and novel therapies and management programs. Many reports have suggested that Chinese medicine has unique properties favorable to the treatment of IBD. However, there are no systematic analyses on this topic. PURPOSE: This review summarizes recent studies that assessed the effects and mechanisms of Chinese medicine in the treatment of IBD in order to fully understand the advantages of Chinese medicine in the management of IBD. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using peer-reviewed and clinical databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Springer LINK, Wan-fang database, the Chinese Biomedicine Database, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Keywords used were inflammatory bowel disease (including Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) and Chinese medicine. All selected articles were from 1997 to 2021, and each were assessed critically for our exclusion criteria. Studies describing the pathogenesis of IBD, the effects and mechanisms of Chinese medicine in the treatment of IBD, in particular their roles in immune regulation, intestinal flora regulation, and improvement of intestinal barrier function, were included. CONCLUSION: This review highlights recent progress in the use of Chinese medicine in the treatment of IBD. It also provides a reference for further evaluation and exploration of the potential of classical multi-herbal Chinese medicine in the treatment of IBD.