Multi-target network modulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine in radiation enteropathy: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications.
13 affiliations
- 1The Second Clinical Medical College, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, 550002, China.
- 2Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases (ccCRDD), Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- 3State Key Laboratory of Integration and Innovation of Classic Formula and Modern Chinese Medicine (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Shanghai, 200032, China.
- 4Shanghai Frontier Research Center of Disease and Syndrome Biology of Inflammatory Cancer Transformation, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- 5Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases (ccCRDD), Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
- 6The Second Clinical Medical College, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, 550002, China. [email protected].
- 7Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases (ccCRDD), Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
- 8State Key Laboratory of Integration and Innovation of Classic Formula and Modern Chinese Medicine (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
- 9Shanghai Frontier Research Center of Disease and Syndrome Biology of Inflammatory Cancer Transformation, Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
- 10The Second Clinical Medical College, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, 550002, China. [email protected].
- 11Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases (ccCRDD), Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
- 12State Key Laboratory of Integration and Innovation of Classic Formula and Modern Chinese Medicine (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
- 13Shanghai Frontier Research Center of Disease and Syndrome Biology of Inflammatory Cancer Transformation, Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Radiation enteropathy (RE) is a common and clinically significant complication of abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy, characterized by multifactorial pathological processes including oxidative DNA damage, epithelial barrier disruption, immune-inflammatory dysregulation, vascular injury, fibrosis, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Despite its clinical burden, effective disease-modifying therapies remain limited. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), widely used in the management of gastrointestinal disorders, has attracted increasing attention as a complementary approach for radiation-induced intestinal injury. Accumulating experimental evidence indicates that TCM formulas, herbal extracts, and bioactive phytochemicals may exert protective effects through coordinated regulation of interconnected pathological processes. Reported protective effects involve several interconnected pathological processes, but the supporting evidence remains uneven. Most studies use acute, single-dose animal models, and many mechanistic conclusions rely on pathway-marker changes rather than functional perturbation. This review therefore evaluates TCM interventions according to disease stage, intestinal site, irradiation design, and the strength of mechanistic support. Multi-target regulation is treated as an interpretive framework rather than a mechanism established for every intervention. Clinical evidence remains limited by small samples, heterogeneous preparations, inconsistent endpoints, and inadequate follow-up. Translation will require standardized products, clinically relevant fractionated and tumor-bearing models, exposure-relevant mechanistic validation, and rigorous trials that assess intestinal benefit without compromising tumor control.
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BibTeX
@article{tan2026multitarget,
title = {{Multi-target network modulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine in radiation enteropathy: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications.}},
author = {Biyu Tan and Xiaofang Chen and Gaoxuan Shao and Hang Su and Xian Ma and Xing Ni and Lu Lu and Zemin Lin and Guang Ji and Hanchen Xu},
journal = {Chinese medicine},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1186/s13020-026-01504-y},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972393},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Multi-target network modulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine in radiation enteropathy: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications.
AU - Biyu Tan
AU - Xiaofang Chen
AU - Gaoxuan Shao
AU - Hang Su
AU - Xian Ma
AU - Xing Ni
AU - Lu Lu
AU - Zemin Lin
AU - Guang Ji
AU - Hanchen Xu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - Chinese medicine
DO - 10.1186/s13020-026-01504-y
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972393
AB - Radiation enteropathy (RE) is a common and clinically significant complication of abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy, characterized by multifactorial pathological processes including oxidative DNA damage, epithelial barrier disruption, immune-inflammatory dysregulation, vascular injury, fibrosis, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Despite its clinical burden, effective disease-modifying therapies remain limited. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), widely used in the management of gastrointestinal disorders, has attracted increasing attention as a complementary approach for radiation-induced intestinal injury. Accumulating experimental evidence indicates that TCM formulas, herbal extracts, and bioactive phytochemicals may exert protective effects through coordinated regulation of interconnected pathological processes. Reported protective effects involve several interconnected pathological processes, but the supporting evidence remains uneven. Most studies use acute, single-dose animal models, and many mechanistic conclusions rely on pathway-marker changes rather than functional perturbation. This review therefore evaluates TCM interventions according to disease stage, intestinal site, irradiation design, and the strength of mechanistic support. Multi-target regulation is treated as an interpretive framework rather than a mechanism established for every intervention. Clinical evidence remains limited by small samples, heterogeneous preparations, inconsistent endpoints, and inadequate follow-up. Translation will require standardized products, clinically relevant fractionated and tumor-bearing models, exposure-relevant mechanistic validation, and rigorous trials that assess intestinal benefit without compromising tumor control.
SN - 1749-8546
ER -