Modern Clinical Applications and Mechanism of Zhigancao Tang： A Review
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20252096
- VernacularTitle:炙甘草汤的现代临床应用及作用机制研究进展
- Author:
Zhibo CHANG
1
;
Chuhan DUAN
1
;
Xiaoyan WANG
1
;
Jing SHAO
1
Author Information
1. The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine，Zhengzhou 450000，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Zhigancao Tang;
clinical application;
mechanism of action;
research progress;
traditional Chinese medicine
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2026;32(11):361-370
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Zhigancao Tang， derived from the Treatise on Cold Damage，is a classic and renowned formula for treating "intermittent and irregular pulse， and palpitations of the heart". It has an exquisite formulation. By replenishing Qi， nourishing Yin， activating Yang， and restoring the pulse， it achieves the dual supplementation of Yin and Yang， and the simultaneous treatment of Qi and blood. With the practical expansion by practitioners over successive dynasties， the application scope of this formula has been continuously expanding， extending from traditional cardiovascular diseases to diseases of multiple systems， fully reflecting the theoretical characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） of "treating different diseases with the same method". Modern research shows that Zhigancao Tang not only has a remarkable curative effect on cardiovascular diseases but is also widely applied to diseases of the respiratory， nervous， digestive， endocrine， oncologic， gynecologic， and otorhinolaryngologic systems， demonstrating its interdisciplinary clinical application value. At the same time， research on the mechanism of action of Zhigancao Tang is also continuously deepening. The mechanisms by which it treats diseases involve multiple aspects， including anti-arrhythmic effects， myocardial protection， anti-fibrosis， antioxidative stress and anti‑inflammatory effects， regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism， enhancing hematopoietic function， and improving hemorheology. These mechanisms work synergistically to jointly regulate the physiological functions of the body and play a role in treating diseases. However， there are still some deficiencies in current research. For example， the sample size of some clinical trials is small， most of the mechanism studies are based on animal models or in vitro experiments， there is insufficient high-quality evidence from clinical trials， the composition of the compound formula is complex， and the pharmacodynamic material basis and the rules of compatibility still need to be deeply analyzed. By consulting relevant literature， this article systematically summarizes the modern clinical application and action mechanism of Zhigancao Tang， aiming to provide new ideas for its subsequent in-depth research and clinical application， promote the integrated development of classic TCM formulas and modern medicine， and further explore its great potential in clinical treatment.
