Intestinal Organoid-on-a-Chip: A new frontier in deciphering the mechanisms of absorption and transport of traditional Chinese medicine
10.1097/st9.0000000000000131
- Author:
Chunjie BAO
1
;
Yiheng REN
2
;
Wei ZHAO
2
;
Jialun DUAN
3
;
Xin HAN
2
Author Information
1. Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Substances in Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae and Innovative Drug Discovery, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China; State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, School of Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
2. State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, School of Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
3. Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Substances in Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae and Innovative Drug Discovery, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Absorption and transport of traditional Chinese medicine;
Interdisciplinary cutting-edge technologies;
Intestinal Organoid-on-a-Chip;
Intestinal organoid
- From:
Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2026;4(3):195-210
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), refined over millennia, embodies distinctive therapeutic principles rooted in the concept of harmony with nature. The oral efficacy of TCM is critically dependent upon the precise absorption and efficient intestinal transport of its complex constituents. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, posing a significant challenge to the modernization and global advancement of TCM research. Intestinal organoid technology, which enables three-dimensional in vitro culture of intestinal tissues, accurately recapitulates the cellular heterogeneity, structural organization, and key physiological functions of the native intestine. Recently, the integration of organoids with microfluidic platforms to form “Intestinal Organoid-on-a-Chip” systems has further advanced this field by dynamically recapitulating intestinal peristalsis, absorption, and metabolic activities. These systems provide a more physiologically relevant platform for investigating the transmembrane transport and spatiotemporal dynamics of TCM constituents. This review summarizes the principles, construction strategies, and functional characteristics of intestinal organoid technology, highlights its emerging applications in elucidating the absorption and transport mechanisms of TCM, and discusses current challenges, including standardization, experimental complexity, and clinical translation. Furthermore, it envisions future directions involving multiomics, artificial intelligence, and other cutting-edge approaches, aiming to provide novel strategies to accelerate the modernization and internationalization of TCM research.
