Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevents and Treats Ulcerative Colitis via TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway： A Review
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20260699
- VernacularTitle:中医药干预TLR4/NF-κB信号通路防治溃疡性结肠炎的研究进展
- Author:
Xi CUI
1
;
Wenke DU
1
;
Xing SHEN
1
;
Cuicui LIU
1
;
Rui ZHAI
1
;
Hanghang LI
1
;
Shuxun SHI
2
Author Information
1. School of Clinical Chinese Medicine，Gansu University of Chinese Medicine，Lanzhou 730000，China
2. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine，Lanzhou 730000，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
ulcerative colitis;
Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway;
traditional Chinese medicine;
research progress
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2026;32(21):284-294
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Ulcerative colitis （UC） is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease primarily affecting the colon and rectum. With a rising incidence， UC has aroused an increasingly serious public health concern. The etiology and pathogenesis of UC are complex， involving genetic susceptibility， intestinal barrier dysfunction， immune dysregulation， and environmental factors such as diet， smoking， and infection. Current UC therapies face limitations including persistent drug resistance， multiple side effects， and compromised immune function， necessitating the exploration of novel intervention strategies. In recent years， with the continuous advancement of research into UC mechanisms， the Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway has been revealved as one of the classical pathways involved in inflammation. Being crucial for maintaining intestinal homeostasis， this pathway regulates inflammatory and immune responses by controlling gene transcription， thereby playing a significant role in the occurrence and progression of UC. However， systematic summarization within this field remains lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） possesses unique advantages through its multi-target， multi-pathway， and multi-mechanism approaches， being capable of curbing the pathological progression of UC by targeting key molecules in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. This paper systematically summarizes the mechanisms by which TLR4/NF-κB-related pathways regulate UC， primarily encompassing inflammatory responses， oxidative stress， immune balance， and gut microbiota. It reviews single herbs （e.g.， Rosa roxburghii root and Saposhnikoviae Radix）， active components （e.g.， resveratrol， Tripterygium glycosides， and gypenosides）， herbal extracts （e.g.， Zingiberis Rhizoma extract and Taraxaci Herba extract）， and compound formulas for clearing heat and removing dampness， invigorating the spleen and warming the kidneys， clearing heat and detoxifying， harmonizing the liver and spleen， and treating cold and heat in complexity （e.g.， Huaihua Powder， Shenling Baizhu Powder， and Jiedu Huayu Formula）. The aim is to fully leverage the advantages of TCM in UC treatment and provide novel insights for clinical and pharmacological research on UC.
