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.

Active herbal ingredients are gaining recognition for their potent anti-tumor efficacy, attributable to various mechanisms including tumor cell inhibition, immune system activation, and tumor angiogenesis inhibition. Recent studies have revealed that numerous anti-tumor herbal ingredients, such as ginsenosides, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and Angelica sinensis polysaccharides, can be utilized to develop smart drug carriers like liposomes, micelles, and nanoparticles. These carriers can deliver active herbal ingredients and co-deliver anti-tumor drugs to enhance drug accumulation at tumor sites, thereby improving anti-tumor efficacy. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms by which these active herbal ingredients-derived carriers enhance therapeutic outcomes. Additionally, it highlights the structural properties of these active herbal ingredients, demonstrating how their unique features can be strategically employed to design smart drug carriers with improved anti-tumor efficacy. The insights presented aim to serve as a reference and guide future innovations in the design and application of smart drug carriers for cancer therapy that leverage active herbal ingredients.
Humans ; Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/administration & dosage* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage*

Objective To analyze the clinical manifestations of familial acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE)and to improve the recognition of this disease. Methods The clinical data of a 25 - month - old girl with fa-milial and recurrent ANE with evidence of mutation in the RANBP2 gene were collected and analyzed,and the gene examination of their family members was performed. Results A previously healthy girl experienced recurrent ANE epi-sodes at the ages of 8 months,18 months and 25 months,respectively. At each beginning of each episodes the patient presented with lethargy and tremor of limbs following febrile illness of 3 - 4 days,even developed coma and convulsions in the last time. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed bilateral and high T2 signal changes in thalamus,cerebellum and hippocampus. Abnormal signals also appeared in the brainstem,claustrum,corpus scallosum and cortex(temporal, parietal and cingulate)also appeared abnormal signals. Spinal MRI showed spinal cord involvement. The girl recovered after her first episode;she could speak but could not walk steadily after the second time;after the third episode,al-though she regained consciousness from coma,she could no longer speak or walk. The patient's sister died of encephali-tis at the age of 18 months. Her paternal uncle had suffered from dysnoesia from meningitis at his 17 months of age. The patient and her grandmother,father,uncle and one of her aunts harbored a mutation(c. 1754C ﹥ T)in RANBP2 gene. Conclusions Familial ANE has typical clinical manifestations and characteristic MRI findings. The patient with recur-rent history,especially with positive family history,should have the mutation in RANBP2 gene detected earlier in order to clarify the diagnosis of ANE.