已发表论文

中药治疗溃疡性结肠炎相关癌变:机制、进展和未来方向

 

Authors Gu F, Chen Z, Lim X , Zhang T , Yuan J, Li L 

Received 14 October 2025

Accepted for publication 20 January 2026

Published 8 February 2026 Volume 2026:20 574142

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S574142

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2

Editor who approved publication: Professor Tamer Ibrahim

Fanruo Gu,1,* Zexuan Chen,1,2,* Xueyee Lim,1,3 Tong Zhang,1,4 Jianlong Yuan,1,5 Ling Li1,4 

1School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China; 2Shanghai Tufeng Pharmaceutical Technology Company Limited, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China; 3Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine International Education College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China; 4State Key Laboratory of Integration and Innovation of Classic Formula and Modern Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China; 5Fujian Center for Drug Evaluation and Monitoring, Fuzhou, 350000, Fujian, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Ling Li, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cailun Road No. 1200, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China, Email liling_sh@163.com Jianlong Yuan, Fujian Center for Drug Evaluation and Monitoring, Zhanqi Building Room 605, Dongpu Road No. 156, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350000, People’s Republic of China, Email 3222171615@qq.com

Abstract: Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) is a highly prevalent malignancy of the digestive tract. The close association between ulcerative colitis (UC) and CAC makes inhibiting this carcinogenic transformation a critical preventive goal. Based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theories of “dampness-heat stasis” and “latent pathogen-induced deficiency”, this review systematically explores the pathological process of ulcerative colitis associated carcinogenesis (UCAC) and its interpretation in TCM. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in CNKI and PubMed databases (2020– 2025), systematically analyzing about 79 relevant studies to summarize the clinical applications of TCM in preventing and treating UCAC progression, including oral and topical herbal therapies, as well as non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture. Furthermore, we elucidate the underlying mechanisms of TCM interventions in UCAC, with a focus on gut microbiota modulation and key inflammatory signaling pathways (eg, NF-κB, IL-6/JAK2/STAT3), offering new translational perspectives. The novelty of this review is twofold: firstly, it provides the first systematic synthesis of research progress on therapeutic methods, encompassing oral and topical herbal formulations as well as acupuncture, and molecular mechanisms of TCM for UCAC. Secondly, it advances the field by analyzing TCM theories through the lens of modern medicine, comparing TCM’s holistic approach with Western medicine’s targeted paradigm, and proposing an integrated “gut microbiota-metabolite-target” research framework. This framework aims to furnish a theoretical foundation for both the modernization of TCM and the development of combined therapeutic strategies that leverage the strengths of both medical systems.

Keywords: traditional Chinese medicine, ulcerative colitis associated carcinogenesis, inflammation, tumor prevention, review