REVIEW article
Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Clinical Diabetes
Traditional Chinese Medicine in Diabetes Management: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential
Provisionally accepted
- 1Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 2First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 3Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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Background Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder frequently associated with severe complications. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers potential therapeutic benefits through multi-targeted mechanisms. Objective This study explores the pharmacological actions, clinical applications, and therapeutic potential of TCM herbs, extracts, and prescriptions in managing diabetes-related complications. Methods A comprehensive review of studies from multiple databases was conducted, focusing on experimental evidence, signaling pathways, and clinical trials evaluating TCM interventions for diabetes and its complications. Results TCM demonstrates significant potential in modulating insulin secretion, improving glucose metabolism, and attenuating oxidative stress. Specific formulations and bioactive compounds regulate pathways including PI3K/Akt, Nrf2/HO-1, and VEGF, contributing to better glycemic control and reduced complications such as diabetic retinopathy, cardiomyopathy, osteoporosis, and peripheral neuropathy. Several randomized controlled trials report enhanced clinical outcomes when TCM formulations are used alone or in combination with conventional therapy. Conclusion TCM offers a promising complementary strategy for diabetes management and its associated complications. Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to validate efficacy and ensure safety. Keywords: Traditional Chinese Medicine; Diabetes Mellitus; Elderly, Diabetic Complications; Herbal Therapy.
Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, diabetic complications, Elderly, Herbal therapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Received: 20 Sep 2025; Accepted: 12 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Fan, Gong and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Yuzhe Fan
Xu Wang
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