MINI REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1598806
This article is part of the Research TopicReviews in Ethnopharmacology: 2025View all 22 articles
Protective effects of metabolites from botanical drugs on slow transit constipation via the ENS-ICC-SMC pathway
Provisionally accepted
- 1Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- 2Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
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Slow transit constipation (STC) is a type of functional constipation resulting from a lack of intestinal motility. The primary symptoms are challenging defecation and desiccated feces, which may readily result in perianal, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and psychological disorders. The structural and morphological impairment of the enteric nervous system (ENS), along with the dysfunction of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), are the primary contributors to the onset and progression of STC. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has emerged as an alternative for the therapeutic prevention and treatment of STC.Metabolites obtained from botanical drugs, including quercetin and nobiletin, may ameliorate symptoms of STC, presenting a possible therapeutic approach for STC. This review summarizes metabolites derived from botanical drugs, including flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, polysaccharides, anthraquinones, and phenylpropanoids, emphasizing their regulatory mechanisms in the treatment of STC via the ENS-ICC-SMC pathway, while also addressing future challenges and developmental directions.
Keywords: slow transit constipation, Metabolites from botanical drugs, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pharmacological effects, ENS-ICC-SMC pathway
Received: 24 Mar 2025; Accepted: 30 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Gao, Fu, Bai and Liang. 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:
Wenjun Bai, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250011, Shandong Province, China
Junwei Liang, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250011, Shandong Province, China
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