REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1630205
This article is part of the Research TopicMedicinal Plants Modulating the Microbiome: How Can This Improve the Management of Depression and Other CNS DiseasesView all 3 articles
Bridging Traditional Chinese Medicine and Alzheimer's Disease: The Pivotal Role of Gut Microbiota in Multitarget Therapeutic Mechanisms
Provisionally accepted
- 1Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 2China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- 3Zhangjiakou First Hospital, zhangjiakou, China
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Microbiota-gut-brain axis communication represents another crucial pathway in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), whereby gut microbiota significantly impacts AD pathology by modulating immune, metabolic, digestive, and neurological functions. Although research on treating AD through gut microbiota interventions is advancing, substantial breakthroughs remain limited. Given AD's complex pathological mechanisms, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) presents a clear advantage with its multi-target effects. During the processes of TCM intake, absorption, and therapeutic action, the gut microbiota serves both as a mediator and as a therapeutic target. However, the mechanisms by which TCM interacts with gut microbiota to exert beneficial effects on AD remain largely unclarified. Here, we review the mechanisms through which TCM may intervene in AD from the perspective of gut microbiota, examining the potential mechanisms and clinical application prospects of Chinese herbal medicine in regulating the gut microbiome. This provides a novel theoretical foundation and methodological support for further research into herbal therapies for AD.
Keywords: Gut Microbiota, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Alzheimer's disease, Metabolism, Interaction, mechanisms
Received: 19 May 2025; Accepted: 17 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wu, Meng, Han, Jin, Han and Zhou. 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: Yanyan Zhou, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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