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REVIEW article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbial Symbioses
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1407991
This article is part of the Research Topic The Gut-Liver Axis: the Main Role of Microbiome in Liver Diseases View all 11 articles

Potential mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of liver cirrhosis: A focus on gut microbiota

Provisionally accepted
Si Yuan Sun Si Yuan Sun 1Jinhui Sun Jinhui Sun 2*Guangheng Zhang Guangheng Zhang 3Shimeng Lv Shimeng Lv 3
  • 1 Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
  • 2 Gastroenterology Department, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
  • 3 First College of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Cirrhosis, a pathological stage that develops from various chronic liver diseases, is characterized by liver fibrosis, pseudolobular formation, and chronic inflammation. When it progresses to the decompensated phase, the mortality rate of cirrhosis can reach 80%. The role of gut microbiota in the progression of liver diseases has received significant attention. Numerous studies have shown that regulating gut microbiota has significant therapeutic effects on preventing and reversing liver cirrhosis. This article reviewed the mechanisms by which gut microbiota influence liver cirrhosis, explaining the effective therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicine. Through multi-directional regulation involving signaling pathways, gut microbiota diversity, and restoration of intestinal barrier function, traditional Chinese medicine has been promising in ameliorating liver cirrhosis, providing treatment options and pharmacological guidance for the occurrence and development of liver cirrhosis.

    Keywords: Liver Cirrhosis, Gut Microbiota, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Natural Products, Microbial Metabolites

    Received: 27 Mar 2024; Accepted: 29 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Sun, Sun, Zhang and Lv. 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: Jinhui Sun, Gastroenterology Department, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.