Traditional Chinese medicine for adhesive intestinal obstruction: theory, methods and mechanisms of action

Adhesive intestinal obstruction (AIO) represents a common postoperative complication, particularly following abdominal surgery, with reported incidence rates varying between 50 and 80%. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has proven clinically effective in managing AIO, offering diverse therapeutic a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pengfei Zhou, Huiju Yang, Jiawen Wang, Mingming Sun, Shuai Yan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1573655/full
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Summary:Adhesive intestinal obstruction (AIO) represents a common postoperative complication, particularly following abdominal surgery, with reported incidence rates varying between 50 and 80%. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has proven clinically effective in managing AIO, offering diverse therapeutic approaches that facilitate multi-pathway and multi-target treatment. Clinical evidence consistently supports the favorable safety profile of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Nevertheless, several critical challenges remain to be addressed, including its complex multi-component nature, insufficiently elucidated mechanisms of action, lack of precise dosage standards, inconsistencies in decoction preparation methods, inconvenient administration procedures, and a paucity of large-scale, multicenter clinical trials with robust evidence. These barriers hinder the widespread adoption and clinical integration of TCM. Moving forward, large-scale, multicenter studies are essential to further investigate the safety and efficacy of TCM. Moreover, reforms in its administration methods and deeper exploration of its mechanisms in AIO treatment are crucial.
ISSN:2296-858X