Volume 1,Issue 4
Advances in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Acute Pancreatitis: A Comprehensive Review
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an acute inflammatory disorder of the pancreas with a significant disease burden and high mortality in its severe form. While modern medicine provides supportive care, it lacks specific pharmacological agents to halt disease progression, highlighting the need for complementary strategies. The integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with conventional Western medicine has emerged as a promising approach for AP management. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in the TCM-based understanding and treatment of AP. We elucidate the TCM etiology and pathogenesis, which attribute AP to systemic imbalances such as dampness-heat accumulation and fu-organ obstruction. The review details various TCM treatment modalities, including oral formulations (e.g., Dachengqi Decoction, Qingyi Decoction), external therapies, acupuncture, and moxibustion, all guided by syndrome differentiation. Furthermore, we analyze the clinical efficacy and multi-target mechanisms of TCM interventions, including anti-inflammatory effects, gut barrier protection, microcirculation improvement, and oxidative stress alleviation, supported by both clinical evidence and pharmacological studies. By consolidating this body of evidence, this review aims to provide a robust theoretical and clinical foundation for the integrated treatment of AP, demonstrating its potential to improve patient outcomes and offering a more comprehensive therapeutic strategy.
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