Traditional Chinese Medicine for Airway Remodeling in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70088/ds04f160Keywords:
traditional Chinese medicine, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, airway remodeling, mechanism, Chinese herbal medicineAbstract
Airway remodeling is a major structural substrate of progressive and largely irreversible airflow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It arises from an interconnected pathological network involving chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and fibrosis. Within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, COPD is commonly characterized by a pattern of "root deficiency and branch excess," particularly phlegm and blood stasis obstructing the Lung. TCM interventions are characterized by holistic regulation and multi-target, multi-pathway actions and may therefore have potential to delay airway remodeling. This review summarizes the principal morphological changes and molecular signaling mechanisms underlying airway remodeling in COPD, discusses the correspondence between TCM pathogenesis concepts and modern pathological processes, and reviews evidence on Chinese herbal formulas, and bioactive constituents, with emphasis on the TGF-β1/Smad, NF-κB, Nrf2/HO-1, and related signaling pathways. The strength and limitations of the current evidence are further appraised to provide a theoretical basis and research framework for target identification, optimization of integrated intervention strategies, and clinical translation of TCM approaches for COPD airway remodeling.References
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