Chinese Journal of Pharmacovigilance ›› 2026, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (6): 714-719.
DOI: 10.19803/j.1672-8629.20250593

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Research Progress in the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury and Interventions with Traditional Chinese Medicine

NIU Yuanfei1,2,3, LIU Meiting1, RONG Wenshuang4, MA Lina5, GU Yuanyuan5, ZHANG Lichun6, HOU Hongping1, YANG Mengyuan1, ZHENG Changhui1, FU Yao4, HE Ting5, ZHAO Wei5, WANG Lianmei1#, CAO Junling2,5,*   

  1. 1State Key Laboratory for Quality Assurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Psychoactive Substances Discovery and Control in Chinese Herbal Medicines, Key Laboratory of TCM Safety Risk Assessment and Translation, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China;
    2School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China;
    3Department of Pharmacy, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Henan 450003, China;
    4Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100007, China;
    5Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China;
    6Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wang Jing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100102, China
  • Received:2025-08-27 Online:2026-06-15 Published:2026-06-18

Abstract: Objective To explore the advancements in research on interventions by traditional Chinese medicine and its active ingredients in acute lung injury (ALI) so as to provide a reference for the development of novel TCM-based pharma-cotherapies and for precision clinical strategies for the prevention and treatment of ALI. Methods The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ALI were summarized. Recent research progress in mitigating ALI via TCM and its active components by modulating key pathways, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and the gut-lung axis was analyzed. Results ALI and its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), were leading causes of respiratory failure in critically ill patients and were associated with high morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of ALI was complex, involving multiple interconnected pathological processes, including dysregulated inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and disruption of the alveolar-capillary barrier. These factors were intertwined to form a sophisticated pathological network. Current clinical management of ALI primarily relied on organ support and anti-inflammatory therapies, and specific and effective interventions were lacking. Conclusion TCM, characterized by a holistic regulatory approach through multi-target and multi-pathway mechanisms, is well-aligned with this intricate pathological network and offers unique therapeutic advantages. This compatibility suggests that TCM promises to be an adjunctive approach to ALI, so more research is needed.

Key words: Acute Lung Injury(ALI), Pathogenesis, Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention, Multi-Target, Inflammation and Oxidative Stress, Programmed Cell Death

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