Research Progress on the Mechanism of Sanren Decoction in Treating Slow-Transit Constipation

Abstract

Slow transit constipation (STC) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by impaired intestinal motility, prolonged fecal retention, and difficult defecation. Its pathological mechanisms may involve multiple factors, including enteric nervous system dysfunction, interstitial cell of Cajal impairment, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and neuroimmune dysregulation. Accumulating evidence-based medical research indicates that Sanren Decoction demonstrates significant therapeutic efficacy in treating slow transit constipation with spleen-stomach damp-heat syndrome, accompanied by a low recurrence rate. This article systematically reviews recent advances in mechanistic studies on Sanren Decoction for managing STC with damp-heat syndrome: analyzing its multi-target, multi-component, and multi-pathway regulatory mechanisms through the “regulating Sanjiao” theory, elucidating the pathogenesis of STC, and providing evidence-based foundations for clinical treatment and novel drug development.