Shaoyao Gancao Decoction in Orthopedics and Traumatology: Advances in Clinical Application and Experimental Research

Abstract

The rising prevalence of orthopedic and traumatological conditions, driven by population aging and increased sports-related injuries, significantly compromises patients’ quality of life and represents a growing public health burden. Contemporary research supports Shaoyao Gancao Decoction (SGD) as a therapeutic formulation with distinctive advantages in this field, making its clinical applications and mechanistic studies a key focus in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. Originating from the “Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases” (“Shang Han Lun”), this classical formula combines Paeoniae Radix Alba (Bai Shao) and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao). Historically used for limb spasms and abdominal pain, it is known to soothe the liver, relieve spasms, and harmonize the “ying” and “wei” systems. Clinically, SGD demonstrates broad utility in managing post-fracture pain and spasms, cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, osteoarthritis (OA), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Experimental studies confirm its ability to: 1) Attenuate local inflammatory damage by modulating cytokines and suppressing inflammatory cascades, 2) Counteract oxidative stress through free radical scavenging, thereby protecting articular cartilage and periarticular tissues, 3) Regulate apoptosis-related gene expression to inhibit excessive cell death and maintain tissue homeostasis. This review systematically synthesizes current evidence on the clinical and experimental progress of SGD in orthopedics, aiming to establish a theoretical foundation for its evidence-based application and to guide future mechanistic research.