Research Progress and Reflections on Regulating Ulcerative Colitis Based on TCM Intestinal Fu-viscera Theory

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterised by mucosal inflammation. Its onset is associated with multiple factors, and the exact aetiology remains unclear. Meanwhile, with the accelerating pace of modern life, the incidence of ulcerative colitis is on a steady rise. The link between its onset and an imbalance in the gut microbiota has become a hot topic in modern medical research. The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) ‘Intestinal-Zang-Fu Theory’, developed over millennia, has established core concepts such as ‘the function of the Fu organs lies in their communication’, ‘the intestines and lungs are paired as exterior and interior’, and ‘the spleen and intestines function in unison’, providing a unique diagnostic and therapeutic approach to gut microbiota regulation. This paper systematically reviews the core tenets of TCM’s ‘Intestinal-Zang-Fu Theory’. By integrating the characteristics of gut microbiota classification in ulcerative colitis (UC), it elucidates the theoretical basis for pattern differentiation and drug selection. It systematically analyses recent research progress in TCM’s use of regulating gut microbiota metabolites to improve UC, thereby providing new insights and theoretical support for the integrated treatment of UC using both Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as serving as a reference for future related research.