Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration

Xin Zhao; Heran Xiong; Meiling Chen; Yanping Hu; Song Wang; Fan Zhou; Chao Xiang

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14

Research Article |

| Peer-Reviewed

Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration

Xin Zhao^*

, Heran Xiong

, Meiling Chen

, Yanping Hu

, Song Wang

, Fan Zhou

, Chao Xiang

Published in American Journal of Life Sciences (Volume 13, Issue 6)

Received: 21 October 2025 Accepted: 12 November 2025 Published: 11 December 2025

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) integrates multimodal interventions,such as acupuncture, manual therapy, and herbal medicine, to address complex disorders involving neural degeneration, skeletal injury, and musculoskeletal impairment. In clinical practice, Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term degenerative joint condition marked by the breakdown of articular cartilage, changes in subchondral bone, and ongoing pain with functional limitations,and peripheral nerve injury is a common medical problem that can be caused by sharp instruments, firearms, stretching or compression. it affects over one million people worldwide annually, making it a global clinical issue with a substantial socioeconomic cost. This study synthesizes evidence from three investigations: (1) Electroacupuncture (EA) at GB30/ST36 alleviates sciatic nerve injury by suppressing autophagy in rats; (2) Meridian-based manual therapy improves shoulder mobility and modulates serum inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-10, TGF-β, TNF-α) in frozen shoulder patients; (3) Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD) promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via ESR1 upregulation. These findings highlight autophagy regulation, immunomodulation, and stem cell differentiation as key mechanistic pathways through which TCM modalities exert their reparative effects. Collectively, these findings bridge traditional TCM practices with modern molecular insights, emphasizing autophagy regulation, immune response modulation, and stem cell differentiation as convergent therapeutic pathways. These results advocate for TCM integration into evidence-based regenerative medicine. This integrative approach not only deepens the scientific understanding of TCM mechanisms but also supports its clinical application in managing complex musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, offering promising avenues for developing novel treatment strategies that combine traditional wisdom with contemporary biomedical research.

Published in	American Journal of Life Sciences (Volume 13, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14
Page(s)	208-212
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Electroacupuncture, Autophagy, Peripheral Nerve Injury, Frozen Shoulder, Osteogenic Differentiation, HGWD, ESR1

1. Introduction

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) and degenerative joint diseases like osteoarthritis (OA) pose substantial clinical challenges

[1-3]

due to limited regenerative capacity and incomplete functional recovery. While surgical and pharmacological interventions provide symptomatic relief, they often fail to address underlying pathophysiology

[4, 5].

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers alternative strategies through multimodal approaches, including acupuncture, manual therapy, and herbal medicine

[6-8]

Recent studies highlight the mechanistic basis of TCM: electroacupuncture (EA) modulates autophagy in nerve repair

[9]

; manual techniques regulate inflammatory cytokines

[10]

; and herbal formulas like HGWD target osteogenic pathways

[11]

. This paper synthesizes findings from three studies to elucidate how TCM interventions bridge traditional practices with modern molecular biology, offering novel insights for regenerative medicine.

2. Methods

2.1. Study Design

1) EA experiments: Sciatic nerve crush model in SD rats; EA at GB30/ST36 (15 min/day, 7 days)

[9]

2) Clinical trial: 120 frozen shoulder patients randomized to meridian-based manual therapy or conventional massage

[10]

3) Cellular assays: BMSC isolation, osteogenic induction, and ESR1 knockdown

[11]

2.2. Analytical Approaches

Network pharmacology (TCMSP, STRING), Western blot, qPCR, ELISA, histomorphometry, and functional scales (SFI, VAS). Statistical analysis used ANOVA with Tukey’s test (p<0.05).

3. Results

3.1. EA Suppresses Autophagy to Accelerate Nerve Regeneration

EA at GB30/ST36 significantly improved sciatic functional index (SFI) and histomorphometric parameters (e.g., myelinated fiber count). Western blot revealed downregulation of autophagy markers (LC3B-II/I, Beclin-1) and upregulation of p62.

Download: Download full-size image

Figure 1. Network pharmacology analysis of the active components and core target screening of HGWD. A The primary active compounds of HGWD; B Venn diagram showing the overlap between drug targets of HGWD and osteoarthritis related disease targets; C “Herbal component-target-disease” network for HGWD in the treatment of osteoarthritis, con structed using Cytoscape; D protein–protein interaction network of shared targets between HGWD and osteoarthritis; E Core targets of HGWD in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

3.2. Manual Therapy Modulates Inflammation in Frozen Shoulder

Download: Download full-size image

Figure 2. Identification of rat BMSCs. A morphology of BMSCs observed under a microscope; B surface markers of BMSCs were detected by flow cytometry; C osteogenic differentiation ability of BMSCs was assessed using Alizarin Red staining; D adipogenic differentiation ability of BMSCs was assessed using Oil Red O staining. BMSCs, bone marrow mesenchy mal stem cells

Meridian-based manual therapy outperformed conventional massage, with higher clinical efficacy (90% vs. 71.67%), reduced VAS scores, and improved shoulder mobility. Serum analysis showed elevated IL-10 and decreased TGF-β/TNF-α.

3.3. HGWD Promotes Osteogenesis via ESR1

Download: Download full-size image

Figure 3. HGWD promotes osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. A after BMSCs were treated by HGWD-containing serum, the proliferation ability of BMSCs was detected using CCK-8 assay. BMSCs were treated by 10% HGWD-contain ing serum before induction of osteogenic differentiation. B ALP staining; C detection on ALP activity; D Alizarin Red staining; E–F OCN, RUNX2 and COL1A1 expression level was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01;***, p < 0.001

HGWD-containing serum enhanced BMSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation (ALP activity, mineralization). ESR1 knockdown reversed these effects, confirming ESR1 as a critical target.

4. Discussion

4.1. Convergent Mechanisms

EA, manual therapy, and HGWD collectively target dysregulated pathways: autophagy inhibition, immunomodulation, and osteogenic activation. These mechanisms align with established pathways (e.g., mTOR, Nrf2)

[12-14]

, providing a molecular basis for TCM efficacy.

4.2. Clinical Implications

The multimodal TCM approach addresses both symptoms and underlying pathophysiology. For example, EA’s autophagy regulation complements HGWD’s osteogenic effects, suggesting synergistic potential in combined therapies

[15, 16]

4.3. Limitations and Future Directions

Further studies should optimize intervention parameters (e.g., EA frequency, HGWD dosage) and validate findings in larger cohorts. Longitudinal tracking of functional outcomes will strengthen clinical relevance

[17, 18]

These findings align with established pathways (e.g., mTOR, Nrf2)

[19, 20]

and highlight TCM’s potential in personalized regenerative strategies.

5. Conclusion

TCM modalities-EA, manual therapy, and HGWD-exert reproducible effects through specific molecular mechanisms. This integration of traditional practices with modern science supports TCM’s role in regenerative medicine. This integrative approach not only deepens the scientific understanding of TCM mechanisms but also supports its clinical application in managing complex musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, offering promising avenues for developing novel treatment strategies that combine traditional wisdom with contemporary biomedical research.

Abbreviations

HGWD	Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction
TCM	Traditional Chinese Medicine
BMSCs	Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells
PNI	Peripheral Nerve Injury
OA	Osteoarthritis
EA	Electroacupuncture

Acknowledgments

1) Auxiliary Nature: AI is only a tool; research ideas and scientific conclusions entirely originate from the authors.

2) Professional Verification: All AI outputs were double-verified using traditional medicine knowledge and modern scientific methods.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

References

[1]	Lavasani, Mitra et al. “Muscle-derived stem/progenitor cell dysfunction limits healthspan and lifespan in a murine progeria model.” Nature communications vol. 3 608. 3 Jan. 2012, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1611
[2]	Scheib, Jami, and Ahmet Höke. “Advances in peripheral nerve regeneration.” Nature reviews. Neurology vol. 9,12 (2013): 668-76. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2013.227
[3]	Hawker, Gillian A.“Osteoarthritis is a serious disease.” Clinical and experimental rheumatology vol. 37 Suppl 120,5 (2019): 3-6. PMID: 31621562.
[4]	D’ Arcy Y, et al. Managing chronic pain in older adults: a holistic approach.Postgraduate Medicine. 2021, 133(8), 879-894. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.2022-0274
[5]	Giorgino, Riccardo et al. “Knee Osteoarthritis: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Mesenchymal Stem Cells: What Else Is New? An Update.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 24,7 6405. 29 Mar. 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076405
[6]	Qin, Zongshi et al. “Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Treating Sciatica: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2015 (2015): 425108. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/425108
[7]	Liu W, et al. Deciphering the Molecular Targets and Mechanisms of HGWD in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis via Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020; 2020: 7151634. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7151634
[8]	Li, Wenhao et al. “Prevention and treatment of inflammatory arthritis with traditional Chinese medicine: Underlying mechanisms based on cell and molecular targets.” Ageing research reviews vol. 89 (2023): 101981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2023.101981
[9]	Xiong H, et al. Meridian-based manual therapy modulates cytokine profiles in frozen shoulder: a randomized trial.Acupunct Med. 2024; 42(5): 268-74. https://doi.org/10.1177/09645284241239440
[10]	ZHAO Xin, XIONG Heran, CHEN Meiling, GAO Yang, LONG Chihui, XIANG Chao, HU Yanping, Effects of Meridian and Acupoint Regulation Combined with Trigger Point Kneading and Pulling Techniques on Shoulder Joint Mobility and Inflammatory Factors in Patients with Frozen Shoulder in Acute Phase, Acta Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology, 2024, 52 (12): 89-92. https://doi.org/10.19664/j.cnki.1002-2392.240255
[11]	Zhao X, Hu Y, Xiong H, et al. Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu decoction promoted the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by targeting ESR1. Cytotechnology. 2025;77(3):110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-025-00773-z
[12]	Huang HC, et al. Electroacupuncture suppresses neuroinflammation through autophagy regulation in SNI models. J Mol Neurosci. 2016; 58(4): 416-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-016-0734-7
[13]	Cao S, et al. Low-frequency electroacupuncture ameliorates hippocampal inflammation in post-stroke depression. Brain Res Bull. 2021; 170: 155-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.02.007
[14]	Yang R, et al. Dihydroquercetin modulates gut microbiota to alleviate pancreatic injury in diabetes. Free Radic Biol Med. 2023; 195: 231-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.12.091
[15]	Carvalho CR, et al. Engineering biomaterials for neural regeneration. Biomater Sci. 2018; 6: 1059-75. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7BM01236F
[16]	Vasanthan J, et al. Extracellular vesicles in sarcopenia pathogenesis: a systematic review. Cells. 2020; 9: 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9010054
[17]	Arthur A, Gronthos S. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in skeletal tissue repair..Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21: 9759. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21249759
[18]	Fu X, et al. BMSC extracellular vesicles regulate pyroptosis in osteoarthritis. Cells. 2019; 8: 784. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8080784.
[19]	Gu Y, et al. Mechanical loading promotes osteogenesis via miRNA-21-5p/EIF4EBP1 axis. Cell Prolif. 2023; 56: e13517. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.13517
[20]	Wang N, et al. Senescent cells exacerbate osteoarthritis progression via SASP activation. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2022; 30: 302-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2021.10.011

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Zhao, X., Xiong, H., Chen, M., Hu, Y., Wang, S., et al. (2025). Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration. American Journal of Life Sciences, 13(6), 208-212. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Zhao, X.; Xiong, H.; Chen, M.; Hu, Y.; Wang, S., et al. Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration. Am. J. Life Sci. 2025, 13(6), 208-212. doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Zhao X, Xiong H, Chen M, Hu Y, Wang S, et al. Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration. Am J Life Sci. 2025;13(6):208-212. doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14,
  author = {Xin Zhao and Heran Xiong and Meiling Chen and Yanping Hu and Song Wang and Fan Zhou and Chao Xiang},
  title = {Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration},
  journal = {American Journal of Life Sciences},
  volume = {13},
  number = {6},
  pages = {208-212},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajls.20251306.14},
  abstract = {Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) integrates multimodal interventions,such as acupuncture, manual therapy, and herbal medicine, to address complex disorders involving neural degeneration, skeletal injury, and musculoskeletal impairment. In clinical practice, Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term degenerative joint condition marked by the breakdown of articular cartilage, changes in subchondral bone, and ongoing pain with functional limitations,and peripheral nerve injury is a common medical problem that can be caused by sharp instruments, firearms, stretching or compression. it affects over one million people worldwide annually, making it a global clinical issue with a substantial socioeconomic cost. This study synthesizes evidence from three investigations: (1) Electroacupuncture (EA) at GB30/ST36 alleviates sciatic nerve injury by suppressing autophagy in rats; (2) Meridian-based manual therapy improves shoulder mobility and modulates serum inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-10, TGF-β, TNF-α) in frozen shoulder patients; (3) Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD) promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via ESR1 upregulation. These findings highlight autophagy regulation, immunomodulation, and stem cell differentiation as key mechanistic pathways through which TCM modalities exert their reparative effects. Collectively, these findings bridge traditional TCM practices with modern molecular insights, emphasizing autophagy regulation, immune response modulation, and stem cell differentiation as convergent therapeutic pathways. These results advocate for TCM integration into evidence-based regenerative medicine. This integrative approach not only deepens the scientific understanding of TCM mechanisms but also supports its clinical application in managing complex musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, offering promising avenues for developing novel treatment strategies that combine traditional wisdom with contemporary biomedical research.},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration
AU  - Xin Zhao
AU  - Heran Xiong
AU  - Meiling Chen
AU  - Yanping Hu
AU  - Song Wang
AU  - Fan Zhou
AU  - Chao Xiang
Y1  - 2025/12/11
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14
T2  - American Journal of Life Sciences
JF  - American Journal of Life Sciences
JO  - American Journal of Life Sciences
SP  - 208
EP  - 212
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5737
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14
AB  - Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) integrates multimodal interventions,such as acupuncture, manual therapy, and herbal medicine, to address complex disorders involving neural degeneration, skeletal injury, and musculoskeletal impairment. In clinical practice, Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term degenerative joint condition marked by the breakdown of articular cartilage, changes in subchondral bone, and ongoing pain with functional limitations,and peripheral nerve injury is a common medical problem that can be caused by sharp instruments, firearms, stretching or compression. it affects over one million people worldwide annually, making it a global clinical issue with a substantial socioeconomic cost. This study synthesizes evidence from three investigations: (1) Electroacupuncture (EA) at GB30/ST36 alleviates sciatic nerve injury by suppressing autophagy in rats; (2) Meridian-based manual therapy improves shoulder mobility and modulates serum inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-10, TGF-β, TNF-α) in frozen shoulder patients; (3) Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD) promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via ESR1 upregulation. These findings highlight autophagy regulation, immunomodulation, and stem cell differentiation as key mechanistic pathways through which TCM modalities exert their reparative effects. Collectively, these findings bridge traditional TCM practices with modern molecular insights, emphasizing autophagy regulation, immune response modulation, and stem cell differentiation as convergent therapeutic pathways. These results advocate for TCM integration into evidence-based regenerative medicine. This integrative approach not only deepens the scientific understanding of TCM mechanisms but also supports its clinical application in managing complex musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, offering promising avenues for developing novel treatment strategies that combine traditional wisdom with contemporary biomedical research.
VL  - 13
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Xin Zhao

Department of Tuina Therapy, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0008-0421-5638
Heran Xiong

Department of Tuina Therapy, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0004-4930-1450
Meiling Chen

Department of Cardiology, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0004-4884-9465
Yanping Hu

Department of Tuina Therapy, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0003-0112-3280
Song Wang

Department of Tuina Therapy, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0001-3337-4151
Fan Zhou

Department of Tuina Therapy, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0008-9451-5203
Chao Xiang

Department of Tuina Therapy, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0009-4682-9184

Download PDF

Submit an Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Zhao, X., Xiong, H., Chen, M., Hu, Y., Wang, S., et al. (2025). Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration. American Journal of Life Sciences, 13(6), 208-212. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Zhao, X.; Xiong, H.; Chen, M.; Hu, Y.; Wang, S., et al. Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration. Am. J. Life Sci. 2025, 13(6), 208-212. doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Zhao X, Xiong H, Chen M, Hu Y, Wang S, et al. Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration. Am J Life Sci. 2025;13(6):208-212. doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14,
  author = {Xin Zhao and Heran Xiong and Meiling Chen and Yanping Hu and Song Wang and Fan Zhou and Chao Xiang},
  title = {Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration},
  journal = {American Journal of Life Sciences},
  volume = {13},
  number = {6},
  pages = {208-212},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajls.20251306.14},
  abstract = {Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) integrates multimodal interventions,such as acupuncture, manual therapy, and herbal medicine, to address complex disorders involving neural degeneration, skeletal injury, and musculoskeletal impairment. In clinical practice, Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term degenerative joint condition marked by the breakdown of articular cartilage, changes in subchondral bone, and ongoing pain with functional limitations,and peripheral nerve injury is a common medical problem that can be caused by sharp instruments, firearms, stretching or compression. it affects over one million people worldwide annually, making it a global clinical issue with a substantial socioeconomic cost. This study synthesizes evidence from three investigations: (1) Electroacupuncture (EA) at GB30/ST36 alleviates sciatic nerve injury by suppressing autophagy in rats; (2) Meridian-based manual therapy improves shoulder mobility and modulates serum inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-10, TGF-β, TNF-α) in frozen shoulder patients; (3) Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD) promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via ESR1 upregulation. These findings highlight autophagy regulation, immunomodulation, and stem cell differentiation as key mechanistic pathways through which TCM modalities exert their reparative effects. Collectively, these findings bridge traditional TCM practices with modern molecular insights, emphasizing autophagy regulation, immune response modulation, and stem cell differentiation as convergent therapeutic pathways. These results advocate for TCM integration into evidence-based regenerative medicine. This integrative approach not only deepens the scientific understanding of TCM mechanisms but also supports its clinical application in managing complex musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, offering promising avenues for developing novel treatment strategies that combine traditional wisdom with contemporary biomedical research.},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Integrative Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Mechanistic Insights into Neural Repair and Osteoarticular Regeneration
AU  - Xin Zhao
AU  - Heran Xiong
AU  - Meiling Chen
AU  - Yanping Hu
AU  - Song Wang
AU  - Fan Zhou
AU  - Chao Xiang
Y1  - 2025/12/11
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14
T2  - American Journal of Life Sciences
JF  - American Journal of Life Sciences
JO  - American Journal of Life Sciences
SP  - 208
EP  - 212
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5737
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajls.20251306.14
AB  - Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) integrates multimodal interventions,such as acupuncture, manual therapy, and herbal medicine, to address complex disorders involving neural degeneration, skeletal injury, and musculoskeletal impairment. In clinical practice, Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term degenerative joint condition marked by the breakdown of articular cartilage, changes in subchondral bone, and ongoing pain with functional limitations,and peripheral nerve injury is a common medical problem that can be caused by sharp instruments, firearms, stretching or compression. it affects over one million people worldwide annually, making it a global clinical issue with a substantial socioeconomic cost. This study synthesizes evidence from three investigations: (1) Electroacupuncture (EA) at GB30/ST36 alleviates sciatic nerve injury by suppressing autophagy in rats; (2) Meridian-based manual therapy improves shoulder mobility and modulates serum inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-10, TGF-β, TNF-α) in frozen shoulder patients; (3) Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD) promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via ESR1 upregulation. These findings highlight autophagy regulation, immunomodulation, and stem cell differentiation as key mechanistic pathways through which TCM modalities exert their reparative effects. Collectively, these findings bridge traditional TCM practices with modern molecular insights, emphasizing autophagy regulation, immune response modulation, and stem cell differentiation as convergent therapeutic pathways. These results advocate for TCM integration into evidence-based regenerative medicine. This integrative approach not only deepens the scientific understanding of TCM mechanisms but also supports its clinical application in managing complex musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, offering promising avenues for developing novel treatment strategies that combine traditional wisdom with contemporary biomedical research.
VL  - 13
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download