Clinical Interventions in Aging (Jun 2023)
Gut Microbiota and Aging: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Medicine
Abstract
Jinfan Li,1,2,* Dong Li,3,* Yajie Chen,4,* Wenbin Chen,2,5,6 Jin Xu,2,5,6 Ling Gao2,5,6 1Department of First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250000, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Diabetes, Licheng District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation and Health Care, Jinan Vocational College of Nursing, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, People’s Republic of China; 5Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China; 6Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ling Gao, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: The changing composition of gut microbiota, much like aging, accompanies people throughout their lives, and the inextricable relationship between both has recently attracted extensive attention as well. Modern medical research has revealed that a series of changes in gut microbiota are involved in the aging process of organisms, which may be because gut microbiota modulates aging-related changes related to innate immunity and cognitive function. At present, there is no definite and effective method to delay aging. However, Nobel laureate Tu Youyou’s research on artemisinin has inspired researchers to study the importance of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM, as an ancient alternative medicine, has unique advantages in preventive health care and in treating diseases as it already has formed an independent understanding of the aging system. TCM practitioners believe that the mechanism of aging is mainly deficiency, and pathological states such as blood stasis, qi stagnation and phlegm coagulation can exacerbate the process of aging, which involves a series of organs, including the brain, kidney, heart, liver and spleen. Our current understanding of aging has led us to realise that TCM can indeed make some beneficial changes, such as the improvement of cognitive impairment. However, due to the multi-component and multi-target nature of TCM, the exploration of its mechanism of action has become extremely complex. While analysing the relationship between gut microbiota and aging, this review explores the similarities and differences in treatment methods and mechanisms between TCM and Modern Medicine, in order to explore a new approach that combines TCM and Modern Medicine to regulate gut microbiota, improve immunity and delay aging.Keywords: gut microbiota, aging, traditional Chinese medicine, microbiota-gut-brain axis
