Herbal formulas and gastrointestinal motility: Bridging traditional medicine and mechanistic insights

Abstract

Wang et al provide preclinical evidence that specific traditional herbal formulas, like Pyeongwi-san, can improve gastrointestinal (GI) motility under stress. Pyeongwi-san enhances GI transit, boosts serotonin levels, restores short-chain fatty acid balance, and reduces inflammation. The clinical significance of this research is its potential for standardized herbal remedies for GI disorders, such as dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. At the same time, using only male mice, a single dose regimen, and relatively small cohorts highlights the need for further validation, including sex-specific responses, dose-effect relationships, and translational clinical studies. In summary, readers will find value in this article because it provides mechanistic details, bridges tradition with modern science, deals transparently with its limitations, and paves the way for clinically relevant innovation in GI health. Future investigations should focus on clinical validation and personalized therapeutic strategies that harness both microbiome-gut-brain interactions and the long history of herbal medicine.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal motility; Cold stress-induced dyspepsia; Traditional herbal formulas; Mouse model; Comparative evaluation; Digestive function; Phytotherapy

Core Tip: Functional gastrointestinal disorders such as dyspepsia encompass complex pathophysiological mechanisms for which safe and effective treatments remain limited. This research provides new evidence that traditional herbal formulas can ameliorate cold stress induced impairment of gastrointestinal motility in a mouse model, offering mechanistic insight into their therapeutic potential. Additionally, this research demonstrates that standard methods could link traditional herbal practices with modern treatments. Further translational research is needed to monitor the impact of these methods on patients suffering from functional dyspepsia.