©The Author(s) 2026. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 7, 2026; 32(1): 115543
Published online Jan 7, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i1.115543
Published online Jan 7, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i1.115543
Herbal medicine beyond probiotics: Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang powder and the holistic regulation of gut microbiota in ulcerative colitis
Hua-Jun Zhang, Shui-Quan Jin, Ding-Jun Cai, Yuyao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningbo 315400, Zhejiang Province, China
Zhi-Peng He, Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310000, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang HJ conceptualized the commentary, provided critical insights on the traditional Chinese medicine mechanistic interpretation, and reviewed the final manuscript; Jin SQ drafted the initial manuscript, with a focus on the microbiological and pharmacological perspectives; Cai DJ performed the literature review and provided critical revisions for intellectual content; He ZP supervised the project, provided expertise on the clinical integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern gastroenterology, and finalized the manuscript for submission; all the authors critically revised and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Zhi-Peng He, MD, Professor, Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), No. 54 Youdian Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310000, Zhejiang Province, China. hezhipeng0901@163.com
Received: October 20, 2025
Revised: November 8, 2025
Accepted: November 18, 2025
Published online: January 7, 2026
Processing time: 77 Days and 23.8 Hours
Revised: November 8, 2025
Accepted: November 18, 2025
Published online: January 7, 2026
Processing time: 77 Days and 23.8 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang powder (YFB) represents a paradigm shift in treating ulcerative colitis. Unlike conventional probiotics, YFB restores gut ecosystem equilibrium via a dual pathway: Its compounds directly mitigate inflammation while normalizing the intestinal oxygen landscape. This rectifies the hypoxic environment, explaining the paradoxical reduction of overgrown anaerobes like Bifidobacterium as a sign of ecosystem recovery, not a drawback. Integrating multi-omics techniques reveals YFB’s holistic, synergistic mechanism. Future work should employ molecular dynamics and metabolite assays to further decipher this sophisticated system-rebalancing approach.