Zhang JW. Compound danshen dripping pills for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy: Efficacy, mechanisms, and future directions. World J Diabetes 2026; 17(5): 118684 [DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v17.i5.118684]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Jin-Wei Zhang, PhD, Principal Investigator, Professor, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Research Center of Chemical Kinomics, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China. jinweizhang@sioc.ac.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Biology
Article-Type of This Article
Opinion Review
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World J Diabetes. May 15, 2026; 17(5): 118684 Published online May 15, 2026. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v17.i5.118684
Compound danshen dripping pills for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy: Efficacy, mechanisms, and future directions
Jin-Wei Zhang
Jin-Wei Zhang, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Research Center of Chemical Kinomics, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
Author contributions: Zhang JW designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript, contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript, the writing and editing of the manuscript, illustrations, and review of the literature.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82170406 and No. 81970238.
AI contribution statement: AI tools (Grammarly and DeepL) were used solely for linguistic refinement and formatting assistance. This is a non-research type manuscript, therefore no artificial intelligence tools participated in the study design, experimental scheme formulation, data processing, result analysis or scientific discussion and interpretation of research findings.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Jin-Wei Zhang, PhD, Principal Investigator, Professor, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Research Center of Chemical Kinomics, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China. jinweizhang@sioc.ac.cn
Received: January 12, 2026 Revised: February 8, 2026 Accepted: April 9, 2026 Published online: May 15, 2026 Processing time: 123 Days and 5.2 Hours
Abstract
Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), the early stage of diabetic retinopathy, is a leading cause of visual impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, characterized by retinal microaneurysms, hemorrhages, exudates, and macular edema. Conventional Western therapies, while partially effective, often carry limitations such as high costs, potential adverse effects, and incomplete control of disease progression, creating an unmet clinical need for safer and more comprehensive treatment options. Compound danshen dripping pills (CDDP), a patented traditional Chinese medicine formulation composed of extracts from Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (danshen) and Radix Panax Notoginseng (sanqi), has been widely used in clinical practice for decades to manage cardiovascular and microvascular disorders, and emerging evidence suggests its potential in NPDR management. This review synthesizes the latest findings from more than 65 published studies, including randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, network meta-analyses, preclinical investigations, and molecular studies, to comprehensively evaluate CDDP’s efficacy, safety, and underlying mechanisms in NPDR; discusses CDDP’s multi-targeted effects on key pathophysiological pathways of NPDR, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and microvascular dysfunction, and explores its synergistic effects when combined with conventional Western therapies; and highlights critical research gaps and outline future directions to validate CDDP’s utility and facilitate its integration into global clinical guidelines for NPDR management. The accumulated evidence confirms that CDDP is a safe and effective therapeutic option for NPDR, with a favorable safety profile and multi-faceted mechanisms of action, though further high-quality research is needed to address limitations in current studies and expand its clinical application.
Core Tip: Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, a common type 2 diabetes complication, has Western therapies limited by cost, side effects, and incomplete control. Compound danshen dripping pills, a patented traditional Chinese medicine, improves retinal health (reducing microaneurysms and edema) alone or with Western drugs via multi-targeted pathways, with mild side effects. Research gaps exist; future studies should address these to integrate compound danshen dripping pills into global guidelines.
