The Journal of Practical Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (15): 2752-2760.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.15.011

• Treatise:Mechanism and Practice • Previous Articles    

Research progress on mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating ulcerative colitis based on the gut microbiota-short-chain fatty acid axis

Xuelian KANG1,Bo ZHANG2(),Pengfei YANG1   

  1. 1.School of Clinical Chinese Medicine,Gansu University of Chinese Medicine,Lanzhou 730000,Gansu,China
    2.Department of Anorectal Surgery,Affiliated Qingyang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Gansu University of Chinese Medicine,Qingyang 745000,Gansu,China
  • Received:2026-04-14 Revised:2026-06-21 Accepted:2026-06-22 Online:2026-08-10 Published:2026-08-13
  • Contact: Bo ZHANG E-mail:1141093237@126.com

Abstract:

The dysfunction of the gut microbiota-short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) axis serves as a crucial microecological mechanism underlying the onset and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC). As key metabolites of the gut microbiota, SCFAs are involved in the pathological process of UC by maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier, regulating immune and inflammatory responses, restoring microecological homeostasis, and inhibiting inflammatory signaling pathways. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is distinguished by its multi-component, multi-target, and holistic regulatory effects. It can modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, enrich SCFA-producing strains, and increase SCFA levels, thus exerting protective effects on the intestinal mucosa, anti-inflammatory effects, and immunomodulatory effects. The article summarizes the research progress of TCM in intervening in UC through regulating the gut microbiota-SCFA axis, discusses existing problems and future research directions, and offers theoretical evidence for the prevention and treatment of UC with TCM targeting intestinal microecology.

Key words: gut microbiota-short-chain fatty acids, ulcerative colitis, traditional Chinese medicine, mechanism of action

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