As the global population ages, there is an increasing demand for interventions aimed at extending healthspan. Ageing is a complex process characterized by interconnected mechanisms such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, impaired autophagy, genomic instability, proteostasis loss, stem cell exhaustion, and gut microbiota dysbiosis.
What this study does not show
This review does not provide direct clinical evidence or outcomes from human studies regarding the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) products in modulating ageing-related pathways.
This narrative review integrates existing evidence on ageing-related pathways and evaluates various natural products and formulations derived from TCM. The focus is on bioactive compounds, plant polysaccharides, herbal extracts, and classical TCM formulations that have been reported to exhibit geroprotective effects.
Key findings indicate that TCM-derived natural products and formulations act as multi-target pharmacological modulators rather than focusing on isolated targets. For instance, constituents such as ginsenosides and plant polysaccharides have been shown to regulate oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, metabolic signalling, and autophagy.
Moreover, classical TCM formulations demonstrate multi-component effects on genomic stability, mitochondrial function, immune regulation, and microbiota homeostasis. These findings suggest that TCM-derived natural products and formulations hold potential as multi-target pharmacological strategies for promoting healthy ageing.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: Not established
- Clinical validity: Not established
- Clinical utility: Not established
The evidence presented in this review is based on a narrative synthesis of existing literature, and no specific clinical trials or studies were conducted to validate the findings.