Abstract
Processing, a key characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), enhances the efficacy and safety of Chinese materia medica (CMM) in clinics. It plays an important role in TCM. Studies on processing mechanisms involved in CMM promote the development of TCM. However, most studies on the mechanisms used for processing CMM do not reflect the holistic theory of TCM because they are based only on analysis of some specific chemical components and biochemical indices which do not support the TCM characteristics of network target and multicomponent therapeutics. Fortunately, the perspective of systems biology is consistent with the holistic theory of TCM. Metabolomics, a key tool in systems biology, has been widely used to investigate the processing mechanism of CMM for many years. In this work, current applications of metabolomics in elucidating mechanisms used for processing of CMM were systematically reviewed and discussed in terms of changes in chemical components, toxicity and efficacy of CMM before and after processing. This work provides researchers a clear and concise reference on the current application of metabolomics in investigation of mechanisms used in processing of CMM. Moreover, this work provides a guide on how to investigate the mechanisms used in processing of CMM, based on metabolomics.
 Keywords: Chinese materia medica, Processing mechanism, Metabolomics, Holistic theory
Highlights
Unlike Western herbs, most Chinese materia medica (CMM) may be steamed, fried, charred, boiled, or treated with excipients such as vinegar or yellow rice wine before they are used in manufacturing CMM products and decoctions [1]
The perspectives of most of these studies do not reflect the holistic theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) because they involve investigations of the effect of processing on toxicity and efficacy of CMM based only on measurements of some specific chemical components and biochemical indices [4,5]
These studies are not adequate for elucidating the mechanisms involved in the processing of CMM based on the holistic theory of TCM
Summary
Unlike Western herbs, most Chinese materia medica (CMM) may be steamed, fried, charred, boiled, or treated with excipients such as vinegar or yellow rice wine before they are used in manufacturing CMM products and decoctions [1]. The perspectives of most of these studies do not reflect the holistic theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) because they involve investigations of the effect of processing on toxicity and efficacy of CMM based only on measurements of some specific chemical components and biochemical indices [4,5].
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