Abstract:

This study aims to explore different construction methods for animal models of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes and their advantages and disadvantages, to propose optimization strategies for existing problems in current construction methods, and to provide reference for constructing animal models of TCM syndromes that both preserve the essence of TCM syndromes and conform to modern scientific research standards. Using "traditional Chinese medicine", "syndrome", and "animal model" as key words, articles related to animal models of TCM syndromes from CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases are searched and reviewed. Then the theoretical basis, technical characteristics, and existing problems of the main construction methods of current TCM syndrome animal models are systematically sorted out, and corresponding optimization measures are proposed for the existing problems. The construction methods of TCM syndrome animal models include TCM etiology and pathogenesis construction, modern medical etiology and pathology construction, and integration of TCM and Western medicine for diseases and syndromes. The TCM etiology and pathogenesis construction method is guided by a holistic perspective, constructing syndrome models by simulating external factors such as six pathogenic factors and emotional disorders. Although it conforms to TCM theoretical connotation and has simple operation and strong controllability, this method has problems such as low modeling success rate and poor etiology-syndrome fit. The modern medical etiology and pathology construction method is based on microscopic pathological mechanisms, adopting highly controllable technical means such as drug intervention and surgical modeling. Although it has the characteristics of clear objective indicators and excellent reproducibility, this method has defects such as deviation from the essence of TCM "syndrome" and insufficient safety. The integrated TCM-Western medicine disease-syndrome method shows significant complementarity in syndrome essence restoration degree and technical feasibility, achieves systematic integration of TCM basic theories and clinical syndrome differentiation thinking in methodology, and integrates the objective evaluation system of modern medicine, improving the clinical consistency between Western medicine pathological mechanisms and TCM syndrome evolution patterns. However, this method still faces common challenges such as ambiguous syndrome identification standards and distortion of disease progression simulation. The construction of TCM syndrome animal models faces challenges such as poor theoretical adaptability and poor technical standardization, but has irreplaceable value in verifying the efficacy of prescriptions and promoting the internationalization of TCM. In the future, the construction of TCM syndrome animal models should be optimized through measures such as optimizing animal selection, improving the theoretical basis of preparation methods, standardizing the setting of modeling factors, and clarifying the standard for modeling success.

Key words: Animal model, Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome, Etiology and pathogenesis of traditional Chinese medicine, Integration of disease and syndrome, Syndrome differentiation and treatment