Review of TCM formulas for delaying aging: proposed mechanisms and translational roadmap
This review links classical Traditional Chinese Medicine gerontology with the 14 modern hallmarks of aging and sorts representative formulas into four mechanistic groups. It proposes network pharmacology, AI-driven target screening and proteomic aging clocks, and discusses translation challenges. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The review links classical TCM gerontology with the 14 modern hallmarks of aging and groups representative formulas by mechanism. [1]
The authors say they introduced network pharmacology with AI-driven target screening and proteomic aging clocks to assess biological age. [1]
The review discusses challenges in chemical complexity, mechanistic completeness and clinical translation and proposes a development roadmap. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Review (abstract)
- Population / context
- Not specified in the abstract; the review concerns aging biology and TCM anti-aging formulas generally.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- October 1, 2026
TCM formulas and the 14 hallmarks of aging
The review describes aging as a systemic decline in physiological integrity that drives chronic diseases such as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disorders and metabolic syndromes, and notes rapid global population aging. It integrates recent advances in anti-aging research on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas, which it characterizes as multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway. The authors bridge classical TCM gerontology with the 14 modern hallmarks of aging and sort representative formulas into four mechanistic groups: mitochondrial homeostasis and autophagy; cellular senescence and the inflammatory microenvironment; stem cell maintenance and epigenetic reprogramming; and gut microbiota and systemic metabolism.
Supporting source [1]
Proposed methods: network pharmacology, AI screening, aging clocks
Under methodological innovations, the authors say they introduced network pharmacology combined with AI-driven target screening and proteomic aging clocks to assess biological age. They also discuss the holistic efficacy, key bioactive constituents and multi-component synergy of the formulas. These are described as proposed approaches within a review, not as validated tools or demonstrated human benefits.
Supporting source [1]
Stated challenges and roadmap toward healthy longevity
The review discusses challenges in chemical complexity, mechanistic completeness and clinical translation, and proposes a roadmap for development. It presents an integrative model combining TCM principles with modern aging biology, intended to offer insights for translational research toward healthy longevity. The abstract does not report a study design, sample, follow-up or measured outcomes, so no efficacy or safety conclusions can be drawn from it.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. No study design, sample, follow-up or measured outcomes are reported, so efficacy and safety remain unestablished.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Jin C, Du D, Yu X, Ji X, Zhang X, Li A, Zu S, Qu B, Zhao D, Wu D, Liu M. · europepmc.org · October 1, 2026