Interpreting the efficacy enhancement mechanism of Chinese medicine processing from a biopharmaceutic perspective

Abstract Chinese medicine processing (CMP) is a unique pharmaceutical technology that distinguishes it from natural medicines. Current research primarily focuses on changes in chemical components to understand the mechanisms behind efficacy enhancement in processing. However, this paper presents a novel perspective on the biopharmaceutics of CMP. It provides a comprehensive overview of the current research, emphasizing two crucial aspects: the role of ‘heat’ during processing and the utilization of processing adjuvants. The paper highlights the generation of easily absorbed components through the hydrolysis of glycosides by ‘heat’, as well as the facilitation of dissolution, absorption, and targeted distribution of active components through the utilization of processing adjuvants. From a biopharmaceutic perspective, this paper provides a lucid comprehension of the scientific foundation for augmenting the efficacy of CMP. Moreover, it proposes a three-dimensional research framework encompassing chemical reactions, phase transitions, and biopharmaceutical properties to further investigate the mechanisms involved in enhancing the efficacy of CMP. Graphical Abstract