Analysis of the research on the treatment of colorectal cancer with traditional Chinese medicine at different levels based on the holistic concept

Colorectal cancer is a major cancer threatening the life and health of people worldwide. With the transformation of modern medical models, treatment strategies represented by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with multiple targets have become a new research direction in the treatment of colorectal cancer. In the study of TCM, in addition to deconstructing the components and targets of TCM based on reductionism, more attention should be paid to the holistic concept in the basic theories of TCM, analyzing and understanding the mechanism of action of TCM treatment from a holistic perspective. TCM compound prescriptions, as a collection of single herbs, are composed of various monomers. Viewing TCM from different levels and considering different herbs and monomers as a whole helps us better understand TCM. At the same time, TCM has the characteristic of multiple targets. In addition to directly acting on tumor cells themselves, it can also affect the intestinal flora to improve the tumor microenvironment, treating tumors in an all-round and multi-dimensional way, regulating the physical functions of tumor patients from a holistic perspective, and comprehensively improving the health status of the individual. This review aims to systematically elaborate on the efficacy and multi-target mechanism of TCM in the treatment of colorectal cancer from three levels: TCM compound prescriptions, single herbs, and TCM monomers, based on clinical trials and preclinical research results. Meanwhile, this article will combine systems biology with the holistic view of TCM to conduct an in-depth analysis of related research on TCM treatment of colorectal cancer.