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Single-cell omics reveal the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines
Baoping Jiang1, Jiayi Si1, Hongmei Luo1
1State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100193, China.
Background:
Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have a long-standing history and diverse applications. However, their complex multi-component compositions and intricate mechanisms of action pose significant challenges for modern scientific investigation. Addressing these complexities requires advanced techniques capable of dissecting cellular and molecular interactions with high resolution.
Purpose:
This review highlights the transformative potential of single-cell omics in TCM research. It explores how this cutting-edge approach can reveal cellular heterogeneity, characterize functional cell states, and clarify the distinct effects of multi-component formulas. Furthermore, it emphasizes the role of single-cell omics in the modernization and scientific validation of TCMs.
Study-Design/Methods:
Data for this review were sourced from various scientific databases up to June 2025. The search strategy was built using two sets of keywords combined with "AND" and "OR" logic, including: ("single-cell" OR "scRNA-seq" OR "scATAC-seq" OR "spatial transcriptomics") AND ("traditional Chinese medicine" OR "herbal medicine" OR "medicinal plant"). Exclusions comprised non-TCM interventions, studies lacking mechanistic clarity, non-single-cell, or inaccessible data.
Results:
Single-cell omics enables high-throughput, unbiased profiling of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic landscapes at single-cell resolution. By identifying active constituents, pinpointing therapeutic targets, and elucidating mechanisms of action, it offers profound insights into the pharmacological and therapeutic properties of TCMs. This review also summarizes recent advances in applying ingle-cell omics to TCMs, including its roles in drug discovery, efficacy evaluation, and toxicity assessment. Despite its advantages, challenges remain, such as technological limitations and data complexity.
Conclusion:
Finally, the review proposes strategies for integrating single-cell omics into TCM research, paving new avenues for global application and modernization.
