The Application of Microfluidics in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research

Microfluidics enables precise manipulation of scarce Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) samples while accelerating analysis and enhancing sensitivity. Device-level structures explain these gains: staggered herringbone and serpentine mixers overcome low-Reynolds-number constraints to shorten diffusion distances and reduce incubation time; flow-focusing or T-junction droplet generators create one-droplet-one-reaction compartments that suppress cross-talk and support high-throughput screening; "Christmas-tree" gradient generators deliver quantitative dosing landscapes for mechanism-aware assays; micropillar/weir arrays and nanostructured capture surfaces raise surface-to-volume ratios and probe density, improving capture efficiency and limits of detection; porous-membrane, perfused organ-on-a-chip architectures recreate apical-basolateral transport and physiological shear, enabling metabolism-aware pharmacology and predictive toxicology; wax-patterned paper microfluidics (µPADs) use capillary networks for instrument-free metering in field settings; and lab-on-a-disc radial channels/valves exploit centrifugal pumping for parallelised workflows. Framed by key performance indicators-sensitivity (LOD/LOQ), reliability/reproducibility, time-to-result, throughput, sample volume, and sustainability/cost-this review synthesises how such structures translate into value across TCM quality/safety control, toxicology, pharmacology, screening, and delivery. Emphasis on structure-function relationships clarifies where microfluidics most effectively closes gaps between chemical fingerprints and biological potency and indicates practical routes for standardisation and deployment.