Invigorating the spleen and kidney

"Invigorating the spleen and kidney" (Jianpi Bushen) is a foundational therapeutic principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) rather than a single molecular target or receptor. According to TCM theory, the Spleen is the "acquired foundation" responsible for digestion and nutrient transformation, while the Kidney is the "congenital foundation" storing essence and governing growth and development (NIH/NCCIH, 2023). When these systems are deficient, it leads to chronic depletion characterized by fatigue, muscle wasting, and impaired immunity. In modern pharmacological contexts, this principle is applied using complex herbal formulas that exert multi-target effects on the neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) network and mitochondrial energy metabolism (PubMed: 32801452). Research indicates that therapies following the Jianpi Bushen principle can improve clinical outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease by reducing proteinuria and slowing the decline of glomerular filtration rates (PubMed: 34151241). In oncology, these interventions are frequently used as adjuvant therapies to mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy, such as myelosuppression and cancer-related fatigue, by modulating cytokine profiles and enhancing hematopoietic function (PubMed: 30554553). Because it represents a clinical strategy involving polypharmacy through herbal decoctions, it does not fit the conventional definition of a protein-based drug target, but it serves as a framework for identifying synergistic bioactive compounds.

Other names

Jianpi BushenStrengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidneySupplementing the spleen and kidneyTonifying the spleen and kidney

Modulation of the neuroendocrine-immune network, regulation of the gut microbiota-bone axis, and inhibition of inflammatory signaling pathways such as NF-κB and JAK/STAT.