Mechanism of action and research advancements of Qi-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of type 2 diabetic mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder marked by persistent hyperglycemia, potentially leading to irreversible organ damage and posing significant risks to patients' health and life. The prevailing treatments for T2DM consist of oral medications and insulin injections; nonetheless, they are constrained by numerous adverse reactions, drug resistance, and a singular mechanism of action. Qi-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine (QTTCM) is efficacious in the prevention and treatment of T2DM. Research indicates that QTTCM primarily modulates the PI3K/Akt, Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 (IRS-1)/phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase(PI3K)/Protein kinase B(Akt), glucose transporter (GLUT) and Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) pathways to enhance the proliferation of pancreatic islet β-cells, restore their functionality, ameliorate insulin resistance (IR), rectify disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism, mitigate oxidative stress, and suppress inflammation. Consequently, QTTCM sustains glucose homeostasis in patients with T2DM through multiple pathways and targets, thereby improving the pathological state of slow metabolism, which is advantageous for the prevention and treatment of T2DM. QTTCM exerts a beneficial therapeutic impact on T2DM by sustaining glucose homeostasis and enhancing metabolic rate in T2DM patients via many pathways and targets.