Background: The use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been widely promoted as a natural and safe way to treat illness during pregnancy. However, prescription patterns and factors influencing its use are largely unknown. Therefore, we conducted a population-based study to address these questions.Methods: Pregnant women aged 18–50 years were selected from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database between 2001 to 2011. CHM prescriptions and diagnostic records were collected. Demographic data and pre-existing diseases were compared between CHM users and non-users. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify possible factors influencing the use of CHM during pregnancy.Results: A total of 81,873 eligible prescription records were identified, and 16,553 pregnant women were prescribed CHM during pregnancy, yielding a CHM prescription rate of 20.2%. The three most frequently used herbs were Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin) (4.4%), Eucommiae cortex (Du Zhong) (2.5%), and Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu) (2.4%). The most frequently used herbal formulae were Dang-Guei-Shao-Yao-San (4.1%), Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (3.5%), and Xiang-Sha-Liu-Jun-Zi-Tang (2.6%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that subjects with an older age, a university education, a pre-pregnancy history of CHM use, asthma, chronic renal disease, and cardiac valvular disease and living in a residential area other than northern Taiwan had an increase in adjusted odds ratio for CHM use during pregnancy.Conclusions: In this population-based study, we found that demographic factors and pre-existing diseases were associated with the use of CHM among pregnant women. It is worth noting that Leonuri Herba (Yi Mu Cao) and Shao-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang should be used with caution in the first trimester. Further research is needed to explore the safety and effectiveness of the use of CHM in pregnant women.

Breast cancer remains a leading global cause of cancer-related mortality among women, requiring the development of safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. Herbal medicines have gained increasing attention as complementary approaches due to their multi-targeted actions, more limited toxicities, and the potential ability to overcome resistance associated with conventional treatments. This review highlights the antitumor properties and underlying mechanisms of several well-studied herbal compounds, including curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, withaferin A, thymoquinone, baicalin, berberine, Oldenlandia diffusa, and Salvia miltiorrhiza. These phytochemicals exert antitumor effects by inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation and metastasis, modulating immune responses, and sensitizing tumor cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Furthermore, many of these agents regulate key signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT, p53, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2, and the tumor microenvironment. Despite promising preclinical and early clinical evidence, challenges remain regarding the bioavailability, standardization, and large-scale clinical validation of these phytochemicals. This review underscores the therapeutic potential of herbal medicines in breast cancer treatment and advocates for further research to facilitate their integration into evidence-based oncology practice.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent bacterial infections in women, with high recurrence rates and growing concerns over antimicrobial resistance. The need for alternative or adjunctive therapies has spurred interest in plant-based treatments, which offer antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulatory benefits. This review summarizes the mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, and therapeutic potential of various medicinal plants and natural compounds for preventing and treating UTIs in women. Notable candidates include cranberry, bearberry, pomegranate, green tea, and other phytochemicals with proven anti-adhesive and biofilm-disrupting properties. Evidence from clinical trials and meta-analyses supports the role of cranberry natural products and traditional herbal medicines (THMs) in reducing UTI recurrence, especially when combined with antibiotics. Notably, A-type proanthocyanidins in cranberry and arbutin in bearberry are key bioactive compounds that exhibit potent anti-adhesive and biofilm-disrupting properties, offering promising adjunctive strategies for preventing recurrent urinary tract infections. Additionally, emerging therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), show promise in restoring bladder function and reducing infection in women with lower urinary tract dysfunction. Overall, plant-based strategies represent a valuable and well-tolerated complement to conventional therapies and warrant further investigation through high-quality clinical trials to validate their efficacy, safety, and role in personalized UTI management.

Purpose: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is extensively utilized in Asian societies and has shown potential benefits in improving survival rates of patient with specific diseases and anti-aging effects. However, its impact on life expectancy of general population remains relatively unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of TCM utilization on mortality risk and life expectancy in Taiwan. Methods: A nationwide longitudinal cohort study was conducted using data from the Taiwan National Health Interview Survey linked with the National Health Insurance Research Database. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the risk of all-cause mortality between frequent TCM users (≥20% of outpatient visits) and non-frequent users (<20%). A rolling extrapolation algorithm was used to estimate lifetime survival functions, and inverse probability of treatment weighting was integrated to adjust for confounding variables. Results: The study included 12,176 participants (1,596 frequent TCM users and 10,580 non-frequent TCM users) aged ≥55 years, with a median follow-up duration of 10.49 years. After adjustment for confounding factors, frequent TCM users had a longer life expectancy compared to non-frequent TCM users, with a difference of 1.37 years (95% CI: 0.22–3.32). Higher TCM utilization was associated with reduced mortality risk (HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80–0.99). Results remained consistent across dose-response analysis and time-dependent exposure models. Conclusions: This study suggests that higher TCM utilization is associated with longer life expectancy and lower mortality risk among older adults in Taiwan. Further studies are warranted to clarify potential mechanisms and to explore how TCM utilization may complement conventional healthcare in addressing the needs of aging populations.

Introduction: Prediabetes, a stage between normal glycemia and type 2 diabetes, often shows no symptoms but can damage vital organs. Traditional Chinese medicine uses body constitution and meridians to assess health and predict disease risk. Studies on the link between traditional Chinese medicine and prediabetes risk are scarce. This study aimed to examine the association between body constitution and meridian energy in individuals with prediabetes versus matched healthy controls. materials and methods: We conducted a matched case–control study from January to December 2019. Participants were recruited from an outpatient clinic and health examination center at a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. The study involved 30 adults with prediabetes and 30 healthy controls matched for age and sex. 2.2. Ethics This study received approval from the Institutional Review Board of our hospital (approval number: IRB 07-XD-082). The study was conducted in accordance with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. 2.3. Sampling We used convenience sampling, with the following inclusion criteria: (a) previous diagnosis of prediabetes with a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level of 5.7%–6.4% and a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level of 100–125 mg/dL; (b) age ≥ 20 years; and (c) provided informed consent. Healthy individuals whose FPG levels were below 100 mg/dL in at least two blood tests in the past 6 months were included as controls. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (a) use of a hypoglycemic agent within the past 3 months; (b) self-reported catastrophic illness in the last 6 months; (c) pregnancy or lactation; and (d) presence of a pacemaker. 2.4. Measurements The study variables included patient demographic characteristics (age, sex, marital status, education level, and employment status), clinical characteristics (health and medical history), and health behaviors such as smoking habit (yes or no) and alcohol consumption (yes or no). Physiological indicators included body mass index (BMI) and FPG, HbA1c, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Weight and height were measured while the participants wore light clothing and no shoes, and then, the BMI (kg/m2) was calculated. FPG, HbA1c, HDL-C, and LDL-C were quantified by the same laboratory technician who measured the weight and height using standardizedprocedures of the teaching hospital. In this study, data were collected using the scales and devices introduced below. 2.5. Body Constitution The body constitution of the participants was measured using the BCQ, which measures the state of deviation in body constitution during the past month and consists of 44 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The items were organized into three summative subscales: 19 items for yang deficiency (BCQ+), 19 items for yin deficiency (BCQ−), and 16 items for phlegm stasis (BCQs). Body constitution was considered to be yang deficient if the BCQ+ score was ≥ 30.5, yin was considered to be deficient if the BCQ score was ≥ 29.5, and phlegm stasis was considered to exist if the BCQ score was ≥ 26.5. The BCQ was established using the Delphi process with a content validity index of ≥ 0.7. The Cronbach alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient values for each subscale were as follows: BCQ+, 0.88 and 0.91; BCQ–, 0.85 and 0.91; and BCQs, 0.88 and 0.91, respectively (J. D. Lin et al., 2012; J. S. Lin et al., 2012; Su et al., 2008). 2.6. Meridian Energy The Aetoscan meridian energy detection device (MED; Aeto Technology Co. Ltd., Taipei City, Taiwan) uses a low-voltage electrical current (3.7V, 200 μA) to detect 12 meridian energy levels in 24 representative measuring points (RMPs) on the skin of wrists and ankles. The Aetoscan MED analysis report includes the body and balance energy (Lee et al., 2018). Body energy was defined as the average value of 24 RMPs with a normal range of 25–55. Balance energy was measured using metabolic, musculoskeletal, circulatory, mental health, and autonomic nervous system status ratios. The normal range for metabolism, musculoskeletal and circulatory systems, and mental health was set at 0.8–1.2, while that for the autonomic nervous system was 1.5–2.0. All participants were required to rest in a room for 15 min before measurements using the Aetoscan MED and were asked to remove their shoes, socks, and any metal objects that could interfere with the measurements. A skilled operator handled the Aetoscan MED to ensure consistency and reliability following the manufacturer’s recommendations. 2.7. Cohort Size Estimation and Statistical Analysis Various sample size guidelines recommend a cohort size of 30 for both correlational designs (Onwuegbuzie & Collins, 2007). Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software for Windows (version 23.0; IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Analyses of descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, were performed. Differences in the results between individuals with prediabetes and healthy controls were compared using an independent t-test for continuous variables and the Fisher exact test for categorical variables. Variables that were significant in the univariate analysis were subsequently included in the multivariate regression analysis. The associations among body constitution, meridian energy, and prediabetes risk were examined using binary logistic regression analyses. For all analyses, results with P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. 2.8 Theoretical Framework and Calculation This study is grounded in TCM theory, which postulates that imbalances in body constitution and disruptions in meridian energy flow contribute fundamentally to susceptibility to diseases, including metabolic dysregulation such as...