Analysis of traditional Chinese medicine based on microbial fermentation and transformation

Abstract

Microbial fermentation and alteration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important way to achieve 
a amalgamation of modern biotechnology and TCM’s research, and gaining an increasing worldwide 
popularity as a new type of traditional Chinese medicinal processing approach to develop pharmaceuticals 
in therapeutic applications. This new technology not only broadens the scope of TCM’s research and 
application, but also provides us a new idea and way to understand and use TCM scientifically and 
effectively. This paper reviews the current status of microbial fermentation and transformation of TCM at 
home and abroad, mainly from TCM’s ideas, principles, existed problems and significances of research. 
The focus is on medicinal fungi fermentation and transformation of TCM. In the discussion of specific 
microorganisms, the emphasis is placed on Grifola frondosa (G. frondosa or Maitake) and Ganoderma 
lucidum (G. lucidum), for which experimental work has been on-going actively in the authors' laboratories. 
Other selected microorganisms will be discussed only briefly, aiming primarily to illustrate the current 
status of research in this area.