Review of Traditional Chinese Botanical Medicine in Membranous Nephropathy

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Frontiers in Medicine Published April 18, 2026 Medically reviewed April 25, 2026 DOI ↗ By Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development

Key Takeaway

Note that this review lacks reported safety or efficacy data for CHMs in membranous nephropathy.

This publication is a narrative review focusing on the application of Traditional Chinese Botanical Medicine (CHMs) and their active metabolites in the context of membranous nephropathy. The scope of the article encompasses the exploration of these botanical interventions as potential therapeutic options for this specific kidney condition. The authors synthesize existing literature to provide an overview of current knowledge regarding these treatments.

The review does not report specific sample sizes, primary or secondary outcomes, or follow-up durations for the underlying studies. Consequently, no pooled effect sizes or quantitative efficacy data are presented within this synthesis. The text highlights that critical details regarding the study populations and intervention protocols were not reported in the source material.

Regarding safety, the review does not report specific adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuation rates, or overall tolerability profiles associated with CHM use. The authors note significant limitations in the available evidence, including the absence of reported funding sources or potential conflicts of interest. These gaps prevent a definitive assessment of the risk-benefit profile of these botanical medicines.

Due to the incomplete nature of the data and the lack of reported certainty notes, the practice relevance of these findings is currently unclear. Clinicians should interpret these qualitative conclusions with caution, recognizing that the evidence base for CHMs in membranous nephropathy remains insufficient to support specific clinical recommendations at this time.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedApr 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

Membranous nephropathy (MN), an autoimmune glomerulopathy driven by podocyte antigens, is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, its pathogenic mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This knowledge gap results in significant physical and psychological burdens for patients worldwide and poses substantial challenges for clinical management. Current conventional treatments for MN are often associated with significant side effects and may not yield satisfactory outcomes. Therefore, the development of more efficacious and better-tolerated therapeutic strategies for MN is imperative. Given these clinical challenges, Traditional Chinese Botanical Medicine (CHMs), with their multi-component and multi-target characteristics, have emerged as a promising alternative or complementary therapeutic approach for MN. This review aims to summarize the evidence on the mechanisms and clinical efficacy of CHMs and their active metabolites in treating MN, drawing from findings reported in animal experiments, clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It seeks to elucidate the potential advantages of CHMs in MN management and to provide a reference for future research in this field. Study design and methods: For this review, the following major academic research databases were consulted: PubMed, ResearchGate, Science Direct, and Web of Science. “Glomerulonephritis, Membranous [MeSH Terms] OR Extramembranous Glomerulopathy [Text Word] OR Membranous Glomerulonephropathy [Text word] OR Membranous Nephropathy [Text word] OR Idiopathic Membranous Glomerulonephritis [Text word]OR Glomerulonephritides, Idiopathic Membranous. [Text word]),” “(Medicine, Chinese Traditional [MeSH Terms] OR Medicine, Chinese Traditional [Text Word] OR Medicine, Chinese Traditional [Text word] OR Tongue Diagnosis, Traditional [Text word] OR Traditional Tongue Assessment [Text word],” “Drugs, Chinese Herbal [MeSH Terms] OR Chinese Drugs, Plant [Text Word] OR Chinese Herbal Drugs [Text word] OR Plant Extracts, Chinese [Text word] OR Chinese Plant Extracts [Text word],” “mechanism,” “Meta-analysis,” “systematic review,” “RCT,” “botanical drug” and their combinations were the keywords to search the relevant literature. Data were collected from 2019 to 2025.