Advances in the Application of Metabolomics in the Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine for the Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease(CKD) represents a global public health challenge and is projected to become the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2040. Current CKD treatment faces dual challenges: the scarcity of specific therapeutic agents and end-stage patients’ reliance on renal replacement therapy. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) compounds such as Shenhua tablet and Huangkui capsule have demonstrated clinically definite efficacy in CKD treatment. However, their modernization has been hindered by characteristics including multiple components, multi-target, and complex, unclear mechanisms of action. The emergence of metabolomics technologies, particularly novel integrated strategies such as chinmedomics, integrative metabolomics, and functional metabolomics, provides robust technical support and unique perspectives for systematically analyzing TCM material basis, evaluating pharmacological effects, elucidating molecular mechanisms, and exploring precision personalized medicine. Therefore, this review focuses on recent advances in applying metabolomics-integrated strategies to elucidate TCM interventions for various CKD subtypes, aiming to provide references for clinical practice and translational research while promoting the modernization and scientific advancement of TCM in CKD treatment.