Preserving the Essence of Classic Tibetan Medical Formulas from the Snow-Covered Highlands: Innovation-Driven High-Quality Modernization of Ethnic Medicine

Tibetan medicine is an integral part of the treasure trove of Chinese medicine, as well as a valuable health legacy formed by the people of all ethnic groups on the snow-covered plateau through long-term production and daily life practices. However, due to limitations in existing technology, research on the modernization of Tibetan medicine still faces critical bottlenecks, such as an unclear material basis, undefined pharmacodynamic mechanisms, and a lack of quality standards. The column of “Ethnic Medicine—Tibetan Medicine” in this issue collects multiple papers, which systematically present the latest advances in research on the modernization of Tibetan medicine from 3 dimensions: the survey and sustainable utilization of Tibetan medicinal resources, the systematic collation and modern research of Tibetan medical theories and literatures, and the exploration on pharmacodynamic material basis and action mechanism of Tibetan medicines. The special column integrates cutting-edge technical approaches such as spectrum-effect relationship, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and multi-model pharmacological evaluation. It focuses on major common diseases at high altitudes, including liver injury, liver cancer, lung injury, gastric ulcers, and osteoarthritis. It deeply illustrates the scientific principles of synergistic treatment by active components of Tibetan medicines through regulating multiple pathways such as the NLRP3 inflammasome/pyroptosis, RAGE-PI3K-Akt, and NF-κB pathways. The research outcomes presented in this special column provide important academic guidance and scientific support for promoting the inheritance and innovation of Tibetan medicine and the high-quality development of ethnic medicine.