Abstract:
Allergic rhinitis(AR) is a common respiratory disease in which the body’s immune system mounts an abnormal and excessive response to certain common allergens. The core mechanism in the pathogenesis of AR is the overactivation of Th2 immune responses and the relative suppression of Th1 immune responses, which ultimately leads to Th1/Th2 immune imbalance in the body. Western medicine tends to cause drug dependence in patients during AR treatment, and antihistamines often produce adverse reactions such as drowsiness, making them unsuitable for long-term use. Therefore, it is urgent to find safe, effective, low-toxic, economical anti-AR drugs with multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics. In recent years, studies have shown that active ingredients and compound preparations of traditional Chinese medicine can restore immune homeostasis by mediating different signalling pathways to inhibit inflammatory cell activation, reduce cytokine release, and promote the normal differentiation of immune cells, thereby alleviating related symptoms. Based on literature review and analysis, this paper systematically summarizes the roles of TLR4-NF-κB, TLR9/AP-1, JAK/STAT, and T-bet/GATA-3 signaling pathways, as well as the efficacy and specific mechanisms of monomers, extracts, and compound formulas of traditional Chinese medicines in regulating Th1/Th2 immune balance for the treatment of AR. This review aims to lay a foundation for promoting the widespread application and in-depth development of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of allergic diseases, and to provide new ideas for future clinical research and drug development.