Fermented TCM is an innovative processing form. It combines traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) wisdom with modern biotechnology.
It uses a unique core logic: “microorganisms as tools and TCM ingredients as substrates.” It gives strong momentum to the upgrading and development of the TCM industry. It uses metabolic activities of microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. It precisely modifies components in TCM raw materials. It can reduce toxic substances. It can generate new active ingredients. It can improve the dissolution rate of effective components. It finally achieves multiple values.
These values are enhancing efficacy, reducing side effects and expanding indications. Today, this field has made a crucial leap. It was “traditional empirical fermentation” before. It relied on natural strains (e.g., fermented soya beans, medicinal leaven). Now it is “precise and controllable fermentation.” It uses single or clearly defined mixed strains. This makes the application of TCM safer and more efficient.
Single-herb fermented TCM has become the most widely studied and applied type.
It has clear efficacy and distinct components. Researchers match specific strains to the characteristics of each medicinal herb. This lets “toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement” happen precisely. Take tonic ginseng for example. It is co-fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum. It converts the less active ginsenoside Rb1 into the more potent Rh2 and Rg3. It also significantly increases the content of polysaccharides and amino acids.
This enhances its immunomodulatory effects. Look at astragalus. Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus acidophilus act on it. The cellulose in astragalus is effectively degraded. This greatly improves the dissolution rate of astragalus polysaccharides and astragaloside IV. Microorganisms produce organic acids. These acids promote the absorption of effective components in the body. This makes the qi-tonifying effect easier to feel.
Some TCMs have been restricted in clinical application for a long time.
They have toxic components. Fermentation technology has become a key solution to this problem. Aconite radix lateralis preparata has highly toxic aconitine. Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger and yeast act on it together. They can convert aconitine into low-toxic or non-toxic benzoylaconitine. This completely eliminates the risk of poisoning. It also fully retains its core efficacy of warming yang and dispelling cold. Pinellia ternata has harmful components. These are toxic proteins and lectins. Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus ferment it. These harmful components are degraded.
This significantly reduces irritation to the throat and gastrointestinal tract. It also enhances its core effect of drying dampness and resolving phlegm.Rhubarb has anthraquinones. These can clear heat and purge fire. But excessive intake easily causes diarrhea. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis ferment rhubarb. The content of such components is precisely reduced. This avoids excessive intestinal irritation. It does not affect its medicinal value. This makes TCM use safer.
Fermentation can reduce toxicity.
It can also make TCM efficacy have a qualitative leap. Angelica sinensis is fermented with Aspergillus oryzae and yeast. Components like ferulic acid and ligustilide in it are optimally transformed. This greatly enhances its blood-nourishing and blood-circulating effects. At the same time, volatile irritating components are reduced. This effectively alleviates possible gastrointestinal discomfort after ingestion. Tangerine peel is acted on by Lactobacillus plantarum and yeast. Limonene in the volatile oil of tangerine peel is decomposed into more absorbable aromatic derivatives. The content of hesperidin is also significantly increased. This strengthens its effects of regulating qi, invigorating the spleen, drying dampness and resolving phlegm. Pueraria lobata is fermented with Bacillus subtilis. Puerarin in it is converted into more active puerarin aglycone.
This upgrades its hangover-alleviating and hypoglycemic effects. At the same time, starch is degraded. This increases the proportion of water-soluble components. It accelerates the absorption of effective ingredients. Wolfberry is fermented with Bifidobacterium animalis and yeast. The dissolution rate of polysaccharides in it is improved. This enhances its antioxidant and anti-fatigue effects. It also produces B vitamins. This achieves synergistic nutritional supplementation.
Compound fermented TCM is based on classic prescriptions or clinical empirical formulas.
It perfectly fits the compatibility logic of TCM’s “monarch, minister, assistant, and guide.” It is different from single-herb fermentation. Compound fermentation uses collaborative action of mixed strains. It achieves synergistic transformation of multiple components and targets. It lets effective components of different medicinal materials complement each other. It better exerts the overall advantages of TCM compatibility.
This model breaks the limitations of single-herb efficacy. It optimizes the composition of prescriptions through microbial metabolic activities. It makes the efficacy more synergistic and mild. It shows broad application prospects. These prospects are in the field of proprietary Chinese medicines and health products. It becomes an important direction for the future development of fermented TCM.
The effectiveness of fermented TCM lies in the precise matching of strains and medicinal materials.
There are 8 core microbial strains. Each has its own strengths. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is good at converting saponins and reducing toxic components. Lactic acid bacteria promote the absorption of effective ingredients. They also produce nutrients like vitamins. Bacillus subtilis efficiently degrades cellulose and starch. This improves component utilization. Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger are outstanding in decomposing toxic proteins and optimizing active components. This is the scientific matching of “one herb, one strain” or “one herb, multiple strains.” It fully taps the potential of each TCM.
About Ferbio
Ferbio promotes the intelligence of bioreactors, builds a big model for biological reactions and an end-to-end platform for synthetic biology covering “strain-to-industrial production”, and establishes a big data cloud platform for precision fermentation. It gathers massive reaction data, real-time monitors, analyzes and predicts fermentation parameters and substance changes, improves the efficiency and accuracy of synthetic biology R&D, and drives the intelligent, efficient and sustainable development of the biological industry.