Intelligent technology leads the transformation of traditional Chinese medicine: Large models and virtual cells aid modern analysis of stroke treatment

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has shown efficacy in treating stroke, but its complex mechanisms hinder wider adoption. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, especially large language models and virtual cell simulations, provide powerful new tools for deciphering TCM’s multi-target mechanisms, though their integration remains challenging. This review explores current TCM research methodologies and discusses how AI can overcome traditional limitations. We propose novel theoretical frameworks for both basic and clinical studies, analyzing the present state of TCM and outlining future directions. Ultimately, this work aims to improve mechanistic understanding of TCM, advance clinical practice, and contribute to more precise TCM-based treatments for stroke. This study systematically reviews the latest progress of artificial intelligence technology in the field of analyzing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the treatment of ischemic stroke in the context of the era of large models. The research finds that large-scale pretrained models based on deep learning demonstrate significant advantages in areas such as the screening of effective ingredients in Chinese medicine, analysis of mechanisms of action, and exploration of compatibility rules. The study further points out that with ongoing breakthroughs in AI technology, AI virtual cell technology is expected to become a key tool for elucidating the complex mechanisms of TCM in treating ischemic stroke, providing new methodological support for the modernization of TCM research. This technological breakthrough will strongly promote the understanding of the mechanisms underlying TCM treatment of ischemic stroke, advancing from a macro perspective to a micro molecular level, and achieving a deep integration of TCM theories with modern medicine. • AI virtual-cell technology models dynamic TCM–cell interactions, offering a new paradigm for decoding stroke therapeutics. • LLMs fuse multidimensional stroke data into structured knowledge graphs, enabling intelligent precision diagnosis and personalized therapy. • AI integrates multi-omics and TCM canon-clinical data, boosting stroke research speed and precision.