Advancements in pharmaceutical research on traditional Chinese medicine-metal complexes

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained significant recognition as an adjuvant treatment modality for cancer, infections, and inflammatory diseases, owing to its outstanding antitumor, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. With the advancement of TCM-based coordination chemistry, TCM-metal complexes have attracted growing interest in recent years. These novel compounds, formed by integrating traditional TCM components with metal ions, not only enhance the therapeutic efficacy of TCM but also exhibit unique biological activities. This review highlights the design strategies and pharmaceutical applications of various categories of TCM-metal complexes, including those based on polyphenols, alkaloids, and other drug-metal conjugates. By applying modern nanobiotechnology alongside TCM principles, TCM-metal complexes demonstrate considerable potential for the diagnosis and treatment of major diseases. Finally, this review discusses the challenges and future prospects of TCM-metal complexes in clinical applications, providing valuable insights to guide further research and development in this emerging field. • Metal coordination enhances the therapeutic efficacy of TCM. • TCM-metal complexes exhibit diverse structures and bioactivities. • Nanobiotechnology improves delivery and targeting of these complexes. • Challenges remain in toxicity, biocompatibility, and clinical translation.