Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Hu Zhang (虎杖, Polygonum cuspidatum, also known as Japanese knotweed) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that has been studied for its potential anti-fibrotic properties, though most of the evidence remains preclinical. The main active constituent, resveratrol, along with other polyphenols, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrotic effects in laboratory and animal studies.

In models of liver fibrosis, resveratrol has been shown to inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells, reduce collagen deposition, and modulate pathways such as TGF-β/Smad signaling, which are central to the development of fibrosis. Similar anti-fibrotic effects have been observed in studies of pulmonary and renal fibrosis, where Hu Zhang extracts or isolated compounds reduced markers of fibrosis and tissue scarring.

Despite these promising preclinical findings, there is a lack of robust human clinical trials directly evaluating the efficacy of Hu Zhang or its components in treating fibrotic diseases. As such, while the use of Hu Zhang for fibrosis is increasingly supported by mechanistic and animal data, it remains to be validated in large-scale human studies. Therefore, the evidence is rated as 2: promising but predominantly preclinical.

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