{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T23:53:31Z","timestamp":1792626811211,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,8]],"date-time":"2025-08-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754611200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012166","name":"National Key Research and Development Program of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2019YFC1712000 2019YFC1712002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2019YFC1712000 2019YFC1712002"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012166","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["82374055"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["82374055"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pharmacol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>The scientific and rational use of Chinese medicine decoctions can improve their compliance, safety and efficacy. However, there is a lack of national-level best practice guidelines on the management of Chinese medicine decoctions, particularly in the rational use of them. We aim to establish a comprehensive and standardised reference standard comprising key elements of Chinese medicine decoctions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study was conducted using the method of \u201cAncient Literature - Clinical Research - Expert Consensus\u201d. (1) Ancient literature analysis: Systematically analysed 1,019 records of Chinese medicine decoctions in <jats:italic>\u201cBijiqi Qianjin Yaofang\u201d<\/jats:italic>, and initially extracted the elements related to the efficacy of the medicine. (2) Clinical research: A questionnaire covering the knowledge and demand of medication was designed and distributed to medical institutions in 12 regions, including Beijing and Shanghai, and 87 valid data were collected. The results showed that 69.62% of the practitioners had encountered difficulties in providing medication guidance, and 71.62% believed that standardised guidelines were urgently needed. Accordingly, a preliminary knowledge framework was formed. (3) Expert consensus: 20 Chinese and foreign clinical pharmacy experts (including France and U.S) were selected to prepare an advisory form based on the preliminary results, and a consensus was reached after two rounds of the Delphi method, confirming the content of the general and personalised guidance, covering terminology, usage, storage, contraindications and other dimensions, and finally identifying the eight core elements.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The method of \u201cancient literature-clinical research-expert consensus\u201d is the first time to refine the eight elements of taking Chinese medicine decoctions. (1) Analysis of ancient literature reveals that temperature, course of treatment, frequency, dosage, time of administration, storage conditions, post-medication care and contraindications are the key influencing factors. (2) Clinical research confirmed the urgent need for standardised guidance, and a preliminary framework for a body of knowledge was constructed. (3) Standardised definitions of the eight elements were clarified through the Delphi Expert Consensus, including temperature, duration, frequency, dosage, time, storage conditions, post-medication care, and contraindications.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This international guideline addresses a critical gap in taking Chinese medicine decoctions, offering an evidence-based framework for rational clinical use. Future efforts should prioritize expanded clinical validation and scenario-specific protocols to optimize standardization and safety.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2025.1585428","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,8]],"date-time":"2025-08-08T09:26:57Z","timestamp":1754645217000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["A new evaluation methodology study - Integrating \u2018ancient literature - clinical research - expert consensus\u2019 firstly proposes eight elements for taking Chinese medicine 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