Study on alternative antibiotics strategies, pathways, and varieties of veterinary Chinese medicine

To address the escalating challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and disease control in livestock following the complete ban on antibiotic growth promoters in feed, this review aims to systematically evaluate the scientific rationale and clinical application pathways of veterinary Chinese medicinal (VCM) preparations as antibiotic alternatives. A systematic literature search was conducted across CNKI, PubMed, and Web of Science (2015–2025), supplemented by an analysis of official regulatory catalogs of licensed veterinary herbal products. We propose a novel binary classification framework grounded in a "traditional Chinese medicine balance philosophy" but operationalized through modern veterinary pharmacology: Category A (Host‑oriented): formulations that reinforce vital energy and consolidate the body’s foundation (Fuzheng Guben), including herbs that tonify the liver and kidneys, replenish Qi , and strengthen the spleen. These act primarily via immunomodulation and gut microbiota remodeling to enhance host resilience. Category B (Pathogen‑oriented): formulations targeting bacterial, viral, or parasitic pathogens, aimed at alleviating or treating infection‑related clinical signs. Our synthesis demonstrates that this classification effectively guides stratified clinical use, clearly distinguishing preventive conditioning from therapeutic intervention. However, the current evidence base remains heavily weighted toward pharmacodynamic observations, with a critical shortage of pharmacokinetic data, residue depletion studies, and standardized quality control metrics. We conclude that the core value of VCM in the post‑antibiotic era lies in preventive modulation and adjunctive therapy, and we emphasize that future research must prioritize safety evaluations and dosage standardization to substantiate their practical role in mitigating AMR.