Intestinal mucosal barrier injury: insights from interdisciplinary perspectives and therapeutic approaches

The intestinal mucosal barrier serves as a critical defense system essential for nutrient absorption, maintenance of intestinal microecology, and immune homeostasis. Growing evidence from clinical and interdisciplinary studies has established intestinal mucosal barrier injury as a complex and multifactorial condition, drawing research interest across numerous scientific fields. This review provides a multidisciplinary synthesis, integrating insights from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Nutrition, Environmental science, Psychology, Genetics and Food science to deconstruct its complex pathophysiology. We systematically consolidate these diverse perspectives to elucidate disease mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and detection strategies. Moreover, we propose a comprehensive framework to guide future research and inform the development of effective, integrated therapeutic approaches.