Key Takeaways
- TCM Biomedical Research Skill is a specialized Claude Code skill for Traditional Chinese Medicine research
- Covers network pharmacology, herb-compound-target mapping, and TCM-modern medicine integration
- Automates: herb database queries, active compound identification, target prediction, pathway enrichment
- Uses TCMSP, HERB, SymMap databases for TCM-specific data
- Bridges traditional knowledge with modern bioinformatics methods
- Part of the K-Dense scientific skills ecosystem
What Does This Skill Do?
The TCM Biomedical Research Skill enables AI-assisted research at the intersection of Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern biomedicine.
Core capabilities:
- Network pharmacology: Map herb → compound → target → pathway networks
- Herb database queries: Search TCMSP, HERB, SymMap for active compounds
- Target prediction: Identify molecular targets of TCM compounds
- Pathway enrichment: KEGG/GO enrichment analysis of TCM targets
- Integration: Combine TCM network pharmacology with modern omics data
Typical Workflow
1. Input: TCM formula or individual herbs
2. Database query: TCMSP → active compounds (OB ≥ 30%, DL ≥ 0.18)
3. Target mapping: Compound → protein target via Swiss Target Prediction
4. Disease targets: GeneCards/OMIM → disease-associated genes
5. Intersection: Venn diagram of compound targets ∩ disease targets
6. Network construction: Herb-Compound-Target network (Cytoscape)
7. Enrichment analysis: KEGG/GO pathway enrichment
8. Visualization: Network plots, enrichment bubble chartsDatabases Used
| Database | Content | Use |
|---|---|---|
| TCMSP | TCM compounds, ADME properties | Active compound screening |
| HERB | Herb-ingredient-target relationships | Comprehensive TCM mapping |
| SymMap | TCM symptom-herb-compound-target | Symptom-based analysis |
| Swiss Target Prediction | Compound-target prediction | Molecular target identification |
| GeneCards | Disease-associated genes | Disease target collection |
| KEGG/GO | Biological pathways | Pathway enrichment analysis |
FAQ
Q1: Is this skill validated for publication?
The workflow follows standard network pharmacology methodology accepted by journals like Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, and Frontiers in Pharmacology.
Q2: Can it handle multi-herb formulas?
Yes. The skill processes individual herbs and multi-herb formulas (方剂). For formulas, it maps each herb separately then combines for synergy analysis.
Q3: Does it work with English and Chinese herb names?
Yes. The skill maps between Chinese (中药名), pinyin, and Latin botanical names for database queries.
Summary
The TCM Biomedical Research Skill bridges Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern bioinformatics. By automating network pharmacology workflows — from herb database queries to pathway enrichment — it makes TCM research accessible to both traditional practitioners exploring modern validation and bioinformaticians investigating herbal medicine mechanisms.