3D Printing of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A High-Tech Transformation of Traditional Chinese Medicine

A revolution in the field of traditional Chinese medicine is quietly occurring as ancient herbal medicine meets cutting-edge 3D printing technology.

From custom-made herbal tablets for children to smart food and medicine that can delay cognitive decline in the elderly, 3D printing technology is injecting new vitality into ancient Chinese medicine. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine services have been widely implemented in urban and rural medical institutions, with the total number of traditional Chinese medicine consultations nationwide in 2024 increasing by 60% compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan.

Against this backdrop, the combination of 3D printing technology and herbal medicine not only promotes the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine preparations but also brings new possibilities for personalized treatment tailored to individual needs.

01 Technological Integration: How 3D Printing is Changing the Landscape of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

As an effective additive manufacturing technology, 3D printing has matured in fields such as aerospace, construction, and mechanical manufacturing, while its application in the pharmaceutical field of traditional Chinese medicine is still quite limited.

In 2015, the launch of the first 3D printed drug, levetiracetam (Spritam) fast-dissolving tablets, greatly advanced the research and application of 3D printing technology in the pharmaceutical industry.

Currently, there are three main types of 3D printers that are highly compatible with the pharmaceutical industry: binder jetting, material extrusion, and inkjet printing.

These devices provide the possibility for the precise preparation of complex traditional Chinese medicine formulations through different working principles and printing materials.

At the policy level, several national-level research projects, such as the “Major New Drug Creation” science and technology major special project, have supported research on 3D printed herbal medicine, promoting the development of this interdisciplinary field.

02 Application Breakthroughs: From Compound Formulations to Functional Foods

Compound Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulations

The compound Danshen preparation is a typical example of the application of 3D printing technology in the research of traditional Chinese medicine compounds. A research team from Southern University of Science and Technology Hospital successfully used 3D printing technology to prepare a compound Danshen sustained-release formulation,

achieving the characteristic of releasing borneol only in the intestines while Danshen and Panax notoginseng can be released in the gastrointestinal tract, which provides a new idea for the precise release of multiple components in traditional Chinese medicine.

Researchers from Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences prepared a compound Danshen orally disintegrating tablet using 3D printing technology, which disintegrates within 1 minute, has high porosity, high drug loading, and a simple process.

This type of dosage form is particularly suitable for children and elderly patients with swallowing difficulties, greatly enhancing medication convenience.

Food-Medicine Homologous Products

3D printing technology also shows broad application prospects in the development of food-medicine homologous traditional Chinese medicine products. A research team from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine successfully used 3D printing technology to prepare Eight-Treasure Cake,

optimizing printing conditions to achieve a printing accuracy of 90.91%, and significantly reducing the hardness, chewability, and stickiness compared to commercial products, making it more suitable for elderly consumption.

Research indicates that elderly individuals who frequently use food-medicine homologous traditional Chinese medicines (such as ginseng, astragalus, goji berries, and angelica) can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality by 47% and the risk of cognitive impairment by 27%.

3D printing technology can more precisely control the ratio and release methods of these traditional Chinese medicine components, further optimizing their health effects.

Digital Specimens of Traditional Chinese Medicine

In addition to the medicines themselves, 3D printing technology is also applied in the field of traditional Chinese medicine education. The Digital Innovation Laboratory of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has constructed highly realistic digital specimens of traditional Chinese medicine through 3D modeling and printing technology.

These specimens can be permanently preserved without damage, produced on a large scale, and accurately express the external morphological characteristics, internal fine structures, and physiological functions of traditional Chinese medicine, providing a new digital learning space for the study of traditional Chinese medicine.

03 Significant Advantages: The Era of Personalized Traditional Chinese Medicine Customization Has Arrived

The greatest advantage of 3D printed traditional Chinese medicine is its ability to achieve true personalized customization. Traditional Chinese medicine preparations often use a “one-size-fits-all” dosage scheme, while 3D printing technology can accurately customize drug dosages and release behaviors based on the patient’s age, weight, constitution, and severity of illness.

In pediatric applications, 3D printing can produce dosage forms that cater to children’s preferences, such as mini tablets with a diameter of about 4 millimeters, greatly improving medication adherence in children.

For elderly patients, rapid disintegrating dosage forms and smart tablets with medication reminders can be printed to assist patients with cognitive impairments in taking their medications accurately.

3D printing technology can also achieve the precise preparation of complex traditional Chinese medicine compound formulations, which aligns closely with the compatibility principles of traditional Chinese medicine.

By designing dosage forms with specific structures, the release sites and rates of different active ingredients can be controlled to achieve better therapeutic effects.

04 Broad Prospects: New Ideas to Address Health Challenges

As the pace of modern life accelerates, health issues are becoming increasingly prominent. Data shows that 23.21% of Chinese consumers purchase traditional Chinese medicine materials to treat digestive system diseases, with metabolic and endocrine system diseases (15.75%) and respiratory system diseases (7.63%) also being major application areas.

The technology of 3D printed herbal medicine is expected to provide more precise and personalized solutions for these health issues.

For example, by designing traditional Chinese medicine preparations for targeted intestinal release, the effectiveness of treating digestive system diseases can be improved; or developing food-medicine homologous products that combine nutritional and therapeutic functions to help regulate metabolic and endocrine functions.

Approximately 90% of public comprehensive hospitals at the secondary level and above have established traditional Chinese medicine clinical departments, providing a solid foundation for the clinical application of personalized 3D printed traditional Chinese medicine.

With the coverage rate of county-level traditional Chinese medicine medical institutions reaching 96%, these innovative traditional Chinese medicine technologies are expected to benefit a wide range of grassroots patients more quickly.

Nationwide, 96% of counties have traditional Chinese medicine medical institutions, and 90% of public comprehensive hospitals at the secondary level and above have established traditional Chinese medicine departments, all of which are implementing traditional Chinese medicine services to varying degrees.

The technology of 3D printed herbal medicine is gradually moving from the laboratory to clinical practice, from niche to widespread use, injecting new vitality into the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

In the future, with increased policy support, technological innovations, and growing market demand, 3D printed herbal medicine is expected to become an important growth point in the development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry, contributing significantly to building a healthy China.