Traditional Medicines and Natural Products in Musculoskeletal Tissue Repair: From Ethnopharmacological Evidence to Regenerative Translation

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)—osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fragility fractures, sarcopenia, and intervertebral disc degeneration—are leading global causes of chronic pain, disability, and reduced quality of life. Conventional pharmacological and surgical management largely addresses symptoms, while long-term structural restoration remains elusive. Meanwhile, traditional medical systems across Asia, Africa, and Latin America have used plant-derived preparations for bone setting, joint pain, and post-traumatic recovery for centuries, and many of these remedies remain in routine use within contemporary integrative healthcare settings.A growing body of evidence indicates that bioactive constituents of these traditional preparations act on precisely the biological processes that govern musculoskeletal repair: resolution of the inflammatory microenvironment, protection and mobilization of resident mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells, modulation of osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Yet translation is constrained by incomplete botanical and chemical characterization, poor bioavailability, insufficiently rigorous preclinical design, and limited evidence linking traditional use to defined regenerative outcomes. In recent years, the convergence of bioengineering, regenerative medicine, and artificial intelligence has driven the development of advanced biomimetic biomaterials, smart hydrogels incorporating bioactive compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine, and anti-aging nanodelivery systems. In addition, predictive algorithms have accelerated the optimization of biomaterial structures and properties, while multimodal artificial intelligence systems have enhanced the efficiency and precision of diagnostic reasoning and personalized rehabilitation planning for musculoskeletal disorders. These emerging technologies further facilitate functional recovery and rehabilitation in musculoskeletal disorders. This Research Topic provides a rigorous, multidisciplinary forum connecting ethnopharmacological evidence with regenerative bioengineering. We invite contributions that document, characterize, and validate traditional medicines for musculoskeletal repair, as well as work that translates their active constituents into delivery systems and regenerative platforms.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Ethnopharmacology of musculoskeletal and joint diseases: documented traditional use of plant, fungal, and other natural preparations for bone, cartilage, tendon, and joint disorders;• Anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective natural products, including standardized single compounds and multi-herbal formulations, evaluated in therapeutically relevant models;• Quality, composition, and metabolomic profiling of traditional preparations used in musculoskeletal healthcare, and safety and toxicological assessment;• Natural compound-mediated protection, activation, and mobilization of resident mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells in fracture healing and bone regeneration;• Regulation of osteogenic, chondrogenic, and matrix-remodeling processes by traditional medicine-derived bioactives, with experimental validation;• Integrated omics, network pharmacology, and molecular docking approaches applied to traditional medicines, coupled with credible experimental confirmation;• Biomaterial- and nanocarrier-based delivery of natural bioactive compounds to overcome bioavailability and targeting barriers in musculoskeletal tissue repair;• Standardized preclinical animal models and clinical evidence evaluating regenerative efficacy, functional recovery, and safety;• AI- and machine learning–assisted design of scaffolds incorporating bioactive constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with experimental validation of predicted cell–scaffold interactions and tissue regeneration outcomes.Compliance and Exclusions:All submissions involving plant or natural preparations must adhere to the Four Pillars of Ethnopharmacology, with botanical identity verified against the Kew MPNS portal or an equivalent authoritative source, explicit chemical and botanical characterization, therapeutically relevant dosing, and full biodiversity and ethical compliance. Clinical Trials are considered only if randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled with sample-size justification. Bibliometric analyses and purely computational studies lacking experimental validation are outside the scope.This collection contributes to SDG 3 and SDG 9. Topic editors: Dao-Fang Ding, Bing Shu, Jie Shen Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86253/traditional-medicines-and-natural-products-in-musculoskeletal-tissue-repair-from-ethnopharmacological-evidence-to-regenerative-translation