[Organoids and organ-on-a-chip: novel strategies for TCM against respiratory virus-induced cranial nerve injury].

Investigating TCM for preventing and treating respiratory virus-induced nerve injury urgently requires highly biomimetic models that can replicate the complex structure and physiological microenvironment of the body. Conventional two-dimensional cell models and animal experiments present significant limitations, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the complicated interactions between drug components and their targets. As cutting-edge technologies, organoids and organ-on-a-chip systems address these shortcomings by respectively modeling three-dimensional cellular architecture, inter-organ interactions, and dynamic microenvironments, thereby establishing novel technological platforms for pharmaceutical research. This review systematically summarized common respiratory viruses that induce cranial nerve injury. It analyzed the mechanism by which respiratory virus infections damage the lungs and, through direct injury and indirect invasion of the vascular system, lead to cranial nerve injury. By synthesizing literature from the past five years, the paper focused on the application and specific cases utilizing cutting-edge technologies like respiratory tract organoids, brain organoids, and related organ-on-a-chip in studying virus-induced nerve injury. The aim is to provide new perspectives and methodologies for future drug development against respiratory viruses and to formulate innovative research strategies for TCM-based interventions.