Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42015786›Full record

ArticleJournal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan2026

Tongue color tones in Traditional Chinese Medicine correlate with liver histology of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis in morbidly obese patients undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Cen Zhikang, Huang Bing, Zhang Pengfei, Liu Dongyang, M O Yanxin, Zhu Fei, Fan Mengqi, N I Zheng, X U Ying, Liu Wei and 4 more

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Article in Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Cen ZhikangKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
Huang BingKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
Zhang PengfeiKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
Liu DongyangKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
M O YanxinKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
Zhu FeiKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
Fan MengqiInstitute of Metabolic Science,Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine,Guangzhou510006,China.
N I ZhengKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
X U YingSchool of Chinese Medicine,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.
Liu Weithe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine,Guangzhou510400,China.
W U ShuduoDivision of Hepatology,the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine,Guangzhou510120,China.
X U AiminDepartment of Medicine,The University of Hong Kong,Hong Kong999077,China.
Song ErfeiDepartment of Bariatric Surgery,the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University,Guangzhou510630,China.
Y E DeweiKey Laboratory of Metabolic Phenotyping in Model Animals,Guangdong Pharmaceutical University,Guangzhou510006,China.

Funding

Basic and Translational Investigation of Immunometabolism in Metabolic Diseases SL2023A04-J01031Exploration of Pathogenic Role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Increased Susceptibility to Drug-induced Liver Injury under Co-existing Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis 2024A1515012945Functional Investigation of Proteinase 3 in the Development of Diabetic Kidney Diseases and Mechanistic Insights into Therapeutic Benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula 82374171Immunometabolism Mechanisms Underlying the Development of Chronic Diseases and Therapeutic Benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024ZD0521005Key Laboratory of Model Animal Phenotyping and Basic Research in Metabolic Diseases 2018KSYS003
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine the association of tongue color tones in morbidly obese patients with various liver histological characteristics of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which is the advanced subtype of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

methodsA total of 60 morbidly obese adults who underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery were recruited. Liver biopsies were available for all participants and were subjected to histological assessment. The association of tongue color tones with histological parameters in the liver was investigated.

resultsMASH-related histological characteristics in the liver were closely associated with color features in distinct zones of the tongue. The values for color channels red (R), green (G), and blue (B) were increased in subjects with histological features of steatosis. Likewise, the histological characteristic of lobular inflammation was associated with distinct panels of RGB values for tongue edge zones and tongue coating. RGB values in the tongue exhibited a step-wise increase in line with grading score of liver histology. In contrast, tooth-sign on the tongue was dissociated with histological features of MASH.

conclusionOur clinicopathological study demonstrated a close association of color tones in the tongue with MASH-related histological characteristics in the liver of morbidly obese patients, supporting the application of tongue inspection in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a promising approach to non-invasive diagnosis of MASLD/MASH.

Indexed as

Fatty LiverLiverObesity, MorbidTongueAdultBariatric SurgeryColorFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultliver histologyobesitysteatotic liver diseasetongue imagetongue inspection

Identifiers

PMID42015786
PMCPMC13077119

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