细胞衰老是一种稳定的细胞周期停滞状态，是驱动机体衰老及相关慢性疾病的关键分子机制。胰岛β细胞和脂肪细胞在衰老相关代谢障碍中往往较早受累，并在疾病演进中发挥枢纽作用。在2型糖尿病（type 2 diabetes mellitus，T2DM）中胰岛β细胞与脂肪细胞的衰老是驱动疾病发生发展的关键环节。胰岛β细胞因长期处于高代谢负荷、胰岛素信号传导障碍等应激状态，对衰老尤为敏感，其衰老直接导致细胞数量减少与胰岛素分泌功能衰退；而脂肪细胞衰老则通过改变脂肪因子分泌谱、诱发慢性炎症，促进全身胰岛素抵抗。近年来，中药及中药活性成分在靶向细胞衰老领域展现出独特价值，作为衰老细胞抑制剂和衰老细胞清除剂的中药成分，能够减轻或消除衰老的胰岛β细胞或脂肪细胞，促进胰岛素分泌、改善胰岛素抵抗，在延缓T2DM发生发展中表现出潜力。因此，深入探索中药及中药活性成分靶向胰岛β细胞或脂肪细胞衰老治疗T2DM的机制，不仅为理解T2DM发病机制提供新视角，也为中医药防治老年T2DM提供了新的中药治疗策略。

Cellular senescence, defined as a stable state of cell cycle arrest, serves as a pivotal molecular mechanism driving organismal aging and age-related chronic diseases. Pancreatic β-cells and adipocytes are often among the earliest affected cell populations in senescence-associated metabolic disorders and play a central regulatory role in disease progression. In type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the senescence of pancreatic β-cells and adipocytes has been established as a key driver of disease initiation and progression. Due to prolonged exposure to stress conditions such as high metabolic load and insulin signaling defects, pancreatic β-cells exhibit increased susceptibility to senescence, which directly leads to reduced cell numbers and impaired insulin secretory function. In contrast, adipocyte senescence significantly promotes systemic insulin resistance by altering the adipokine secretion profile and inducing chronic inflammation. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and their active components have demonstrated unique value in targeting cellular senescence. As senostatics and senolytics, TCM-derived ingredients can reduce or eliminate senescent pancreatic β-cells and adipocytes, thereby enhancing insulin secretion and improving insulin resistance, showing promising potential in delaying T2DM progression. Therefore, in-depth investigation of the mechanisms underlying TCM and their active components targeting of pancreatic β-cell or adipocyte senescence for T2DM treatment not only provides a novel perspective for understanding T2DM pathogenesis but also offers new therapeutic strategies for TCM-based prevention and management of geriatric T2DM.

R285

国家自然科学基金资助项目（82370804）；国家自然科学基金资助项目（82100858）；国家自然科学基金资助项目（82373925）；国家自然科学基金资助项目（82070801）；新疆生产建设兵团自然科学基金重点项目（2025DA013）；江苏省研究生科研与实践创新计划项目（KYCX25_1065，KYCX25_1067）；国家级大学生创新创业训练计划项目（202510316036Z）