Massa medicata fermentata: gut modulation, holism, and human health

A fermented mixture of different botanical ingredients, Massa medicata fermentata (MMF) has been in existence for centuries and is customarily used to address gastrointestinal disorders in East Asia. MMF is also one of the most widely-used substances in East Asian ethnomedical practice that highly values the holistic whole-person approach with an emphasis on its relationship with nature.

For a deeper understanding of its health effects, the gut modulating properties of MMF are reviewed, with discussions on its role in other aspects of human health.

Studies have shown that oral administration of MMF can positively influence gut motility, secretion and microbiota composition, which is attributed to its enzymatic and probiotic-like effects. MMF also acts as an inoculum for other fermented medicinals. From a macro level perspective, the impact of MMF on human health is multi-dimensional. In addition to its explicit medicinal use, MMF is commonly found in the husbandry practice as feed additives and alternative medicines for farmed animals. And since animal welfare is intrinsically linked to human health with environmental implications, MMF may offer a valuable ecocentric perspective on human health in the face of rising global health and environmental threats to humanity.

In the case of MMF, it may be the perfect example to showcase a holistic approach to human health from an ancient East Asian perspective. Viewed primarily to be a gut modulating ethnomedicine, the relevance of MMF has exceeded its medicinal purposes, and can be applied across different realms of human health.

Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2023