title: Problems and prospects of current studies on the microecology of tongue coating.
abstract: Tongue diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) assesses the health by investigation of tongue coating. The science and technology of tongue coating analysis have become a significant issue for modernization of TCM. The relationship between microecology of tongue coating and TCM was relevant to the syndrome differentiation in TCM, such as the cold/hot syndrome may exhibit different specific microbiota patterns in the tongue coating. This article provides a review on the microbiota research of tongue coating.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Xueting
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Branch of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210028, China. pcao79@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cao