Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) seriously affects the quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.This paper reviews the role of Chinese medicine in the main treatment goal of DPN,including protecting pancreatic β-cells,in the use of antioxidation therapy to delay disease progression,and in the endpoint of neural repair and regeneration.We propose that protecting the body from injury caused by high glucose and oxidative stress,and promoting repair and regeneration of nerves should be the research direction for the prevention and treatment of DPN.