Acute gastroenteritis is an acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa，with the main manifestations of diarrhea，abdominal pain，vomiting，and fever.Severe patients may suffer from dehydration，electrolyte imbalance，or shock，which are life-threatening.The pathogenesis of acute gastroenteritis is not fully clear.The available studies suggest that acute gastroenteritis is related to infection，inflammation，intestinal flora，mucosal barrier，immune function and so on.Western medicine can control the condition of gastroenteritis，while it is easy to cause side effects such as gastrointestinal damage.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has unique advantages in improving therapeutic effects and reducing adverse reactions.Acute gastroenteritis belongs to the category of “diarrhea” and “cholera” in TCM.The accumulation of dampness-heat is a typical pathogenesis.Gegen Qinlian Decoction was first recorded in the Treatise on Febrile Diseases(Shang Han Lun)，which is Zhang Zhongjing's classical prescription for treating diarrhea with dampness-heat，with the functions of clearing heat，eliminating dampness，protecting intestine，and stopping diarrhea.According to the available articles，the prescription treats gastroenteritis mainly by preventing pathogens，reducing inflammation，regulating intestinal flora，improving mucosal barrier，inhibiting gastrointestinal motility，and enhancing immune function.Considering the pathogenesis of gastroenteritis，this paper summarizes the clinical application and mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction，aiming to provide a basis for the clinical treatment of gastroenteritis.