Accurate construction of cell membrane biomimetic graphene nanodecoys via purposeful surface engineering to improve screening efficiency of active components of traditional Chinese medicine

Biomimetic nanoengineering presents great potential in biomedical research by integrating cell membrane (CM) with functional nanoparticles. However, preparation of CM biomimetic nanomaterials for custom applications that can avoid the aggregation of nanocarriers while maintaining the biological activity of CM remains a challenge. Herein, a high-performance CM biomimetic graphene nanodecoy was fabricated via purposeful surface engineering, where polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used to modifying magnetic graphene oxide (MGO) to improve its stability in physiological solution, so as to improve the screening efficiency to active components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). With this strategy, the constructed PEGylated MGO (PMGO) could keep stable at least 10 days, thus improving the CM coating efficiency. Meanwhile, by taking advantage of the inherent ability of HeLa cell membrane (HM) to interact with specific ligands, HM-camouflaged PMGO showed satisfied adsorption capacity (116.2 mg/g) and selectivity. Finally, three potential active components, byakangelicol, imperatorin, and isoimperatorin, were screened from Angelica dahurica, whose potential antiproliferative activity were further validated by pharmacological studies. These results demonstrated that the purposeful surface engineering is a promising strategy for the design of efficient CM biomimetic nanomaterials, which will promote the development of active components screening in TCM.

Application of the affinity ultrafiltration coupled with LC-MS technology in screening active components of traditional Chinese medicines / 药学学报

Affinity ultrafiltration coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology is a rapid, simple and effective method for discovering active components, which is especially applicable to the complex extracts of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Affinity ultrafiltration can facilitate the rapid separation of small-molecule ligands from the target macromolecules, and LC-MS contributes to the structural identification of potential active compounds. Combination of the two techniques is vital to reveal the effective materials of TCMs and helpful for the TCM-based drug discovery. In this review, according to the studies in recent years, we make a brief introduction about the application of the ultrafiltration coupled with LC-MS technology in screening active components of TCMs, including the principle, characteristics and the research advancement.