Challenges in the study of self-assembled aggregates in decoction of traditional Chinese medicine: A preliminary review
10.16438/j.0513-4870.2023-0356
- VernacularTitle:中药水煎液自组装聚集体研究面临的问题初探
- Author:
Qi WANG
1
,
2
;
Xiao-meng GUO
1
,
2
;
Qian-kun NI
3
,
4
;
Mei-jing LI
1
,
2
;
Rui XU
1
,
2
;
Xing-jie LIANG
3
,
4
;
Mu-xin GONG
1
,
2
Author Information
1. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
2. Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Collateral Disease Theory Research, Beijing 100069, China
3. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
- Publication Type:Research Article
- Keywords:
self-assembly;
ecoction;
phase state;
aggregation;
pharmacodynamic substance
- From:
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica
2024;58(1):94-104
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Decoction is the most commonly used dosage form in the clinical treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). During boiling, the violent movement of various active ingredients in TCM creates molecular forces such as hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, hydrophobic interactions and electrostatic interactions, which results in the formation of self-assembled aggregates in decoction (SADs), including particles, gels, fibers, etc. It was found that SADs widely existed in decoction with biological activities superior to both effective monomers and their physical mixtures, providing a new idea to reveal the pharmacodynamic material basis of Chinese herbal medicine from the perspective of component interactions-phase structure. Recently, SADs have become a novel focus of research in TCM. This paper reviewed their relevant studies in recent years and found some issues to be concerned in the research, such as the polydispersity of decoction system, instability of active ingredient interactions during boiling, uncertainty of the aggregates self-assembly rules, and stability, purity, yield of the products. In this regard, some solutions and new ideas were presented for the integrated development and clinical application of SADs.
