The Inhibitory Impact of a Co-Assembly Gel with Natural Carrier-Free Binary Small Molecules, as Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, on the Viability of SW1990 Cells
Xueqiang Nie,
Sifan Liu,
Qiongxue Huang,
Haifeng Wu,
Qingxia Zheng,
Xudong Xu,
Bowen Li,
Guoxu Ma,
Xiaolei Zhou,
Shuchen Liu,
Weijuan Gao
Affiliations
Xueqiang Nie
Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Sifan Liu
Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China
Qiongxue Huang
Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Haifeng Wu
Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Qingxia Zheng
Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Xudong Xu
Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Bowen Li
Department of Pathophysiology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050000, China
Guoxu Ma
Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Xiaolei Zhou
Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China
Shuchen Liu
Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China
Weijuan Gao
Department of Pathophysiology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050000, China
Chinese herbs are a huge treasure trove of natural products and an important source of many active molecules. The theory of traditional Chinese medicine compatibility (TCMC) is widely applied in clinical practice, but its mechanism is still ambiguous. This study aims to open a new window for this predicament by studying the interaction between the main active ingredients from a drug pair. Carrier-free assembly of natural products improves the shortcomings of traditional nanodelivery systems and opens a new path for the development of new nanomaterials. The drug pair “Pueraria and Hedyotis diffusa” has been commonly used in clinical practice, with a predominant therapeutic effect. This study is devoted to the study of the binary small molecule co-assembly of the main active molecules from the drug pair. In this study, we introduce a carrier-free composite gel, formed by the co-assembly of puerarin (PUE) and deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) via non-covalent bonds including π–π packing, intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and C=O π interactions. With a strain point 7-fold higher than that of P gel, the P − D gel exhibited favorable rheological properties. The survival rate of SW1990 cells in the P − D group was only 21.39% when the concentration of administration reached 200 μM. It thus demonstrated activity in inhibiting SW1990 cells’ survival, suggesting potential in combating pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, this research offers a valuable concept for enhancing the mechanical properties and bioactivity of hydrogel materials through the utilization of a multi-component natural small molecule co-assembly approach. More importantly, this provides new ideas and methods for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine compatibility theory.
