Directional screening and identification of potential cytotoxic components from Achnatherum inebrians by a combination of surface palsmon resonance and chromatography

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for directional screening of the cytotoxic components from the medicinal herb of Achnatherum inebrians by a combination of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor and chromatographic isolation technology. METHODS: Under the guidance of bioactive assessment based on binding abilities between objects and the α-Mannosidase (α-Man) target, the active components from different solvents extracts, different polar extraction parts and fractions were screened orderly and directionally using SPR. Components with a high binding ability to α-Man can be precisely oriented in a narrower fractions range and are easy to isolate. Three human cancer cells were used to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of component with the highest affinity to α-Man. RESULTS: Eight compounds were isolated and identificated from A. inebrians for the first time. Deoxyvasicinone possessed the highest affinity to α-Man among them. Moreover, deoxyvasicinone showed good effects on inhibited proliferation of human hepatoma cells HepG2 (IC(50) = 5.7 μmol/L), human breast cancer cells MCF7 (IC(50) = 7.21 μmol/L) and human lung cancer cells HCC827 (IC(50) = 0.75 μmol/L), respectively. In particular, its inhibitory effect on HCC827 was stronger than the positive drug gefitinib (IC(50) = 1.65 μmol/L). CONCLUSION: A comprehensive strategy of directional screening potential cytotoxic components from herb based on biomolecular interaction and chromatography was established. Deoxyvasicinone as an effective anti-cancer component was initially isolated from A. inebrians. It is expected that this screening strategy could provide new perspectives for rapid screening and identification of active components from natural plants with the complex matrix.