Screening of bioactive compounds in Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae with liposomes and cell membranes using HPLC

A new method employing HPLC, LC–MS, liposomes and cell membranes for the screening of bioactive compounds in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) has been proposed. We hypothesized that exposure of the TCM extracts to liposome membranes or cell membranes should decrease the concentration of membrane-permeable compounds in the solution. Using this approach, the permeability of the compounds in Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae was investigated. By comparing chromatograms of samples prepared both before and after interaction with liposome membranes, erythrocyte membranes and cardiac myocyte membranes, 12 permeable compounds of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae were identified, and they were proven to be biologically active, with the exception of vanillic acid. There was a good correlation between the liposome model and the erythrocyte membranes, which was determined by comparing the binding degree of the permeable compounds (n=0.9059). Additionally, it was found that dihydrotanshinone I, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA combined specifically with cardiac myocyte membranes, which might indicate a useful approach for revealing the cardiovascular effects of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae. Based on these results, this method could be a novel approach for identifying potentially bioactive components in other TCMs.