合成生物学在中药现代化中的应用

Application of synthetic biology in modernization of traditional Chinese medicine

中药以药用植物为主,在我国已有数千年的应用历史,为中华民族的健康与繁衍做出了重要贡献。中药的活性成分是中药发挥功效的物质基础,明确中药中的活性成分组成并建立各活性成分的绿色、低成本获取技术是推进中药现代化的关键。随着合成生物学的发展及其在植物天然化合物绿色制造领域中的应用,合成生物技术不仅为中药活性成分的绿色、低成本、规模化生产提供了新途径,也将为明确中药的活性成分组成及其药效机制提供技术支撑与物质基础。本文以青蒿素、人参皂苷和淫羊藿素等中药活性成分的合成生物技术开发与应用为例,探讨合成生物学在推动中药现代化进程中的作用。

Traditional Chinese medicine,primarily based on medicinal plants,has been used for thousands of years in China and has made significant contributions to the health and proliferation of the Chinese nations.The bioactive compounds are the pharmaceutical basis for Chinese medicine.The identification of the composition of active components in Chinese medicine and the establishment of their green,low-cost manufacturing technoogies would play key roles in the promotion of the modernization of Chinese medicine.The recent development of synthetic biology not only provides new avenues for the green,low-cost and large-scale production of bioactive components of Chinese medicine but also offers technical support and necessary compounds for clarifying the composition of active components and their pharmacological mechanisms.This article reviews the development and application of synthetic biology in the production of bioactive components of Chinese medicine,such as artemisinin,ginsenosides and icaritin,and the potential roles of synthetic biology in promoting the modernization of Chinese medicine.