Deep eutectic solvents for green extraction and separation of bioactive compounds from traditional Chinese medicines

Imagine a solvent that's green, tunable, and kind to heat-sensitive molecules—could it revolutionize how we extract medicine from plants?

Traditional Chinese Medicines have long depended on nature's chemical treasures, but the old ways of extracting them often rely on harsh, hazardous solvents. Enter Deep Eutectic Solvents, or DESs—a new class of green solvents that are biodegradable and highly tunable. They're stepping in to make extraction of alkaloids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides cleaner and more efficient.

This review dives into how DESs are being paired with TCM, not just for extraction, but also for purification and stabilization. Techniques like liquid-liquid and solid-liquid microextraction, plus chromatographic systems, are getting a green upgrade. DESs boost efficiency and recyclability, while life cycle assessments help weigh their environmental footprint.

The results are promising: DESs excel at preserving heat-sensitive compounds, improving solubility, and enabling selective extraction. Yet, hurdles like high viscosity, scalability, and toxicology remain. Still, with policy support and AI-driven design, DESs could be the key to modernizing TCM—making it safer, more efficient, and truly sustainable.

Key Points

• DESs offer green, tunable extraction for TCM bioactives.
• They improve solubility and preserve heat-sensitive compounds.
• Challenges: viscosity, scalability, and toxicology remain.