Search

Molecularly Imprinted Microspheres (MIMs) or Microsphere Molecularly Imprinted Polymers represent an innovative design for the selective extraction of active compounds from natural products, showcasing effectiveness and cost-efficiency. MIMs, crosslinked polymers with specific binding sites for template molecules, overcome irregularities observed in traditional Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs). Their adaptability to the shape and size of target molecules allows for the capture of compounds from complex mixtures. This review article delves into exploring the potential practical applications of MIMs, particularly in the extraction of active compounds from natural products. Additionally, it provides insights into the broader development of MIM technology for the purification of active compounds. The synthesis of MIMs encompasses various methods, including precipitation polymerization, suspension polymerization, Pickering emulsion polymerization, and Controlled/Living Radical Precipitation Polymerization. These methods enable the formation of MIPs with controlled particle sizes suitable for diverse analytical applications. Control over the template-to-monomer ratio, solvent type, reaction temperature, and polymerization time is crucial to ensure the successful synthesis of MIPs effective in isolating active compounds from natural products. MIMs have been utilized to isolate various active compounds from natural products, such as aristolochic acids from Aristolochia manshuriensis and flavonoids from Rhododendron species, among others. Based on the review, suspension polymerization deposition, which is one of the techniques used in creating MIPs, can be classified under the MIM method. This is due to its ability to produce polymers that are more homogeneous and exhibit better selectivity compared to traditional MIP techniques. Additionally, this method can achieve recovery rates ranging from 94.91% to 113.53% and purities between 86.3% and 122%. The suspension polymerization process is relatively straightforward, allowing for the effective control of viscosity and temperature. Moreover, it is cost-effective as it utilizes water as the solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs with a mechanism of inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3- methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, but long-term use can cause side effects. An example of a plant capable of reducing cholesterol levels is Angelica keiskei (ashitaba). Therefore, this study aimed to obtain suitable compounds with inhibitory activity against the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme from ashitaba through in silico tests. The experiment began with screening and pharmacophore modeling, followed by molecular docking on ashitaba’s compounds, statins groups, and the native ligand was (3R,5R)-7-[4-(benzyl carbamoyl)-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(1-methylethyl)-1H-imidazole1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxyheptanoic acid (4HI). Based on the results of the molecular docking simulations, 15 hit compounds had a small binding energy (∆G). Pitavastatin, as the comparator drug (∆G = −8.24 kcal/mol; Ki = 2.11 µM), had a lower ∆G and inhibition constant (Ki) than the native ligand 4HI (∆G = −7.84 kcal/mol; Ki = 7.96µM). From ashitaba’s compounds, it was found that 4′ -O-geranylnaringenin, luteolin, isobavachalcone, dorsmannin A, and 3′ -carboxymethyl-4,2′ - dihydroxy-4′ -methoxychalcone have low ∆G of below −6 kcal/mol. The lowest ∆G value was found in 3′ -carboxymethyl-4,2′ -dihydroxy-4′ -methoxy chalcone with a ∆G of −6.67 kcal/mol and Ki value of 16.66 µM, which was lower than the ∆G value of the other comparator drugs, atorvastatin (∆G = −5.49 kcal/mol; Ki = 1148.17 µM) and simvastatin (∆G = −6.50 kcal/mol; Ki = 22.34 µM). This compound also binds to the important amino acid residues, including ASN755D, ASP690C, GLU559D, LYS735D, LYS691C, and SER684C, through hydrogen bonds. Based on the results, the compound effectively binds to six important amino acids with good binding affinity and only requires a small concentration to reduce half of the enzyme activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]