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

BACKGROUND: Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) has long relied on bioactive compounds derived from natural sources, but conventional extraction and separation methods often involve violate/hazardous organic solvents, posing environmental and health risks. Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) have emerged as a sustainable alternative, offering tunable physicochemical properties, biodegradability, and enhanced extraction efficiency for TCM constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. METHODS: This review comprehensively summarizes the synergistic integration of DESs with TCM, highlighting their applications in green extraction, purification, and stabilization of bioactive compounds. It investigates a series of separation techniques, including liquid/solid-liquid (micro) extraction, chromatographic systems and others, where DESs enhance efficiency and recyclability. Environmental-Health-Safety (EHS) analyses, such as life cycle assessments and related tools, are also discussed. RESULTS: DESs demonstrate superior performance in preserving heat-sensitive compounds, improving solubility, and enabling selective extraction as well as isolation while aligning with green chemistry principles. However, challenges such as high viscosity, scalability, and toxicological assessments remain. Despite these limitations, DESs show significant eco-friendly potential, and future opportunities in policy support and AI-driven design could further advance their role in modernizing TCM for safer, more efficient, and sustainable therapeutic development.