Applications of Affinity Chromatography in Natural Medicine Research

Affinity chromatography is a method using the specific affinity adsorption between biological molecules and surface-ligand of affinity chromatography stationary phase for selective separation of biomolecules. It has been widely used for separation,detection or study among the target molecules of complex samples with the advantages of high selective,high recovery efficiency and high purity. Affinity chromatography has become a very important method in natural medicine research gradually. The commonly used categories consist of immunoaffinity chromatography, lectin affinity chromatography, cell membrane chromatography, immobilized metal affinity chromatography,molecular imprinting,dye ligands affinity chromatography,aptamer affinity chromatography, affinity membrane chromatography and frontal affinity chromatography. The applications in natural medicine research of the main categories of affinity chromatography,the types and the preparations and choice methods of ligands are introduced in this review,and its application is prospected as well.