Chip-based drug screening for inhibiting α-glucosidase.

Intestinal α-glucosidase performs a physiologically vital function in the digestive process of dietary carbohydrates. Administration of an α-glucosidase inhibitor may retard the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Consequently, the rise in postprandial blood glucose could be suppressed. This study developed a novel technology, called "after flowing through immobilized receptor (AFTIR)," for targeting components in herbal medicines with α-glucosidase-suppressing capability. As a result, we reveal that the AFTIR system is a highly-efficient drug screening platform, capable of purifying and identifying active components with α-glucosidase-suppressing capability in herbal medicines.