Research progress on the application of chemical proteomics in the target identification of active components in traditional Chinese medicine

Chemical proteomics is a technology widely used in the discovery of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the identification of their targets, enabling the systematic elucidation of TCM's mechanisms of action. Its core lies in designing specific molecular probes to accurately identify target proteins of active TCM components, providing a theoretical basis for revealing pharmacodynamic material foundations and supporting new drug development. China is rich in herbal medicine resources, yet the specific mechanisms and "scientific validity" of TCM have long faced skepticism and criticism. Due to its high specificity and systematic approach, chemical proteomics has become a key tool in promoting the modernization of TCM research. This review summarizes studies from the past five years on identifying targets of active TCM ingredients using chemical proteomics, analyzing both label-based and label-free methods, and discusses the advantages and limitations of different identification strategies. The aim is to provide methodological references for target identification of active TCM components and contribute to the modernization of TCM research.