biostudies-literatureWang SMedical Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Provincial Postdoctoral Science FoundationNatural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, ChinaHubei Provincial Science and Technology Plan ProjectFoundation for Innovative Research Groups of Hubei ProvinceHubei University of Chinese Medicine 2024 Annual Science and Technology Innovation Project93https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12853929biostudies-literatureUnknown24(1)The pharmacological activities of traditional herbal medicine-derived carbon dots (THM-CDs) render them highly promising for applications in biomedicine. However, the interactions between THM-CDs and intracellular proteins have yet to be fully elucidated. Herein, inspired by the traditional vinegar-processing of Artemisia argyi (A. argyi), acetic acid-treated Artemisia argyi-derived carbon dots (AA-CDs) demonstrate excellent resistance to iron death via efficient ROS scavenging and Fe²⁺ chelating. Notably, multi-omics analysis uncovers a novel whereby AA-CDs directly target and stabilize heat shock protein A5 (HSPA5), thus preventing the degradation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), a pivotal negative regulator of ferroptosis. Emerging evidence indicates that ferroptosis playsJournal of nanobiotechnologyArtemisia-derived carbon dots with excellent pharmacological activities and ROS scavenging for osteoarthritis treatment.PMC1285392920267843782025AFD483ZY2025J0013902982024KJCX0042025BCB043Fan FWu JXu KLiu MWang SWang CHu XChen GWei KfalseArtemisia-derived carbon dots with excellent pharmacological activities and ROS scavenging for osteoarthritis treatment.The pharmacological activities of traditional herbal medicine-derived carbon dots (THM-CDs) render them highly promising for applications in biomedicine. However, the interactions between THM-CDs and intracellular proteins have yet to be fully elucidated. Herein, inspired by the traditional vinegar-processing of Artemisia argyi (A. argyi), acetic acid-treated Artemisia argyi-derived carbon dots (AA-CDs) demonstrate excellent resistance to iron death via efficient ROS scavenging and Fe²⁺ chelating. Notably, multi-omics analysis uncovers a novel whereby AA-CDs directly target and stabilize heat shock protein A5 (HSPA5), thus preventing the degradation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), a pivotal negative regulator of ferroptosis. Emerging evidence indicates that ferroptosis plays2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-06-13T06:31:06.172Z2026-06-13T03:12:49.192ZS-EPMC128539294155976210.1186/s12951-026-04046-5