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Consequently, there is an urgent need for systematic functional exploration of TCM-derived chemicals. In this study, we applied a network pharmacology-based approach to screen four canonical TCM compound prescriptions for antiosteoporotic compounds, identifying a total of 20 candidate molecules. Among these, quercetin was selected as a lead compound for the synthesis of biologically active carbon dots (CDs), which were then integrated with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) to construct a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanocarrier system. In vitro cellular assays demonstrated that both the quercetin-derived CDs and the drug-loaded nanocarriers exhibited excellent cytocompatibility, robust osteogenic-promoting activity, and potent osteoclast-inhibitory effects. Collectively, our findings underscore the utility of network pharmacology in identifying quercetin as a promising TCM-derived lead compound for osteoporosis intervention, and the rational functionalization strategy developed herein provides a valuable paradigm for advancing the therapeutic application of TCM-derived chemicals in bone metabolic disorders.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1021\/acsbiomaterials.6c01241","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T22:02:15Z","timestamp":1792447335000},"page":"6128-6143","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Functionalized Chinese Medicine-Derived Quercetin Carbon Dots for the Treatment of Osteoporosis"],"prefix":"10.1021","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7963-0459","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Qi","family":"Gan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"East China University of Science and Technology , , ,","place":["Shanghai, P.R. 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