Multispectroscopic studies of paeoniflorin binding to calf thymus DNA in vitro

► The binding mode of paeoniflorin to calf thymus DNA is the minor groove binding. ► Paeoniflorin mainly binds in the region of rich A-T base pairs of DNA. ► The binding does not alter the native B-conformation of DNA. ► The binding is driven mainly by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces.