[Modern drying processing method for Angelicae Sinensis Radix based on multi-bioactive constituents].

Area of Science:

• Pharmacognosy
• Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing
• Drying Technology

Background:

• Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR) is a vital herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
• Modernization of ASR processing requires scientific optimization of drying methods.
• Existing primary drying processing (PDP) methods may not preserve optimal chemical constituents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a scientific basis for selecting and optimizing modern drying methods for ASR.
• To evaluate the impact of different drying techniques on ASR's inner quality.
• To determine optimal parameters for a modernized primary drying process for ASR.

Main Methods:

• UPLC-PDA and UV-Vis spectrophotometry were used to quantify phenolic acids, phthalides, and polysaccharides.
• Principal Component Analysis (PCA) evaluated the effects of drying methods on ASR quality and appearance.
• Orthogonal experiment design optimized CTHD parameters based on traditional PDP as a reference.

Main Results:

• CTHD, MSID, and MVD methods retained significantly higher levels of chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid compared to PDP and fresh samples.
• PCA indicated CTHD samples possessed chemical properties most similar to PDP-processed samples.
• Optimized CTHD parameters involved a two-stage process with specific temperature, humidity, and moisture content targets.

Conclusions:

• CTHD is a suitable modern primary drying method for ASR, preserving key chemical constituents.
• The study provides optimized, scientifically validated parameters for ASR primary drying.
• This research contributes to establishing technical standards for primary drying of root and rhizome-type herbal medicines.