Effect of Harvesting Stage and Drying Method on Cowpea Leaf Nutrient Composition

Cowpea leaves are lost annually due to infestation and spoilage when being transported to clients and the losses at the local markets are brought on by inadequate postharvest handling procedures and market glut, particularly during peak seasons. High moisture content from the cowpea leaves at harvest stage may contribute to increased spoilage hence lowering quantity and quality. The choice of appropriate harvesting stage and drying method can help to reduce this problem. The aim of this study was to determine the best harvesting stage and efficient drying method that would maintain high leaf nutrient composition. Cowpeas variety M66 was used for the research and the treatments included three harvesting stages (21, 35 and 49 days after sowing [DAS]), three drying methods (open sun, solar dryer and oven. Data was collected on iron, calcium, crude fibre, beta carotene, protein and moisture content. The data was subjected for variance using Statistical Analysis System 9.2 edition and significantly different means separated using least significant difference at 5%. The results indicated significant (p<0.05) differences in moisture, calcium, proteins, beta carotene and crude fibre content in both trials. Harvest stage and drying method did not significantly (p<0.05) influence the iron content. Oven and solar drying methods showed better nutrient and mineral retention in the three harvesting stages when compared to the open sun drying method.

Effects of different drying methods on quality of male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides based on color and chemical composition / 中国中药杂志

To study the effects of different drying methods on the quality of male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides(MFOEU), we treated fresh MFOEU samples with drying in the shade(DS), vacuum freeze drying(VFD), high-or low-temperature hot air drying(HTHAD, LTHAD), microwave drying(MD), and vacuum drying(VD), respectively. The color, total flavonoid content, total polysaccharide content, and main active components such as geniposide, geniposidic acid, rutin, chlorogenic acid, galuteolin, pinoresinol diglucoside, and aucubin in MFOEU were taken as the evaluation indicators. The quality of MFOEU was comprehensively evaluated by entropy weight method combined with color index method, partial least squares discriminant analysis and content clustering heat map. The experimental results showed that VFD and DS basically kept the original color of MFOEU. The MFOEU treated with MD had higher content of total polysaccharides, phenylpropanoids, lignans, and iridoids. The MFOEU treated with LTHAD had higher content of total flavonoids and that treated with VD had lower content of active components. According to the results of comprehensive evaluation, the quality of MFOEU dried with different methods followed the order of MD>HTHAD>VFD>LTHAD>DS>VD. Considering the color of MFOEU, the suitable drying methods were DS and VFD. Considering the color, active components, and economic benefits of MFOEU, MD was the suitable drying method. The results of this study are of a reference value for the determination of suitable methods for MFOEU processing in the producing areas.

Effect of Different Drying Methods on Volatile Components in Pseudostellariae Radix Based on GC-IMS / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of different drying methods on volatile components of Pseudostellariae Radix. MethodThe samples were dried by different methods， including air drying， sun drying， hot air drying （40， 60， 80 ℃） and vacuum freeze drying. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry （GC-IMS） was used to compare the changes of volatile components in the samples after different treatments. The samples were incubated at 80 ℃ and 500 r·min-1 for 15 min， the injection temperature was 85 ℃， the injection volume was 200 μL， the flow rate of carrier gas was from 2 mL to 150 mL during 20 min， and the temperature of IMS detector was 60 ℃. SE-54 capillary column （0.32 mm×30 m， 0.25 μm） was used， the column temperature was 60 ℃， and the analysis time was 35 min. The differential spectra of volatile components were constructed and analyzed by principal component analysis （PCA）. ResultA total of 37 volatile components were identified from dried Pseudostellariae Radix. The number of compounds in descending order was ketones， aldehydes and alcohols. There were some differences in the volatile components in samples dried by different methods. And the volatile components in samples with sun drying， air drying and hot air drying at 40 ℃ were similar， compared with other drying methods， vacuum freeze drying and hot air drying at 80 ℃ had great effects on the volatile components of Pseudostellariae Radix， and the compounds in the samples with vacuum freeze drying were the least. ConclusionIn this study， GC-IMS for the detection and analysis of volatile components in Pseudostellariae Radix is established， which has the characteristics of high efficiency， nondestructive inspection and simple sample processing. This method can be used for the distinction of Pseudostellariae Radix dried by different methods. And hot air drying at 40 ℃ can effectively retain the volatile components of Pseudostellariae Radix， and achieve similar flavor to samples with sun drying and air drying.

Effect of different drying methods on drying characteristics, appearance and active components of Belamcandae Rhizoma / 中国中药杂志

In order to explore the effect of different drying methods(drying-in-the-shade, sun-drying, and hot air drying) on appearance characteristics, internal structure and composition of Belamcandae Rhizoma, so as to provide a theoretical basis for screening out suitable drying methods for primary processing. In this study, the Belamcandae Rhizoma's dynamic changes of the moisture content ratio and drying rate with different drying time under different drying methods, as well as the effects of different drying methods on the appearance, drying rate, density, ash, extractives and the contents of six flavonoids(mangiferin, tectoridin, iridin, tectorigenin, irigenin, irisflorentin) were compared. The results showed that fresh Belamcandae Rhizoma consumed the longest time to reach the water balance point by traditional dry drying in the shade, whiche was about 311 h; that by sun drying was 19.3%, which was shorter than drying in the shade; both drying curves were smoother. The section color of the sun drying samples was the closest to that of fresh samples, but the interior is full of holes, with a low density and loose structure. Hot air drying(40, 60, 80 ℃) could save about 27% to 88% of the drying time, which was greatly shorter, with less pores, a larger density and compact structure. Compared with the traditional drying method, the drying rate of hot air drying was reduced by 13.7%. Ash was affected by temperature, the drying conditions under 40 ℃ and below were not significantly different from those of conventional drying. The ash content decreased by 7.73% to 18.5% compared with conventional drying at 60,80 ℃. After conventional drying and 40 ℃ hot air drying, the contents of tectoridin and iridin(glycosides) in the samples were significantly higher than those in 60,80 ℃ hot air drying, while the contents of tectorigenin, irigenin and irisflorentin(aglycones) dried at 60 ℃ were the best. Therefore, considering comprehensive appearance characteristics and content of medicinal ingredients, traditional Chinese medicinal materials after 60 ℃ hot air drying show a solid texture, tight internal structure, good appearance, appropriate reduction of toxic parasides and higher aglycone content.

Effect of drying processing methods on different specifications of Sophorae Flos based on comprehensive statistical analysis / 中国中药杂志

To investigate the effects of six common drying methods on the quality of different specifications of Sophorae Flos, in order to select their suitable drying methods. According to appearance and morphology, Sophorae Flos was divided into the following three specifications: flower bud type(HL), half-open type(BK) and blooming type(SK). All specifications of samples were treated with shade-drying method(25 ℃, natural temperature), sun-drying method, hot-air-drying method(60, 105 ℃), and drying method(60 ℃) after steaming. The contents of total flavonoids, rutin, narcissus, quercetin, isorhamnetin, and Fe~(3+) reducing ability, DPPH free radical scavenging ability, ABTS free radical scavenging ability and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching(FRAP) were detected by UV, HPLC and colorimetry, respectively. Principal component analysis(PCA), cluster analysis(CA) and correlation analysis were used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of samples. According to the results, there were significant differences in the effect of drying methods on different specifications of samples. The drying method(60 ℃) after steaming was suitable for HL and BK, while the hot-air-drying method(60 ℃) was suitable for SK. When the fresh medicinal materials could not be treated in time, they should be spread out in a cool and ventilated place. Under high and low temperature conditions, the quality of three specifications of Sophorae Flos would be reduced. The hot-air-drying method(105 ℃) and shade-drying method(25 ℃) were not suitable for the treatment of fresh flowers and flower buds of Sophora japonicus. There were obviously differences of chemical compositions and antioxidant activities among the three specifications of samples. Therefore, the specifications of medicinal materials should be controlled to ensure the uniform quality. The study provided the abundant data reference for the selection of appropriate drying methods for the three specifications of Sophorae Flos, and useful exploration for the classification and processing of medicinal materials of flowers.

Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Chemical Composition of Farfarae Flos / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of different drying methods on the major compounds in Farfarae Flos(FF). METHODS: The content of moisture and tussilagone were determined, and the common peaks in the HPLC fingerprint were calculated and subjected to the principal component analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that the moisture content was the highest when the FF was dried in the shade, and the drying method showed little effect on the content of tussilagone. The results of the principal component analysis showed that the FF dried in the shade was different from those of FF being dried under heat. The relative content of major compounds were the highest for the FF dried in the shade. In addition, the caffeoyl quinic acids and flavonoids were greatly affected after heating, however the heat drying showed little effect on the sesquiterpenoids. Among the different drying temperature, 55 ℃ showed smallest effect on the main components in the FF. CONCLUSION: The components in FF can be protected when drying in the shade, which reveals the scientific basis for the traditional experience of drying. However, in order to facilitate the drying process on a large scale, and minimizing the effect of drying on the compounds in the FF, drying temperature of 55 ℃ is recommended.

Preparation of silymarin nanosuspension with glycyrrhizic acid as stabilizer and study of its stabilization mechanism / 中草药

Objective: To prepare silymarin nanosuspension (SM-NS) with glycyrrhizic acid as stabilizer, and investigate the in vitro release characteristics and charge stabilization mechanism. Methods: SM-NS was prepared by high-speed shear-high pressure homogenization method. SM-NS lyophilized powder were prepared by freeze-drying method and characterized by physical and chemical characterization and in vitro release. The stability mechanism of SM-NS was studied from the ionic strength and pH value. Results: The dosage of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) was 0.15%. The preparation process was shear rate of 19 000 r/min, shear time of 4 min, homogenization pressure of 100 MPa, homogenization times of 12 times, and lyoprotectant was mannitol 3%, the average particle size of SM-NS lyophilized powder was (516.4 ± 10.4) nm, PDI was (0.260 ± 0.046); The in vitro release results showed that the dissolution rate and solubility of SM-NS lyophilized powder were significantly higher than the physical mixture; The study of charge stability mechanism showed that licorice acid can provide good charge stabilization and strong resistance to environmental impact. Conclusion: SM-NS is a potential and new nano-drug with high safety, which is formed by the charge stability of GA to significantly improve the solubility and stability of silymarin.

Effect of Different Drying Methods on Physical Fingerprint and Total Flavonoids Content of Mori Ramulus Extract / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To investigate the influence of different drying methods on physical fingerprint and total flavonoids content of Mori Ramulus extract.Method: The Mori Ramulus extract was dried by freeze drying,vacuum drying,ambient pressure drying,respectively.The content of total flavonoids in samples with different drying methods were determined and compared with each other.Physical fingerprint of Mori Ramulus extract was established by radar map and the physical fingerprint of samples with different drying methods were compared with each other.In the meantime,compressible parameters were employed to analyze the compressibility characteristics of Mori Ramulus extract treated by different drying methods.Result: Similarity of control physical fingerprint of Mori Ramulus extract treated by different drying methods was 77.8%-87.3%,relative standard deviation(RSD) of average value of the first level indexes and the compressible parameters was 0-16.6%.Except for homogeneity and stability,the remaining RSDs were less than 10%.Effects of different drying methods on homogeneity and stability of Mori Ramulus extract were greater than that of other factors.Conclusion: Different drying methods have certain effects on physical fingerprint of Mori Ramulus extract,but they have little influence on total flavonoids content in Mori Ramulus extract.

Simultaneous determination of gallic acid，methyl gallate and ellagic acid in mouth rinse residues and the effect of residue-drying methods on their content / 国际药学研究杂志

Objective: To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of gallic acid(GA),methyl gal- late(MG)and ellagic acid(EA)in the residue of a gingival consolidation liquid(a mouth rinse preparation),and inves- tigate the effect of different residue-drying methods on the GA,MG and EA content in the residues. Methods: High per- formance liquid chromatography(HPLC)switching walvelength method was used to determine the GA,MG and EA con- tents. The column was Agilent Zorbax SB-C18(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm). The mobile phase was methanol(A)-0.05% phosphoric acid aqueous solution(B)in a gradient elution. The detection wavelength was 272 nm for GA/MG and 255 nm for EA. The flow rate was 1 ml/min,and the injection volume was 3 μl. Meanwhile,the residues were dried with the methods of sun drying,blast drying,vacuum drying and microwave vacuum drying,respectively and the GA,MG and EA contents in the residues were determined by the established HPLC method. Results: The linear ranges for GA,MG and EA were 1.280-4.608(r=0.9998),0.560-2.016(r=0.9998),0.1145-0.4122 μg(r=0.9997),respectively. The aver- age recoveries for GA,MG and EA were 99.97%,99.93% and 100.20%,with the RSD of 0.34%,2.30% and 0.93%,re- spectively. The contents of GA,MG and EA varied in quite a large range in the residues dried by different methods. Con- clusion: The established method is fast,simple and practicable,which could be used for the determination of GA,MG and EA in the residue of a gingival consolidation liquid. The drying methods could significantly affect the contents of GA, MG and EA in the residues,and the related results provide a reference for future studies.

Preparation and Quality Evaluation of Zingiber officinale Oil Microcapsules / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To prepare Zingiber officinale oil microcapsules and to evaluate its quality. METHODS： Z. officinale oil microcapsules were prepared by spray drying method with sodium starch octenyl succinate as capsule material. The preparation technology was optimized by orthogonal test with mixing temperature of capsule material and capsule core， mass ratio of capsule material and capsule core， stirring speed as factors， using encapsulation efficiency as index. The drug loading， encapsulation efficiency， appearance， particle size distribution and stability of light， heat and humidity （using iodine value and peroxide value as indexes） were evaluated. RESULTS： The optimal preparation technology of Z. officinale oil microcapsules was that the mixing temperature of capsule material and core was 60 ℃； mass ratio of capsule material and capsule core was 10 ∶ 1； stirring speed was 12 000 r/min. Average drug-loading amount and encapsulation efficiency of Z. officinale oil microcapsules prepared by optimal technology were 17.97％ and 73.57％ （n＝3）. The morphology of Z. officinale oil microcapsules was round， smooth， non-sticky and uniform in size distribution. The average diameter of microcapsules was （6.30±0.27） μm. Under light， heat and humidity conditions， the iodine value and peroxide value of Z. officinale oil microcapsules changed slightly. CONCLUSIONS： The optimal preparation technology of Z. officinale oil microcapsules is simple and reproducible. The prepared microcapsules have good encapsulation efficiency， high drug loading amount and good stability.

Simulation of Drying Process of Single Liuwei Dihuangwan and Analysis of Its Dynamics Based on Weibull Function / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: Taking single Liuwei Dihuangwan(LDW) as the research object,the moisture content change and volumetric shrinkage characteristics in its drying process were investigated,which provided the theoretical basis for improving the drying efficiency of the pills and reducing the quality problems of the pattern pills,crusts and crack pills. Method: The drying characteristics of LDW at drying temperature of 50,75,100,125℃ were studied by constant temperature hot air drying and vacuum drying.Based on sphere model of Fick's second law and Arrhenius equation,the effective diffusion coefficient and activation energy of the drying process were obtained.The volumetric shrinkage characteristics of the pills during the drying process were studied by the projected area method.The Weibull function was used to fit the drying dynamics curve of single LDW. Result: Hot air drying and vacuum drying of LDW both belonged to the decreasing drying processes,and the time required to achieve the same moisture content in vacuum drying was shorter than that in hot air drying.The moisture ratio in the drying process of single LDW obeyed the Weibull function distribution(R2=0.994 5-0.999 7),the scale parameter(α) decreased with the increase of temperature,and drying temperature had significant influence on the shape parameter (β).The effective diffusion coefficients of hot air drying and vacuum drying were 2.626×10-3-7.823×10-2,3.782×10-3-9.042×10-2 m2·s-1, their activation energy were 47.18,42.69 kJ·mol-1,respectively.The volume ratio of hot air drying and vacuum drying of LDW ranged from 0.638 to 0.741 and 0.607 to 0.689,respectively. Conclusion: Weibull function can be adopted to predict the drying and dehydration law of LDW.Under the condition of low temperature drying,slow-down of shrinkage rate of the pills is helpful to prevent the formation of splitting pills,this study provides theoretical and technical basis for dying of LDW.

Extraction parameters and drying methods of Cistanche deserticola / 中草药

Objective: The optimum extraction process parameters of Cistanche deserticola were selected to study the effects of different drying methods on five phenylethanoid glycosides. Methods: Single factor screening combined with Box-Behnken response surface method was used to optimize the extraction process. After optimal conditions were extracted, HPLC method was used to detect the content of echinacoside, cistanche A, verbascoside, isoacteoside, and 2’-acetylacteoside in different drying methods, and one-way ANOVA, cluster analysis, principal component analysis and close value analysis were used to analyze the content of five phenylethanoid glycosides to choose the best drying method. Results: Optimal extraction process was as following: methanol volume fraction was 55.14%, liquid to material ratio was 46.39, extraction time was 38.50 min. Cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and close value analysis showed that the quality of C. deserticola obtained by freeze-drying method was the best, followed by drying at 80 ℃ and the lowest at 40 ℃. Conclusion: Using this process to extract C. deserticola, the five phenylethanoid glycosides are completely and fully extracted. Although the freeze-drying method of C. deserticola has the highest active ingredient retention, from the production point of view, the 80 ℃ drying method can achieve a balance of cost and efficiency.

Comparative study for freeze-drying and sun-drying on multi-index ingredients of Cordyceps sinensis / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this paper was to compare the influence of freeze-drying and sun-drying on six main nucleosides and nucleobases of Cordyceps sinensis by HPLC. Hypoxanthine,xanthine,uridine,inosine,guanosine and adenosine were reference substances. HPLC analysis was performed on a GL Inertsustain AQ-C_(18) column( 4. 6 mm×250 mm,5 μm),with mobile phase consisting of water( A)-acetonitrile( B) at the flow rate of 1. 0 mL·min~(-1)( 0-10 min,0-1% B; 10-65 min,1%-3% B). The detection wavelength was 260 nm,the column temperature was controlled at 30 ℃,and the injection volume was 5 μL. The linear ranges of hypoxanthine,xanthine,uridine,inosine,guanosine and adenosine were 1. 025-20. 50( r = 0. 999 8),0. 545-10. 90( r = 0. 999 9),4. 051-81. 02( r = 0. 999 8),4. 044-80. 88( r= 0. 999 9),2. 075-41. 50( r= 0. 999 9),4. 032-80. 64( r = 0. 999 9) mg·L~(-1),respectively. The average recoveries of them( n = 6)were as follows: 102. 3%( RSD 2. 1%),101. 1%( RSD 2. 4%),97. 80%( RSD 1. 7%),101. 8%( RSD 1. 8%),98. 90%( RSD2. 0%) and 98. 10%( RSD 1. 4%),respectively. Each sample was processed by freeze-drying and sun-drying so as to compare the difference between the two drying methods. The contents of six index ingredients were significantly different between freeze-drying and sun-drying sample of C. sinensis. The total contents of six index ingredients in sun-drying sample were higher than that in the corresponding freeze-drying sample. This research results provide the scientific basis for the drying methods and quality evaluation of C. sinensis.

Comparative study on three pretreatment methods before crushing Lycii Fructus / 中草药

Objective Three kinds of pretreatment methods were studied to compare and select the suitable pretreatment methods for Lycii Fructus (LF) reference standards to improve its crushing and packaging efficiency. Methods LF was treated by three pretreatment methods of decompression drying, liquid nitrogen freeze-drying, and freeze-drying. The difference of characteristic values before and after treatment was determined and compared with LF without pretreatment. The determination of characteristic values included the determination of moisture, content, etc. Results The water content of raw material of directly crushed LF was 6.4%, and the water content of the other three pretreated LF was 4.6%, 5.0%, and 5.2%, respectively. The content of polysaccharide and betaine in the raw material of directly crushed LF was 2.5% and 0.98%. The polysaccharide content of the other three pretreated LF was 2.6%, 2.8%, and 2.6%, respectively. The content of betaine was 0.94%, 1.00%, and 0.87% by the other three pretreatment methods. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the quality of LF obtained by the three pretreatment methods. Therefore, from an economic point of view, this paper recommended to use more affordable pretreatment method of decompression drying for LF. In addition, the pretreated raw materials of LF should be crushed and subpackaged as soon as possible, and the crushing and the dividing environment humidity should be strictly controlled at 20% to 30%, in order to improve the efficiency of crushing and dividing. Conclusion Based on the cost consideration, the decompression drying method is the most economical and effective of the three pretreatment methods. Therefore, the decompression drying method is recommended in actual work.

Optimization of fresh-cuting process and its pharmacodynamics of Aurantii Fructus / 中草药

Objective To study the effect of different cutting time and drying methods on the index components of pharmacopeia in different fresh-cutting Aurantii Fructus, and investigate the difference of component and efficacy between the preferred fresh-cutting Aurantii Fructus and the traditional slices. Methods The HPLC system consisted of a Diamonsil C18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with acetonitrile/phosphoric acid water (20∶80, pH 3.0) as the mobile phase, the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min, column temperature was 30 ℃, detection wavelength was 283 nm, and the injection volume was 20 μL. The content of naringin and neohesperidin in fresh-cutting Aurantii Fructus with different processing methods was determined to optimize the cutting time and drying method. At the same time, the effects of sclices from fresh-cutting and traditional process on the small intestine propulsion rate, gastric emptying rate, gastrin, and hemorheology were determined. Results The content of naringin and neohesperidin of the fresh-cutting Aurantii Fructus that dried in sun was higher than that dried at 60 ℃ in oven at the corresponding days from the same origin, and the highest content was from fresh-cutting slices dried in sun for 3 d. There was no significant difference in the indexes of small intestine propulsion rate, gastric emptying rate, and gastrin between the preferred fresh-cuting Aurantii Fructus and the traditional ones, but the indexes of hemorheology showed significant difference (P < 0.05). Conclusion The preferred fresh-cutting Aurantii Fructus (processed by half cutting horizontally, drying for 3 d, and then cutting into thin slices and drying in the sun) showes no significant difference in gastrointestinal motility indexes when compared with the traditional ones.

Study on chemical constituents and pharmacodynamic changes of Bufonis Venenum with different drying methods / 中草药

Objective To study the changes of chemical constituents and pharmacodynamics with different drying methods (sun- drying, 50 ℃ vacuum-drying, 50 ℃ and 80 ℃ heat-drying, freeze drying method) in Bufonis Venenum. Methods HPLC method and TLC method was established for studying the changes of chemical constituents from B. Venenum before and after being dried, and determine the inhibitory effect of dried samples on five different tumor cell lines proliferation by MTT assay. Results The B. Venenum processed by five different methods were different in character, while no significant differences in the types and content of chemical constituents; The total content of resibufogenin and cinobufagin was more than 6%, which was consistent with the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopeia; 50 ℃ and 80 ℃ heat-drying of B. Venenum showed more effective inhibitiory effect than other dry methods. Conclusion The appearance of B. Venenum met the criterion of pharmacoperia by sun-drying and 50 ℃ heat-drying method. Although the color of B. Venenum under the vacuum-drying and freeze drying method did not meet the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopeia, the main effective components have a few changes.

Modern drying processing method for Angelicae Sinensis Radix based on multi-bioactive constituents / 中国中药杂志

To provide a scientific basis for the selection and optimization of the modern drying processing method for Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR). Three phenolic acids (esters), 6 phthalides were determined by using UPLC-PDA while polysaccharides were determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Then the effects of drying methods on the inner qualities of ASR were evaluated through principle components analysis (PCA) combined with the appearance properties after drying. Results showed that the contents of chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid in samples obtained with controlled temperature and humidity drying (CTHD), medium and shortwave infrared drying (MSID) and microwave vacuum drying (MVD) methods were significantly higher than those with primary drying processing(PDP) method and the fresh samples. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that samples processed with CTHD had more similar general chemical properties with those processed with PDP, suggesting that CTHD was appropriate for the modern primary drying processing of ASR. With samples processed with traditional PDP method as reference, the CTHD method was further optimized in the processing parameters for ASR by orthogonal experiment design. Considering the consumption of drying power and time and other parameters, the modern drying parameters for the primary drying processing of ASR were finally optimized as follows: controlled temperature and humidity drying at 40-45 ℃, relative humidity below 25% and target moisture content about 50% in the first stage of drying process, tempering for 12-24 h, and then drying under the conditions of temperature at 50-60 ℃, relative humidity below 20% and fan frequency at 30-40 Hz in the second stage. The study provided the scientific evidence for the selection of appropriate drying method and suitable parameters for the modern primary drying processing of ASR, as well as the beneficial exploration and practice on the formation of technical standard of primary drying processing for roots and rhizomes types herbal medicines.

Studies on the characteristics and cytotoxicity of gentamicin/chitosan microspheres for local injection / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To construct the drug delivery system of gentamicin/chitosan microspheres for local injection, and evaluate its physicochemical properties and cell cytotoxicity.Methods Gentamicinwas used as model drug, chitosan as carrier, lecithinand hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as accessories, and the microspheres of gentamicin/chitosan/lecithin/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrinwas prepared by spray drying method.The physicochemical properties and cell cytotoxicity of themicrospheres were investigated by UV spectrophotometry , scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, dynamic membrane dialysis and MTT assay.Results Five kinds of chitosan microspheres ( A, B, C, D and E) with different drug/carrier ratios were successfully prepared by spray drying method.The yield, drug loading and entrapment efficiency of the drug-loaded microspheres were 34.38%~46.94%, 10.20% ~18.67%, 61.20% ~74.72%, respectively.SEM results showed that compared with microspheres A, B and C, microspheres D and E own the spherical shape with wrinkled surface and uniform particle size, particle size between 0.5 ~3 μm, no adhesion.X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the drug was encapsulated in the microspheres.The results of in vitro release indicated that microspheres D had a good sustained release effect in the four drug-loaded microspheres.The results of cytotoxicity test showed that when the concentration of gentamicin reached 400 μg/mL, the relative growth rate of microspheres D was still higher than 80% with the cytotoxicity grade was one, ie, no cytotoxicity.Conclusion The microspheres D with good physicochemical properties, sustained-release effect and biocompatibility, is expected to be a good carrier of prostate local drug delivery.

Optimization of the preparation process for echinacoside in Herba Cistanche enteric microspheres by response surface methodology / 药学实践杂志

Objective To prepare Herba Cistanche enteric release microspheres, optimize the preparation process and study the releasing characteristics of microspheres in vitro.Methods Ion gelatin-oven drying method was used to prepare Herba Cistanche enteric microspheres.The preparation process was optimized with the aid of a Box-Behnken design.Results The optimal preparation condition was 36.33 mg/ml of sodium alginate, 10.82 mg/ml of calcium chloride and 10.93 mg/ml of chitosan.Conclusion This technology is repeatable and feasible.The microspheres have high entrapment efficiency and good sustained release characteristics.

Preparation and Evaluation of Levosalbutamol Sulfate-Ambroxol Hydrochloride Dry Powder Inhalation / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To select excipients and optimize preparation for the ambroxol hydrochloride/levosalbutamol sulfate dry powder inhalation. METHODS: Drug and different excipients in the same ratio were prepared by spray drying to obtain a certain particle size as drug particles or carriers for dry powder inhalation, respectively. Study and compare the parameters of powders of the dry powder inhaler, such as the angle of repose, moisture content, and emptying rate, etc, to screen the excipient of the vectors. Afterward, Box-Behnken design method was adopted to optimize of preparation parameters. RESULTS: When lactose-high branched cyclodextrin compounds were used as composite carriers, their powder properties meet the requirements of dry powder inhaler, such as the repose angle was 39.69 degrees, the bulk density was 0.37 g·mL-1, the tap density was 0.66 g·mL-1, the evacuation rate of drug-carrier powders in capsules was 93.12%, and the water content was 0.10% and the simulated lung deposition rate was 14.63%. The preparation parameters, such as sample concentration, inlet air temperature, nozzle diameter parameters, theirs values were 50 mg·mL-1, 110℃, 1 mm, respectively, were opmized by Box-Behnken design method, which could obtain the carrier particle size of 30.33 μm. CONCLUSION: Lactose-high branched cyclodextrin complexes can be used as carrier for levosalbutamol sulfate-ambroxol hydrochloride compound dry powder inhaler, which could meet the requirements of dry powder inhaler by spray-drying preparation method.