[Influence of different drying methods on the quality of Sparganii rhizoma based on multi-index evaluation].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of different drying methods on the quality of Sparganii Rhizoma and obtain the optimal one. METHODS: Based on multi-index evaluation technology, Sparganii Rhizoma was processed using five drying methods including drying in the shade, drying in the sun, drying in the oven, infrared drying and microwave drying. The contents of the functional ingredients such as seven phenolic compounds including p-hydroxybenzaldehde, vanillic acid,p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, rutin, kaempferol and formononetin, polysaccharide, total saponins and total polyphenols were determined by the validated procedures of HPLC and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. RESULTS: The contents of seven phenolic compounds, polysaccharide and total polyphenols were the highest using microwave drying, while the content of the total saponins was the highest by drying in the oven. CONCLUSION: Different drying methods have significant influence on the quality of Sparganii Rhizoma.

Optimisation of ultrasound assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from Sparganii rhizoma with response surface methodology.

The present study reports on the extraction of phenolic compounds from sparganii rhizome. Box-Behnken Design (BBD), a widely used form of response surface methodology (RSM), was used to investigate the effect of process variables on the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Three independent variables including ethanol concentration (%), extraction time (min) and solvent-to-material ratio (mL/g) were studied. The results showed that the optimal UAE condition was obtained with an ethanol concentration of 75.3%, an extraction time of 40min and a solvent-to-material ratio of 19.21mL/g for total phenols, and an ethanol concentration of 80%, an extraction time of 33.54min and solvent-to-material ratio of 22.72mL/g for combination of ρ-hydroxybenzaldehyde, ρ-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, rutin and kaempferol. The experimental values under optimal conditions were in good consistent with the predicted values, which suggested UAE is more efficient process as compared to solvent extraction.

[Study on quality evaluation of Sparganii rhizoma by biopotency determination method].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for determining anticoagulation potency of Sparganii Rhizoma, and evaluate the effect of Sparganii Rhizoma herbs from different producing areas on promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis; and study the material basis of Sparganii Rhizoma through the correlation analysis on its anticoagulation potency, ferulic acid and total flavonoid content. METHOD: The anticoagulation time of Sparganii Rhizoma from different producing areas with activeated partial thromboplastin time for their active extracts. Their biopotency was calculated by using the method of "parallel lines of dose effect" (3, 3). The degree of correlation between their anticoagulation potency and chemical constituents were calculated by using Pearson correlational analysis method. RESULT: Sparganii Rhizoma and is control drugs had a good linear relationship between dose and effect (Y = 172.76X - 193.39, R2 = 0.9955). The method had better accuracy (RSD 4.7%), repeatability (RSD 2.3%) and intermediate precision (RSD 5.4%), finding that the biopotency of Sparganii Rhizoma from different producing areas ranged between 52.33-238.58 U x g(-1), and all of them passed the test on reliability. The results of correlation analysis showed no remarkable relationship between the anticoagulation potency of Sparganii Rhizoma and the contents of the two chemical constituents. CONCLUSION: This biopotency determination method established in the experiment can be used as one of approaches for qulaity evaluation on Sparganii Rhizoma.

[Identification of Dens Draconis and Os Draconis by XRD method].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an XRD method for evaluating the quality of Os Draconis and Dens Draconis and applying in judgement of the counterfeit. METHODS: Dens Draconis, Os Draconis and the counterfeit of Os Draconis were analyzed by XRD. Their diffraction patterns were clustered analysis and evaluated their similarity degree. RESULTS: Established the analytical method of Dens Draconis and Os Draconis basing the features fingerprint information of the 10 common peaks by XRD pattern. Obtained the XRD pattern of the counterfeit of Os Draconis. The similarity degree of separate sources of Dens Draconis was high,while the similarity degree of separate sources of Os Draconis was significant different from each other. CONCLUSION: This method can be used for identification and evaluation of Os Draconis and Dens Draconis. It also can be used for identification the counterfeit of Os Draconis effectively.

Response surface optimized ultrasonic-assisted extraction of flavonoids from Sparganii rhizoma and evaluation of their in vitro antioxidant activities.

An efficient ultrasound-assisted extraction technique was employed to extract total flavonoids from Sparganii rhizoma. The optimum extraction conditions for the highest yield of total flavonoids were ethanol concentration 53.62%, ultrasonication time 29.41 min and ultrasound power 300 W, which were determined using response surface methodology. The extraction yields of the optimal ultrasound-assisted extraction were higher than using conventional extraction. The crude extract was then purified on a polyamide resin, whereby the flavonoids content in the purified extract increased to 94.62%. The antioxidant activities of the purified flavonoids including DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS+ radical scavenging activity, reducing power, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and superoxide anion scavenging activity, were evaluated in vitro, which suggested that the flavonoids showed significant antioxidant activities. Rutin, kaempferol and formononetin were identified in the extract by comparing relative retention times and UV-Vis spectra with those of reference standards.