A treatment method for improving active components in the root of Polygala tenuifolia

Abstract

The present application discloses a treatment method for increasing the active ingredients in the root of Polygala: after pre-treatment of freshly excavated Polygala, the Polygala is packed into a breathable packaging bag, 40 to 50 kilograms per bag; the breathable packaging bag containing Polygala is placed in a storage room for storage; the storage room maintains a temperature of 16 to 20°C and a humidity of 65 to 72%; the storage time is 3 to 5 months. In combination with the local environmental conditions in northern Shaanxi, the present application has carried out fresh storage of Polygala in a cave, which can achieve the storage of the underground part of fresh Polygala for 5 months, and in this process, the content of 3'6-dicorinoyl sucrose in Polygala increases by nearly 10%. The method is highly operable in the vast Loess Plateau area, which not only increases the content of 3'6-dicorinoyl sucrose in Polygala, but also expands the window period for fresh processing in the production area of ​​Polygala, reducing labor costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of medicinal material processing, and in particular to a processing method for increasing the active ingredients in the root of Polygala tenuifolia. Background Art

[0002] Polygala tenuifolia Willd., also known as small grass, fine grass, and chicken legs, has a root bark called Polygala, which has the effects of calming the mind, improving intelligence, and connecting the heart and kidneys. It can be used to treat insomnia, dreaminess, forgetfulness, and palpitations. It also has the effects of expectoration and cough, and treating cough with phlegm. At the same time, the combination of Polygala and Ziziphus jujuba seeds has an excellent effect on the treatment of insomnia. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the active ingredients in Polygala have significant effects on the body's anti-fatigue and anti-depression.

[0003] The root bark of Polygala is used as medicine. At present, the processing process requires manual coring, and the window period suitable for coring is only one or two days. The existing technology requires a large amount of manpower in a short period of time to complete the fresh cutting of Polygala, resulting in an increase in labor costs, which is not conducive to the healthy development of the industrial chain. In addition, the existing process requires secondary infiltration of the harvested Polygala before manual coring. The secondary infiltration process will not only cause the loss of active ingredients in the root bark, but also increase the possibility of Polygala becoming moldy, resulting in the loss of raw materials. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to at least partially overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a method for increasing the active ingredients in the root of Polygala tenuifolia, which can be implemented on-site at the place of origin of the medicinal material. The method is easy to implement and can extend the processing window period of Polygala tenuifolia.

[0005] In order to achieve the above technical objectives, the technical solutions adopted in this application are as follows:

[0006] A method for improving active components in the root of Polygala tenuifolia, comprising the following steps:

[0007] After pre-processing, the freshly harvested Polygala is packed into breathable packaging bags, with each bag weighing 40 to 50 kilograms;

[0008] Place the breathable packaging bag containing Polygala tenuifolia in the storage room for storage;

[0009] The storage room maintains a temperature of 16-20° C. and a humidity of 65-72%; the storage time is 3-5 months.

[0010] Preferably, the breathable packaging bag is a sack or a woven bag.

[0011] Further preferably, the storage room adopts a modified cave or equipment with temperature control conditions.

[0012] Specifically, the internal volume of the improved cave is 100-120m3 The bottom is paved with fine sand with a thickness of more than 10 cm, the internal walls are paved with cement, the walls within the stacking range are covered with waterproof materials, the windows are shaded, vents are set, the doors are sealed, and the outside of the cave is covered with 1 to 2 m thick loess.

[0013] Further preferably, the improved cave dwelling has a 5 to 10 cm high raising layer placed on the fine sand.

[0014] Optionally, the improved cave dwelling is set up in northern Shaanxi, and is used from March to August, and the fine sand is wetted before storage.

[0015] Furthermore, the method further comprises processing the stored Polygala tenuifolia, wherein the processing steps include:

[0016] Take out the stored Polygala from the breathable packaging bag and control its water content to 34-43%;

[0017] Extract the core of the root of Polygala tenuifolia and keep the root bark;

[0018] The root bark was dried until its water content dropped below 12%.

[0019] Optionally, the step of controlling the water content to 34-43% comprises:

[0020] Use daytime conditions to dry naturally;

[0021] When the water content of the Polygala root drops to 34-43%, it is put into a breathable packaging bag for secondary stacking.

[0022] Further optionally, drying the root bark until its water content drops below 12% comprises: drying by natural air-drying, or drying at 60° C. using a drying machine.

[0023] Preferably, the pretreatment of the freshly dug Polygala includes: removing moldy plants and removing attached soil.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages:

[0025] (1) The present application utilizes specific storage conditions to increase the content of 3'6-dicerinoylsucrose, a quality marker, in the root of Polygala tenuifolia by nearly 10%, which is beneficial to improving the quality of the medicinal material.

[0026] (2) The present application improves the active ingredients in the root of Polygala tenuifolia by means of storage, and at the same time extends the window period for fresh processing of Polygala tenuifolia from the original one or two days to 3 to 5 months.

[0027] (3) This application makes full use of the human and geographical conditions of the Polygala production area for storage - the cave dwellings in northern Shaanxi are used for storage. By simply transforming the cave dwellings, the cave dwellings are made suitable as storage rooms for Polygala. This method is low-cost, simple to operate, and has extremely high promotion value.

[0028] (4) This application simultaneously solves the problems of improving the quality of Polygala and reducing the processing cost, which is conducive to the extension and healthy development of the Polygala industry chain. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 The present invention is a flow chart of a method for improving the active ingredients in the root of Polygala tenuifolia.

[0030] Figure 2 A real picture of the improved cave dwelling in this application.

[0031] Figure 3 Graph showing the determination of 3'6-dimesyloylsucrose content in Polygala tenuifolia treated by the method of the present application.

[0032] Figure 4 These are the measurement results of other indicators of Polygala tenuifolia treated by the method of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0034] The present application relates to a process for cutting Polygala while fresh. Cutting while fresh is a processing method in which the fresh Chinese medicinal materials collected are cleaned, cut or properly dried into slices, segments, blocks, petals, etc., and then dried during processing at the place of origin of the Chinese medicinal materials. Traditional cutting is a processing method in which fresh medicinal materials are processed at the place of origin, dried into dry medicinal materials, stored and transported to the slice factory, soaked and softened, cut according to the required specifications, and then dried. Cutting while fresh eliminates the need for drying and soaking of medicinal materials, and only simple cleaning is required after arriving at the slice factory, thereby reducing the processing cost of Chinese medicinal slice production enterprises and improving work efficiency. It can effectively avoid mildew and contamination of Chinese medicinal materials due to long drying and soaking time, avoid dissolution and loss of effective ingredients due to soaking or hydrolysis and enzymolysis loss, avoid sulfur fumigation and insect infestation, reduce the risk of substandard quality of Chinese medicinal slices, improve their clinical efficacy, and achieve the purpose of "reducing costs and increasing efficiency".

[0035] The use of the process of cutting some Chinese medicinal materials while they are fresh can significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency, which is mainly reflected in the following aspects: the active ingredients of the Chinese medicinal materials are retained to the greatest extent; the secondary processing process of the Chinese medicinal materials is simplified or even eliminated; the supervision of the Chinese medicinal materials at the place of origin is increased, which is conducive to management from the breeding and planting links; it can also extend the Chinese medicinal materials industry chain in the place of origin and promote the economy of the place of origin.

[0036] Polygala is produced in Northeast China, North China, Northwest China, Central China and Sichuan in China; it grows in grasslands, hillside meadows, shrubs and under mixed woods, and is distributed at an altitude of 200-2300 meters. In the process of improving the fresh cutting process of Polygala, a treatment method for increasing the active ingredients in the roots of Polygala was implemented. Figure 1 , as follows:

[0037] 1. Collecting Polygala

[0038] Polygala can be harvested after being planted for more than 3 years. It is usually dug before seedlings emerge in spring or after seedlings come back in autumn. After digging 40 to 50 cm deep, the whole plant fresh roots are dug out. At this time, the above-ground part of Polygala accounts for a very small proportion, and keeping the whole plant in shape is conducive to maintaining the activity of Polygala.

[0039] 2. Pretreatment of fresh Polygala

[0040] The freshly harvested Polygala should be sorted initially, including removing moldy plants to prevent mold from contaminating other non-moldy plants; removing the soil attached to the roots to prevent the soil from absorbing moisture from the roots, causing the roots to lose vitality, and to prevent microorganisms in the soil from causing the Polygala to mold and rot during subsequent storage.

[0041] 3. Bag processing of qualified Polygala

[0042] The pre-treated Polygala is packed in breathable bags according to the specifications of 40 to 50 kg per bag. Such bagging is convenient for subsequent transportation and storage, and can also prevent mold or other microorganisms that have not been completely removed in the previous pretreatment step from causing large-scale contamination to the stored Polygala. Optionally, the breathable packaging bag can be made of sacks or woven bags. The air permeability of sacks or woven bags is determined by the weaving density of the woven fabric. The weaving density of the breathable packaging bag used for storage can be appropriately reduced.

[0043] 4. Storage

[0044] After bagging, Polygala needs to be stored in a storage room with stable temperature and humidity. One possible implementation method is to store Polygala in a device with temperature control conditions, such as a cold storage. After testing, the storage room maintains a temperature of 16-20°C and a humidity of 65-72%, which can significantly prolong the fresh state of Polygala. The fresh state specifically refers to the state in which the Polygala root is still basically full of water, has vitality, does not need secondary infiltration in subsequent processing, and is basically not moldy.

[0045] Another possible way to achieve this is that in northern Shaanxi, one of the authentic production areas of Polygala tenuifolia, cave dwellings are a common local cave-dwelling structure with the characteristics of "warm in winter and cool in summer". The temperature and humidity inside the cave dwellings are less affected by changes in the external environment and can maintain a relatively constant temperature all year round. Therefore, the cave dwellings can be improved to a certain extent and used as storage rooms for Polygala tenuifolia.

[0046] refer to Figure 2 The improved cave for storing Polygala has the following structure:

[0047] The internal volume of the improved cave is 100-120m 3 For example, it is excavated into a form of 4m wide × 7m long × 4m high. If the volume of the improved cave house is too large, it is not conducive to the control of temperature and humidity, and it also increases the difficulty of excavation, or it is difficult to use the existing cave house.

[0048] Further, the bottom of the improved cave is paved with fine sand with a thickness of more than 10 cm to improve the moisture retention capacity of the interior of the improved cave; the internal wall is paved with cement, which can reinforce the wall surface to prevent collapse, and can also isolate water vapor from invading the wall to a certain extent, resulting in water vapor loss inside the improved cave; the wall within the stacking range is covered with waterproof material, that is, it is paved from the wall root to the cave top, preferably covering at least half of the wall, and strengthening the waterproof measures within the stacking range; the windows are shaded and vents are set. The windows of conventional caves are opened at the door side and the door top, which have the effect of lighting and heating. In order to prevent the indoor temperature from rising too high due to sunlight, shading is required. The general shading net can meet the requirements. In addition, the interior of the cave cannot be completely sealed to prevent the stored Polygala from mold and rot, so vents need to be reserved through the windows; the door is blocked, and the door is blocked with thick materials (such as quilts, etc.), and only the vents of the windows are reserved. The outside of the cave is preferably covered with 1 to 2 m thick loess. Furthermore, the improved cave is provided with a 5-10 cm high cushion layer on the fine sand for stacking the bagged Polygala tenuifolia thereon, and the cushion layer can be made of a wooden frame or other materials that are not easily susceptible to moisture.

[0049] The improved cave of this embodiment is located in northern Shaanxi. Combined with the unique local geographical environment and the time of digging Polygala, the use time of the improved cave is from March to August, and the fine sand is wetted before storage. When the excavated Polygala is packed in large bags, one improved cave cannot meet the storage demand, and multiple improved caves should be set as storage rooms.

[0050] When storing Polygala from other origins, we can make full use of the local human geography characteristics and use suitable structures or natural environments as storage rooms, which is not limited in this application.

[0051] Furthermore, during the storage process, the content of 3'6-dicerinoylsucrose, a quality marker, increased significantly with the extension of storage months. Figure 3As shown, according to monthly statistics, there is a significant increase after storage for more than 3 months. When stored for 5 months, 3'6-dicorinoyl sucrose increases by nearly 10%. After 5 months of storage, other active substances in Polygala were detected, and the detected amounts all met the requirements for medicinal materials, the ash content was qualified, and no aflatoxin was detected. Among them, the content of 3'6-dicorinoyl sucrose was twice the standard amount. It can be seen that through 3 to 5 months of storage, not only can the processing period of Polygala cut while fresh be extended, but also the active ingredients in the root of Polygala can be increased. The method of the present application meets the requirements of "reducing costs and increasing efficiency".

[0052] Some of the active ingredients with medicinal effects in Chinese medicinal materials are secondary metabolites of plants. Secondary metabolites have a defensive and anti-stress effect on plants. In the present application, Polygala is stored in a "cool" environment for a long time (temperature of 16-20°C, humidity of 65-72%), which may be equivalent to chronic environmental stress on Polygala, promoting the accumulation of secondary metabolites of Polygala, which is different from the conventional understanding of acute environmental stress. The cool environment in the present application can maintain the activity of Polygala root cells and will not cause rapid and massive death of root cells. Therefore, after the moldy individuals are removed by pretreatment, the occurrence of obvious mold during the storage stage is reduced.

[0053] 5. Drying after storage

[0054] Take out the stored Polygala from the breathable packaging bag, spread it out on the drying yard to dry, and pile it up for the second time until all the herbs become soft and can be easily wrapped around fingers. At this time, the moisture content of the herbs is about 34%-43%.

[0055] Preferably, the drying yard is a semi-enclosed drying yard. One possible implementation is to set a wall around the semi-enclosed drying yard and set a transparent roof on it. This drying yard makes the drying process of Polygala relatively slow and uniform. The drying time is usually a whole day (7 am to 5 pm). At night, Polygala needs to be gathered into a pile and covered with a waterproof cloth to prevent external water vapor from invading on the one hand and promote internal water vapor homogenization on the other hand. In other implementations, a temperature control device can be used to create a semi-enclosed drying yard environment to slowly dry Polygala.

[0056] The secondary stacking is to use densely woven breathable packaging bags to stack the dried Polygala for the purpose of making the moisture of the Polygala in the stack more uniform and making it easier to pull the core. The densely woven breathable packaging bags have a higher weaving density than the breathable packaging bags used for storage.

[0057] 6. Processing of Polygala root

[0058] The soft Polygala root is cored and cut according to the requirements. For example, the root bark after cored is cut into small pieces with a length of 3 cm. The small pieces of root bark are spread out in the drying yard or placed in an oven at 60°C for drying until the moisture content is reduced to below 12%. The semi-finished products of the medicinal materials can be tested, packaged and put into storage later.

[0059] In summary, the method for increasing the active ingredients in the root of Polygala tenuifolia of the present application comprises the following steps:

[0060] After pre-processing, the freshly harvested Polygala is packed into breathable packaging bags, with each bag weighing 40 to 50 kilograms;

[0061] Place the breathable packaging bag containing Polygala tenuifolia in the storage room for storage;

[0062] The storage room maintains a temperature of 16 to 20°C and a humidity of 65 to 72%; the storage time is 3 to 5 months;

[0063] Take out the stored Polygala from the breathable packaging bag and control its water content to 34-43%;

[0064] Extract the core of the root of Polygala tenuifolia and keep the root bark;

[0065] The root bark was dried until its water content dropped below 12%.

[0066] This application combines the local environmental conditions in northern Shaanxi and carries out fresh storage of Polygala in cave dwellings, which can achieve the storage of the underground part of fresh Polygala for 5 months. During this process, the content of 3'6-dicerinoyl sucrose in Polygala increases by nearly 10%. This method is highly operable in the vast Loess Plateau region, which not only increases the content of 3'6-dicerinoyl sucrose in Polygala, but also expands the window period for fresh processing in the Polygala production area and reduces labor costs.

[0067] The above embodiments are preferred implementation modes of the present application, but are not limited to the above embodiments. Any other changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, and simplifications that do not deviate from the spirit and principles of the present application should be equivalent replacement methods and are included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the active ingredients in the root of Polygala tenuifolia, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: After pre-processing, the freshly harvested Polygala are packed into breathable packaging bags, with each bag weighing 40-50 kg; Place the breathable packaging bag containing Polygala tenuifolia in the storage room for storage; The storage room maintains a temperature of 16-20°C and a humidity of 65-72%; the storage time is 4-5 months; The active ingredient includes 3'6-diesinapoylsucrose.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The breathable packaging bag is a sack or a woven bag.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The storage room adopts an improved cave or equipment with temperature control conditions.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The internal volume of the improved cave is 100~120m 3 The bottom is paved with fine sand with a thickness of more than 10 cm, the internal walls are paved with cement, the walls within the stacking range are covered with waterproof materials, the windows are shaded, vents are set, the doors are sealed, and the outside of the cave is covered with 1~2m thick loess.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The improved cave dwelling is provided with a 5-10 cm high cushion layer on the fine sand.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The improved cave dwelling is set up in northern Shaanxi and is used from March to August. The fine sand is wetted before storage.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The invention also includes processing the stored Polygala tenuifolia, and the processing steps include: Take out the Polygala from the breathable packaging bag after storage and control its moisture content to 34-43%; Extract the core of the root of Polygala tenuifolia and keep the root bark; The root bark was dried until its water content dropped below 12%.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The method of controlling the water content to 34-43% comprises: Use daytime conditions to dry naturally; When the moisture content of the Polygala root drops to 34-43%, it is put into a breathable packaging bag for secondary stacking.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The step of drying the root bark until its water content drops below 12% includes: drying by natural air-drying, or drying at 60° C. using a drying machine.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The pretreatment of the freshly dug Polygala includes: removing moldy plants and removing attached soil.

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