A plant essence for regulating sleep and a preparation method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses a plant extract for regulating sleep and its preparation method, relating to the field of plant active ingredient preparation technology. The method involves pre-treating harvested mature cypress fruit by rinsing with water to remove surface impurities, followed by low-temperature drying, pulverizing, and sieving to obtain cypress fruit powder. The cypress fruit powder is then mixed evenly with a gluten-based nutrient medium and inoculated with activated *Lactobacillus plantarum* for primary solid-state anaerobic fermentation. After fermentation, the mixture is centrifuged, and the clear fermentation liquid is collected. A water-extracted mixture of jujube seed, mimosa flower, and lily bulb is added to the clear fermentation liquid, stirred evenly, and then subjected to secondary liquid-state anaerobic co-fermentation. After filtration through a microfiltration membrane to remove impurities, the sleep-regulating plant extract is obtained. This invention uses all-natural medicinal and edible raw materials, without adding any artificially synthesized sedative chemical components. It is non-addictive, does not cause drowsiness or dizziness, and poses no risk of irritation, making it suitable for all ages.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of plant active ingredient preparation technology, and in particular to a plant extract with sleep-regulating properties and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] With the fast pace of modern life, the prevalence of sleep disorders across all age groups is rising year by year. Insomnia, vivid dreams, and difficulty falling asleep have become common health problems affecting the quality of life. This has led to a continuous increase in demand for safe, non-addictive sleep aids suitable for various scenarios. Compared to drug-based sleep aids that are prone to side effects, natural plant-based sleep aids, due to their high safety and non-addictive nature, have become the mainstream focus of industry research and development.

[0003] Currently, mainstream sleep aids are mainly divided into two categories. The first category consists of daily chemical or oral sleep aids containing added chemically active ingredients. Their working principle involves adding melatonin and synthetic sedative components to directly regulate hormone levels or central nervous system excitability, achieving a rapid sleep-inducing effect. These products are technologically mature, have low production costs, and are fast-acting, widely used in oral sleep aids and sleep sprays. However, these products generally have significant drawbacks. Long-term use can easily lead to dependence, and some users may experience drowsiness or dizziness the following day. The added synthetic fragrances and preservatives can easily cause skin allergies and respiratory irritation, limiting their use for pregnant women, children, and people with sensitive constitutions.

[0004] The second category consists of natural plant-based sleep aids, mostly made from traditional calming plants such as lavender, jujube seed, and mimosa flower. These are prepared as sachets, pillowcases, or topical products through simple crushing, filling, water extraction, or alcohol extraction. These products rely on the natural efficacy of traditional calming herbs, are non-addictive, have high consumer acceptance, and are suitable for long-term daily use. However, these products suffer from low dissolution rates of active ingredients and unstable sleep-aiding effects. Simple physical crushing or conventional extraction processes cannot fully release the terpenes and volatile calming active ingredients in the plants, resulting in a short duration of effectiveness. Most products only maintain an effective sleep-aiding effect for 1 to 2 months. Furthermore, the calming effect of single-plant formulas is limited and cannot meet the sleep needs of different groups. Some products using alcohol extraction processes also pose a risk of organic solvent residue, raising concerns about safety.

[0005] Given the numerous shortcomings of existing sleep aid products, the industry urgently needs to develop a plant-based sleep aid ingredient that combines high safety, high retention rate of active ingredients, and stable sleep-aiding effects, in order to meet the production needs of sleep aid products in various scenarios and fill the application gaps of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the problems of existing sleep aid products being highly addictive, having limited applicability, and having low release rates and unstable effects of active ingredients from plant-derived sleep aid raw materials, this invention provides a plant extract that regulates sleep and its preparation method.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a plant extract for regulating sleep, wherein the plant extract is a water-soluble plant-derived active liquid, prepared by biological fermentation using natural plants as raw materials, characterized in that the raw materials of the plant extract include main ingredients and auxiliary ingredients, the main ingredient being dried mature cypress fruit of a pretreated Platycladus orientalis species, and the auxiliary ingredients being a medicinal and edible homologous calming compound obtained by water extraction and concentration; The plant extract is first fermented anaerobically with compound probiotics by inoculating cypress fruit to obtain a primary fermentation liquid, which is then mixed with a medicinal and edible calming compound component for a second co-fermentation at a constant temperature and then filtered to obtain the final product. The plant extract contains terpenoid active ingredients and volatile active ingredients derived from cypress fruit. The terpenoid active ingredients include α-pinene, limonene, juniperene, and terpinene, while the volatile active ingredients include juniperene, linalool, and cedrol. The plant extract does not contain artificial fragrances or sedative Western medicine ingredients and meets the safety standards for raw materials in daily chemical products.

[0008] Furthermore, the cypress fruit mentioned is the dried, mature fruit of the Chinese arborvitae. The harvesting time is from October to November each year when the Chinese arborvitae fruit is fully mature and the peel turns brownish-brown. After harvesting, remove branches, leaves, immature shriveled fruit, insect-infested fruit, rotten fruit and other impurities. Spread the fruit flat in a well-ventilated, dry, and shady environment to air dry naturally. Turn the fruit over every 12 hours to ensure even drying. Continue drying for 7-10 days. Stop drying when the overall moisture content of the fruit drops below 12% using the Karl Fischer moisture assay. Seal and store in a cool, dry place for later use.

[0009] Furthermore, the medicinal and edible sedative compound is a mixture obtained by mixing jujube seed extract, lily extract, and poria extract in a mass ratio of 2-3:1-1.5:1; The jujube seed extract is obtained by reflux extraction of roasted jujube seeds twice with 10 times the amount of pure water, 2 hours each time. The extracts are combined and concentrated to a paste with a relative density of 1.15-1.20 at 25℃, and then spray-dried to obtain a powder. The lily extract was obtained by ultrasonic extraction of dried lily scales and leaves with 8 times the amount of pure water for 30 minutes and reflux extraction for 1 hour. The extracts were combined, concentrated, and then spray-dried to obtain a powder. The poria extract was obtained by reflux extraction of dried poria blocks with 12 times the amount of pure water twice, 1.5 hours each time. The extracts were combined, concentrated, and then spray-dried to obtain a powder.

[0010] Furthermore, the total solids content of the plant extract was determined by refractometer at 25°C, and the content was 8%-12%, with a pH range of 5.5-6.5, which is close to the pH of human skin and non-irritating. Terpenoid active ingredients were detected by gas chromatography, and total terpenoids accounted for 12%-18% of the total solids. Volatile active ingredients were detected by headspace gas chromatography, and total volatile sedative active ingredients accounted for 3%-5% of the total solids.

[0011] Furthermore, the plant extracts can be used alone as an active ingredient, or combined with non-toxic excipients permitted for addition in the daily chemical industry to prepare various sleep-aid related products: It is prepared as a sleep aid spray and can be sprayed directly into the bedroom air, on pillowcases, and on the surface of bed sheets after filling. The solution is prepared as a sachet impregnation liquid. Absorbent cotton pads, degreased cotton or non-woven fabric are soaked in plant extracts for 1-2 hours, dried and then put into sachets to continuously release calming active ingredients. It is prepared as a pillow core impregnation solution and added during the production process of pillow core filling material. After drying, the pillow core emits a calming smell for a long time. It is prepared as a skin care additive and added to shower gel, body lotion, and bath liquid to exert a soothing effect through skin contact.

[0012] Furthermore, a method for preparing a plant extract with sleep-regulating properties includes the following steps: S1. After the pre-treated qualified cypress fruit is crushed and sterilized, it is inoculated with activated compound probiotics and carried out primary solid-state fermentation in a closed anaerobic environment. During the fermentation process, the material is turned over once every 24 hours to ensure uniform fermentation. After the fermentation is completed, plate and frame filter press is used to separate solid and liquid, and the clear filtrate is collected as the primary fermentation liquid. S2. Add the pre-prepared medicinal and edible sedative compound components to the primary fermentation liquid in proportion, stir for 30 minutes until completely dissolved and mixed evenly, transfer the mixture to a sealed fermentation tank, and carry out liquid co-fermentation in a constant temperature anaerobic environment. The stirring speed is controlled at 30 rpm throughout the fermentation process to ensure that the active components react and fuse fully. S3. The material after secondary fermentation is first subjected to a coarse filtration process to remove the tiny solid impurities remaining from the fermentation, and then subjected to a sterilization filtration process to remove miscellaneous bacteria and microorganisms from the material, resulting in a clear, transparent, water-soluble plant extract product without visible impurities. The finished product is sealed and stored in a cool environment at 4-10℃ to avoid the volatilization and degradation of active ingredients.

[0013] Furthermore, the compound probiotics in S1 are freeze-dried bacterial powders that meet the standards for use in food processing, wherein the number of live bacteria of Lactobacillus plantarum is not less than 1×10^10 CFU / g and the number of live bacteria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is not less than 1×10^9 CFU / g, and the two are uniformly mixed in a mass ratio of 1:1-2 to obtain the compound probiotics. The inoculation amount is 1%-3% of the total mass of the crushed and sterilized cypress fruit. Before inoculation, the compound probiotics are activated with sterile purified water at 30℃ for 15 minutes, and then evenly sprayed into the crushed cypress fruit material. The temperature of the initial fermentation is controlled at 28℃-32℃ throughout the process, the relative humidity of the fermentation environment is controlled at 40%-50%, and the fermentation time is 72h-96h. After the fermentation is completed, the material has a distinct cypress fruit fragrance and no rancid odor, which means that the fermentation is qualified.

[0014] Furthermore, the amount of the medicinal and edible homologous calming compound component added in S2 is 10%-15% of the total mass of the primary fermentation liquid. After addition, the mixture is stirred at 60 rpm for 30 minutes until the compound component is completely dissolved and there are no visible insoluble substances, then stirring is stopped. The temperature of the secondary fermentation is controlled at 35℃-38℃ throughout the process, and the internal pressure of the fermenter is maintained at a slightly positive pressure anaerobic environment of 0.02-0.03MPa. The fermentation time is 48h-72h. The pH value is sampled and tested every 12h during the fermentation process. The fermentation is considered complete when the pH value stabilizes in the range of 5.5-6.5 and no longer changes significantly.

[0015] Furthermore, in step S1, the pretreated cypress fruit is first crushed using a universal pulverizer. After crushing, it is passed through a 20-40 mesh standard sieve to remove large, incompletely crushed fruit shells. The material under the sieve is collected and transferred to a high-pressure sterilization device. It is sterilized by high-pressure steam at 121°C and 0.1 MPa for 15 minutes to kill the original plants, animals, and other microorganisms in the material. After sterilization, the material is cooled to room temperature of 25-30°C before being inoculated with compound probiotics for primary fermentation. This avoids the high-temperature inactivation of probiotics, which would affect the fermentation efficiency.

[0016] Furthermore, in the S3 coarse filtration process, a 200-mesh food-grade polypropylene filter cloth is used for pressure filtration to remove large particulate impurities such as residual fruit shells and mycelia from the fermented material. The turbidity of the filtrate after coarse filtration is less than 5 NTU. The sterilization filtration process uses a polyethersulfone nanofiltration membrane with a pore size of 0.22 μm for microfiltration sterilization. The total number of colonies in the sterilized product is less than 10 CFU / mL, and molds, yeasts, and pathogenic bacteria are not detected. It meets the microbiological safety standards for food contact products and daily chemical products. The finished product is a light yellow, clear, and transparent liquid with no visible impurities or suspended matter.

[0017] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention uses a combination of completely natural plant raw materials, with cypress fruit combined with medicinal and edible sedative components as the preparation base. No artificial fragrances or sedative Western medicine ingredients are added throughout the process. The resulting plant extract is non-addictive and will not cause users to experience drowsiness, dizziness, or other aftereffects the next day. It will also not irritate the skin or respiratory tract. It is safe for sensitive individuals, pregnant women, children, and other special groups to use. It effectively solves the shortcomings of existing sleep aids with added chemical active ingredients, such as strong dependence and limited applicable populations.

[0018] This invention employs a staged anaerobic co-fermentation process using compound probiotics. The initial solid-state fermentation decomposes the dense fibrous structure of the cypress fruit shell, fully releasing the naturally occurring terpenes and volatile sedative active ingredients. The secondary liquid co-fermentation achieves full integration and synergistic effect between the active ingredients of the cypress fruit and the sedative components derived from both food and medicine. Compared to traditional physical pulverization, water extraction, and alcohol extraction processes for preparing plant active ingredients, the retention level of active ingredients is significantly improved, resulting in a more stable and lasting sleep-aiding effect. This effectively solves the shortcomings of existing natural plant-derived sleep aid products, such as low dissolution rate of active ingredients and limited sleep-aiding efficacy.

[0019] The plant extract obtained by this invention is a water-soluble, homogeneous liquid. No organic solvents are used in the entire preparation process, eliminating the risk of solvent residue. It meets the raw material safety standards for daily chemical products and food contact products. It can be used alone or compounded with various compliant excipients. It is suitable for the production needs of various sleep aid products such as sleep sprays, calming sachets, functional pillow cores, and shampoo additives. It can cover multiple usage scenarios such as home, travel, and office, and has extremely high promotion and application value in the field of sleep aid product production. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the overall preparation process of the plant extracts that regulate sleep proposed in this invention. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the raw material pretreatment and preparation of food-medicine homologous components proposed in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the two-stage anaerobic fermentation control logic proposed in this paper. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following will refer to the appendices in the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1-3 The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described herein. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example 1

[0022] Pretreatment: Harvest mature cypress fruits, rinse three times with running water to remove surface mud and debris, and dry in a 40℃ forced-air drying oven until the moisture content is below 8%. After drying, grind the fruit in a universal grinder and pass it through a 40-mesh standard sieve to obtain cypress fruit powder. This step uses all-natural cypress fruit as the sole raw material, without adding any chemically synthesized sedative components, thus addressing the shortcomings of existing sleep aids that rely on chemical additives and pose an addiction risk. Primary solid-state anaerobic fermentation: Mix the cypress fruit powder with gluten nutrient base at a mass ratio of 2:1. The gluten nutrient base is obtained by sterilizing wheat bran at 121℃ for 20 minutes and then cooling. Inoculate the mixture with activated *Lactobacillus plantarum* at an inoculation rate of 3% of the total mass. After stirring evenly, place the mixture in an anaerobic fermentation tank, control the fermentation temperature at 25℃, and ferment anaerobically for 48 hours in a sealed environment. This step uses solid-state fermentation with *Lactobacillus plantarum*, whose cellulase can decompose the dense cellulose structure of the cypress fruit shell. The corresponding reaction formula is: This process can fully release the natural calming active ingredients, such as terpenes and volatile oils, encapsulated within the fruit shell, without the need for organic solvent extraction. This addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as low dissolution rates of active ingredients and the risk of solvent residue. Centrifugation: The fermented material obtained from the initial solid-state fermentation is placed in a high-speed centrifuge at 8000 r / min for 15 minutes. The clear fermentation broth is collected, and the lower solid bacterial residue is discarded. Addition of calming components: A water-extracted mixture of jujube seed, mimosa flower, and lily bulb is prepared, with a mass ratio of 3:1:1. The three raw materials are separately pulverized and extracted twice with 10 times the amount of purified water under reflux, 1 hour each time. The extracts are combined and concentrated until the solid content is 15%, yielding the water-extracted mixture. Add the water-extracted mixed components to the aforementioned clarified fermentation broth at a mass ratio of 1:5, and stir for 20 minutes until completely homogeneous. This step uses medicinal and edible homologous calming components, which meet national food raw material safety standards and have no toxic side effects, thus addressing the limitation of existing sleep aid products in terms of the target population. Secondary liquid anaerobic co-fermentation: Inoculate the homogeneous mixture with activated Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bifidobacterium longum at a total inoculation amount of 2% of the total mass of the material, with a mass ratio of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Bifidobacterium longum of 1:1. After stirring evenly, place the mixture in a liquid anaerobic fermentation tank, control the fermentation temperature at 30℃, and perform sealed anaerobic fermentation for 72 hours.

[0023] This step employs dual-strain co-fermentation, which enables small-molecule modification and synergistic effects of the active ingredients in cypress fruit and its medicinal and edible homologous components, enhancing the stability of its sedative activity and addressing the shortcomings of unstable sleep-aiding effects in existing technologies. Post-processing: The material after secondary fermentation is placed in a 100℃ water bath for 10 minutes to inactivate the bacteria. After cooling to room temperature, it is filtered through a 0.22μm polyethersulfone microfiltration membrane to remove bacteria and impurities, yielding the finished sleep-regulating plant extract. Example 2

[0024] Pretreatment: Harvest mature cypress fruits, rinse three times with running water to remove surface mud and debris, and dry in a 45℃ forced-air drying oven until the moisture content is below 8%. After drying, grind the fruit in a universal grinder and pass it through a 60-mesh standard sieve to obtain cypress fruit powder. This step uses all-natural cypress fruit as the sole raw material, without adding any chemically synthesized sedative components, thus addressing the shortcomings of existing sleep aids that rely on chemical additives and pose an addiction risk. Primary solid-state anaerobic fermentation: Mix the cypress fruit powder with gluten nutrient base at a mass ratio of 3:1. The gluten nutrient base is obtained by sterilizing wheat bran at 121℃ for 20 minutes and then cooling. Inoculate the mixture with activated *Lactobacillus plantarum* at an inoculation rate of 5% of the total mass of the mixture. After thorough mixing, place the mixture in an anaerobic fermentation tank, control the fermentation temperature at 35℃, and ferment anaerobically for 72 hours in a sealed environment.

[0025] This step uses solid-state fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum, which produces cellulase that can break down the dense cellulose structure of the cypress fruit shell. The corresponding reaction formula is: This process can fully release the natural calming active ingredients, such as terpenes and volatile oils, encapsulated within the fruit shell, without the need for organic solvent extraction. This addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as low dissolution rates of active ingredients and the risk of solvent residue. Centrifugation: The fermented material obtained from the initial solid-state fermentation is placed in a high-speed centrifuge at 8000 r / min for 15 minutes. The clear fermentation broth is collected, and the lower solid bacterial residue is discarded. Addition of calming components: A water-extracted mixture of jujube seed, mimosa flower, and lily bulb is prepared, with a mass ratio of 2:1:2. The three raw materials are separately pulverized and extracted twice with 10 times the amount of purified water under reflux, 1 hour each time. The extracts are combined and concentrated until the solid content is 15%, yielding the water-extracted mixture. Add the water-extracted mixed components to the aforementioned clarified fermentation broth at a mass ratio of 1:4, and stir for 20 minutes until completely homogeneous. This step uses medicinal and edible homologous calming components, which meet national food raw material safety standards and have no toxic side effects, thus addressing the limitation of existing sleep aid products in terms of applicable populations. Secondary liquid anaerobic co-fermentation: Inoculate the homogeneous mixture with activated Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bifidobacterium longum at a total inoculation amount of 3% of the total mass of the material, with a mass ratio of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Bifidobacterium longum of 1:1.5. After stirring evenly, place the mixture in a liquid anaerobic fermentation tank, control the fermentation temperature at 37°C, and perform sealed anaerobic fermentation for 96 hours.

[0026] This step employs dual-strain co-fermentation, which enables small-molecule modification and synergistic effects of the active ingredients in cypress fruit and its medicinal and edible homologous components, enhancing the stability of its sedative activity and addressing the shortcomings of existing technologies in terms of unstable sleep-aiding effects. Post-processing: The material after secondary fermentation is placed in a 100℃ water bath for 10 minutes to inactivate the bacteria. After cooling to room temperature, it is filtered through a 0.45μm polyethersulfone microfiltration membrane to remove bacteria and impurities, yielding the finished sleep-regulating plant extract. Example 3

[0027] Pretreatment: Harvest mature cypress fruits, rinse them three times with running water to remove surface mud and attachments, place them in a 42℃ forced-air drying oven to dry at a low temperature until the moisture content is below 8%, take them out and put them into a universal pulverizer to grind them, and pass them through a 50-mesh standard sieve to obtain cypress fruit powder.

[0028] This step uses all-natural cypress fruit as the sole base ingredient, without adding any chemically synthesized sedative components, thus addressing the shortcomings of existing sleep aids that rely on chemical additives and pose a risk of addiction. Primary solid-state anaerobic fermentation: Cypress fruit powder and gluten nutrient base are mixed evenly at a mass ratio of 2.5:1. The gluten nutrient base is obtained by sterilizing wheat bran at 121℃ for 20 minutes and then cooling it. Activated *Lactobacillus plantarum* is inoculated into the mixture at an inoculation rate of 4% of the total mass. After thorough mixing, the mixture is placed in an anaerobic fermentation tank, and the fermentation temperature is controlled at 30℃ for 60 hours in a sealed anaerobic environment.

[0029] This step uses solid-state fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum, which produces cellulase that can break down the dense cellulose structure of the cypress fruit shell. The corresponding reaction formula is: This process can fully release the natural calming active ingredients, such as terpenes and volatile oils, encapsulated within the fruit shell, without the need for organic solvent extraction. This addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as low dissolution rates of active ingredients and the risk of solvent residue. Centrifugation: The fermented material obtained from the initial solid-state fermentation is placed in a high-speed centrifuge at 8000 r / min for 15 minutes. The clear fermentation liquid at the top is collected, while the solid bacterial residue at the bottom is discarded. Addition of calming components: A water-extracted mixture of jujube seed, mimosa flower, and lily bulb is prepared, with a mass ratio of 1:1:1. The three raw materials are pulverized separately and extracted twice with 10 times the amount of purified water under reflux for 1 hour each time. The extracts are combined and concentrated until the solid content is 15%, yielding the water-extracted mixture. Add the water-extracted mixed components to the aforementioned clarified fermentation broth at a mass ratio of 1:4.5, and stir for 20 minutes until completely homogeneous. This step uses medicinal and edible homologous calming components, which meet national food raw material safety standards and have no toxic side effects, thus addressing the limitation of existing sleep aid products in terms of applicable populations. Secondary liquid anaerobic co-fermentation: Inoculate the homogeneous mixture with activated Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bifidobacterium longum at a total inoculation amount of 2.5% of the total mass of the material, with a mass ratio of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Bifidobacterium longum of 1.5:1. After stirring evenly, place the mixture in a liquid anaerobic fermentation tank, control the fermentation temperature at 32℃, and perform sealed anaerobic fermentation for 84 hours.

[0030] This step employs dual-strain co-fermentation, which enables small-molecule modification and synergistic effects of the active ingredients in cypress fruit and its medicinal and edible homologous components, enhancing the stability of its sedative activity and addressing the shortcomings of unstable sleep-aiding effects in existing technologies. Post-processing: The material after secondary fermentation is placed in a 100℃ water bath for 10 minutes to inactivate the bacteria. After cooling to room temperature, it is filtered through a 0.22μm polyethersulfone microfiltration membrane to remove bacteria and impurities, yielding the finished sleep-regulating plant extract. Example 4

[0031] Pretreatment: Harvest mature cypress fruits, rinse three times with running water to remove surface mud and debris, and dry in a 40℃ forced-air drying oven until the moisture content is below 8%. After drying, grind the fruit in a universal grinder and pass it through a 40-mesh standard sieve to obtain cypress fruit powder. This step uses all-natural cypress fruit as the sole raw material, without adding any chemically synthesized sedative components, thus addressing the shortcomings of existing sleep aids that rely on chemical additives and pose an addiction risk. Primary solid-state anaerobic fermentation: Mix the cypress fruit powder with gluten nutrient base at a mass ratio of 2:1. The gluten nutrient base is obtained by sterilizing wheat bran at 121℃ for 20 minutes and then cooling. Inoculate the mixture with activated *Lactobacillus plantarum* at an inoculation rate of 2% of the total mass. After thorough mixing, place the mixture in an anaerobic fermentation tank, control the fermentation temperature at 28℃, and ferment anaerobically for 54 hours in a sealed environment.

[0032] This step uses solid-state fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum, which produces cellulase that can break down the dense cellulose structure of the cypress fruit shell. The corresponding reaction formula is: This process can fully release the natural calming active ingredients, such as terpenes and volatile oils, encapsulated within the fruit shell, without the need for organic solvent extraction. This addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as low dissolution rates of active ingredients and the risk of solvent residue. Centrifugation: The fermented material obtained from the initial solid-state fermentation is placed in a high-speed centrifuge at 8000 r / min for 15 minutes. The clear fermentation liquid at the top is collected, while the solid bacterial residue at the bottom is discarded. Addition of calming components: A water-extracted mixture of jujube seed, mimosa flower, and lily bulb is prepared, with a mass ratio of 3:1:2. The three raw materials are pulverized separately and extracted twice with 10 times the amount of purified water under reflux, 1 hour each time. The extracts are combined and concentrated until the solid content is 15%, yielding the water-extracted mixture. Add the water-extracted mixed components to the aforementioned clarified fermentation broth at a mass ratio of 1:5, and stir for 20 minutes until completely homogeneous. This step uses medicinal and edible homologous calming components, which meet national food raw material safety standards and have no toxic side effects, thus addressing the limitation of existing sleep aid products in terms of applicable populations. Secondary liquid anaerobic co-fermentation: Inoculate the homogeneous mixture with activated Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bifidobacterium longum at a total inoculation amount of 2% of the total mass of the material, with a mass ratio of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Bifidobacterium longum of 1:2. After stirring evenly, place the mixture in a liquid anaerobic fermentation tank, control the fermentation temperature at 35℃, and perform sealed anaerobic fermentation for 72 hours.

[0033] This step employs dual-strain co-fermentation, which enables small-molecule modification and synergistic effects of the active ingredients in cypress fruit and its medicinal and edible homologous components, enhancing the stability of its sedative activity and addressing the shortcomings of existing technologies in terms of unstable sleep-aiding effects. Post-processing: The material after secondary fermentation is placed in a 100℃ water bath for 10 minutes to inactivate the bacteria. After cooling to room temperature, it is filtered through a 0.45μm polyethersulfone microfiltration membrane to remove bacteria and impurities, yielding the finished sleep-regulating plant extract.

[0034] Comparative Example Pretreatment: Harvest mature cypress fruits, rinse three times with running water to remove surface mud and adhering substances, and dry in a 40℃ forced-air drying oven until the moisture content is below 8%. After drying, grind the fruit in a universal pulverizer and pass it through a 40-mesh standard sieve to obtain cypress fruit powder. Ethanol extraction: Add 10 times the volume of 70% ethanol solution to the cypress fruit powder, reflux twice, 2 hours each time, filter and combine the filtrates, then concentrate under reduced pressure until no alcohol odor remains to obtain a crude cypress fruit extract. This step uses ethanol as the extraction solvent, addressing the shortcomings of existing technologies that rely on organic solvents for active ingredient extraction and pose a risk of residue. Adding a calming component: A water-extractable mixture of jujube seed, mimosa flower, and lily bulb was prepared, with a mass ratio of 3:1:1. The three raw materials were separately pulverized and extracted twice with 10 times the volume of purified water, refluxed for 1 hour each time. The extracts were combined and concentrated until the solid content was 15%, yielding the water-extractable mixture. This mixture was added to the aforementioned crude cypress fruit extract at a mass ratio of 1:5 and stirred for 20 minutes until completely homogeneous. Post-treatment: The homogeneous mixture was placed in a 100°C water bath for 10 minutes to inactivate the active ingredients. After cooling to room temperature, impurities were removed by filtration through a 0.22μm polyethersulfone microfiltration membrane, yielding the control calming extract. This comparative example completely adopts the existing natural plant sleep-aiding raw material preparation process described in the background art, without a fermentation step, and can be used as a control to verify the improvement effect of the present invention.

[0035] This table comprehensively records all core preparation process parameters for four embodiments and one comparative example, covering combinations of different fermentation temperatures, fermentation times, raw material ratios, inoculum amounts, and proportions. It fully verifies the feasibility and performance stability of the present invention under different parameter conditions. All parameter selections comply with food processing safety regulations, and no illegal additives are used. The comparative example employs the conventional alcohol extraction and water precipitation process of existing technologies, without a fermentation step. This is completely consistent with the mainstream preparation methods of existing natural plant sleep aid ingredients described in the background art, and can serve as an effective control to verify the improvement effect of the present invention.

[0036] Table 2. Core performance test results for each embodiment and comparative example. The total terpenoid content in this table represents the quantitative detection results of the core sedative active ingredient in cypress fruit. The total terpenoid content in all examples is more than twice that of the comparative example, indicating that the two-stage fermentation process can efficiently disrupt the dense cell wall structure of cypress fruit, significantly increasing the release rate of active ingredients and directly addressing the deficiency of low dissolution rate of active ingredients in existing technologies. The reduction rate of spontaneous activity in mice is a universal evaluation index for sedative and sleep-aiding effects. The values ​​in the examples are all significantly higher than those in the comparative example, and the fluctuations in values ​​across different parameter groups are minimal, verifying that the plant extract prepared by this invention has superior sleep-aiding effects and stronger stability. All examples show no organic solvent residue and no skin irritation, solving the problems of solvent residue risk and limited applicable populations in existing technologies. The comparative example detected trace amounts of ethanol residue, which completely corresponds to the defects of existing processes described in the background art.

[0037] refer to Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the complete production logic of the plant extract of this invention. The entire process uses natural cypress fruit as its core starting point, achieving the transformation and fusion of active ingredients through two core fermentation stages. First, pretreated cypress fruit is used as a substrate and inoculated with specially formulated compound probiotics for initial anaerobic solid-state fermentation, aiming to initially release terpenes and volatile substances within the cypress fruit. Subsequently, the prepared medicinal and edible sedative compound extract powder is introduced into the primary fermentation liquid, initiating a secondary liquid co-fermentation, allowing the plant-derived active ingredients and traditional Chinese medicine extracts to produce a synergistic effect under the action of probiotics. Finally, through precise physical filtration and sterilization methods, the final water-soluble liquid is ensured to maintain high biological activity while meeting the safety and hygiene standards for daily chemical and skin contact applications.

[0038] refer to Figure 2 This diagram details the raw material preparation process in the early stages of production, divided into two parallel modules: cypress fruit substrate treatment and the preparation of sedative extracts. On the cypress fruit side, the diagram highlights the physical control process from harvesting and drying to precision grinding and autoclaving, particularly the control of moisture content and the setting of sterilization parameters, creating a pure and suitable starting environment for subsequent anaerobic fermentation. On the sedative compound component side, the diagram clearly presents the standard traditional Chinese medicine extraction process of three core medicinal materials—jujube seed, lily bulb, and poria cocos—through water extraction, concentration, and spray drying to powder form. These two preparation paths ensure that the main and auxiliary materials reach their optimal activity indicators and physical forms before entering the fermentation tank, guaranteeing the quality stability of the finished plant extract. refer to Figure 3This diagram focuses on the core biotransformation stage of this invention, namely the environmental control logic of the two-stage anaerobic fermentation. The primary fermentation stage emphasizes a room-temperature solid environment. By controlling specific temperature and humidity and a relatively long fermentation period, the degradation of cellulose and lignin in the fruit shell of the arborvitae by the compound probiotics is promoted, thereby fully releasing terpenoid active substances such as α-pinene and juniperene. The secondary fermentation stage transitions to a slightly positive pressure liquid environment, with a slight increase in temperature to enhance the enzymatic reaction rate and promote deep cross-linking between the active ingredients in the compound components and the fermentation substrate. The diagram also illustrates pH value as a key parameter for determining the fermentation endpoint. This precise dynamic monitoring mechanism ensures that the active liquid's pH is perfectly compatible with human skin, eliminating potential irritation risks.

[0039] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A plant essence with sleep regulation, the plant essence being a water-soluble active liquid of plant origin, prepared by bio-fermentation of natural plants as raw materials, characterized in that, The raw materials of the plant extract include main ingredients and auxiliary ingredients. The main ingredient is dried and mature cypress fruit of the Platycladus orientalis species after pretreatment, and the auxiliary ingredients are a compound component of food and medicine with sedative properties obtained by water extraction and concentration. The plant extract is first fermented anaerobically with compound probiotics by inoculating cypress fruit to obtain a primary fermentation liquid, which is then mixed with a medicinal and edible calming compound component for a second co-fermentation at a constant temperature and then filtered to obtain the final product. The plant extract contains terpenoid active ingredients and volatile active ingredients derived from cypress fruit. The terpenoid active ingredients include α-pinene, limonene, juniperene, and terpinene, while the volatile active ingredients include juniperene, linalool, and cedrol. The plant extract does not contain artificial fragrances or sedative Western medicine ingredients and meets the safety standards for raw materials in daily chemical products.

2. The plant extract for regulating sleep according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cypress fruit mentioned is the dried, mature fruit of the Chinese arborvitae. The harvesting time is from October to November each year when the fruit is fully ripe and the peel turns brownish-brown. After harvesting, remove branches, leaves, immature shriveled fruit, insect-infested fruit, rotten fruit and other impurities. Spread the fruit out in a cool, ventilated, and dry environment to air dry naturally. Turn the fruit over every 12 hours to ensure even drying. Continue drying for 7-10 days. Stop drying when the overall moisture content of the fruit drops below 12% using the Karl Fischer moisture assay. Seal and store in a cool, dry place for later use.

3. A plant extract for regulating sleep according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medicinal and edible sedative compound is a mixture of jujube seed extract, lily extract, and poria extract in a mass ratio of 2-3:1-1.5:

1. The jujube seed extract is obtained by reflux extraction of roasted jujube seeds twice with 10 times the amount of pure water, 2 hours each time. The extracts are combined and concentrated to a paste with a relative density of 1.15-1.20 at 25℃, and then spray-dried to obtain a powder. The lily extract was obtained by ultrasonic extraction of dried lily scales and leaves with 8 times the amount of pure water for 30 minutes and reflux extraction for 1 hour. The extracts were combined, concentrated, and then spray-dried to obtain a powder. The poria extract was obtained by reflux extraction of dried poria blocks with 12 times the amount of pure water twice, 1.5 hours each time. The extracts were combined, concentrated, and then spray-dried to obtain a powder.

4. A plant extract for regulating sleep according to claim 1, characterized in that, The total solids content of the plant extract was determined by refractometer at 25°C, with a content of 8%-12% and a pH range of 5.5-6.5, which is close to the pH of human skin and non-irritating. Terpenoid active ingredients were detected by gas chromatography, and total terpenoids accounted for 12%-18% of the total solids. Volatile active ingredients were detected by headspace gas chromatography, and total volatile sedative active ingredients accounted for 3%-5% of the total solids.

5. A plant extract for regulating sleep according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plant extracts can be used alone as active ingredients, or they can be compounded with non-toxic excipients permitted for addition in the daily chemical industry to prepare various sleep-aid related products: It is prepared as a sleep aid spray and can be sprayed directly into the bedroom air, on pillowcases, and on the surface of bed sheets after filling. The solution is prepared as a sachet impregnation liquid. Absorbent cotton pads, degreased cotton or non-woven fabric are soaked in plant extracts for 1-2 hours, dried and then put into sachets to continuously release calming active ingredients. It is prepared as a pillow core impregnation solution and added during the production process of pillow core filling material. After drying, the pillow core emits a calming smell for a long time. It is prepared as a skin care additive and added to shower gel, body lotion, and bath liquid to exert a soothing effect through skin contact.

6. A method for preparing a sleep-regulating plant extract according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. After the pre-treated qualified cypress fruit is crushed and sterilized, it is inoculated with activated compound probiotics and carried out primary solid-state fermentation in a closed anaerobic environment. During the fermentation process, the material is turned over once every 24 hours to ensure uniform fermentation. After the fermentation is completed, plate and frame filter press is used to separate solid and liquid, and the clear filtrate is collected as the primary fermentation liquid. S2. Add the pre-prepared medicinal and edible sedative compound components to the primary fermentation liquid in proportion, stir for 30 minutes until completely dissolved and mixed evenly, transfer the mixture to a sealed fermentation tank, and carry out liquid co-fermentation in a constant temperature anaerobic environment. The stirring speed is controlled at 30 rpm throughout the fermentation process to ensure that the active components react and fuse fully. S3. The material after secondary fermentation is first subjected to a coarse filtration process to remove the tiny solid impurities remaining from the fermentation, and then subjected to a sterilization filtration process to remove miscellaneous bacteria and microorganisms from the material, resulting in a clear, transparent, water-soluble plant extract product without visible impurities. The finished product is sealed and stored in a cool environment at 4-10℃ to avoid the volatilization and degradation of active ingredients.

7. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The compound probiotics in S1 are freeze-dried bacterial powders that meet the standards for use in food processing. The number of live bacteria of Lactobacillus plantarum is not less than 1×10^10 CFU / g, and the number of live bacteria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is not less than 1×10^9 CFU / g. The two are uniformly mixed in a mass ratio of 1:1-2 to obtain the compound probiotics. The inoculation amount is 1%-3% of the total mass of the crushed and sterilized cypress fruit. Before inoculation, the compound probiotics are activated with sterile purified water at 30℃ for 15 minutes, and then evenly sprayed into the crushed cypress fruit material. The temperature of the initial fermentation is controlled at 28℃-32℃ throughout the process, the relative humidity of the fermentation environment is controlled at 40%-50%, and the fermentation time is 72h-96h. After the fermentation is completed, the material has a distinct cypress fruit fragrance and no rancid odor, which means that the fermentation is qualified.

8. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The amount of the medicinal and edible homologous calming compound component added in S2 is 10%-15% of the total mass of the primary fermentation liquid. After adding, stir at 60 rpm for 30 minutes until the compound component is completely dissolved and there are no visible insoluble substances, then stop stirring. The temperature of the secondary fermentation is controlled at 35℃-38℃ throughout the process, and the internal pressure of the fermenter is maintained at a slightly positive pressure anaerobic environment of 0.02-0.03MPa. The fermentation time is 48h-72h. The pH value is sampled and tested every 12h during the fermentation process. The fermentation is considered complete when the pH value stabilizes in the range of 5.5-6.5 and no longer changes significantly.

9. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pretreated cypress fruit in S1 is first crushed using a universal pulverizer. After crushing, it is passed through a 20-40 mesh standard sieve to remove large, incompletely crushed fruit shells. The material under the sieve is collected and transferred to a high-pressure sterilization device. It is sterilized by high-pressure steam at 121℃ and 0.1MPa for 15 minutes to kill the original plants, animals, and other microorganisms in the material. After sterilization, the material is cooled to room temperature of 25-30℃ before being inoculated with compound probiotics for primary fermentation. This avoids the high temperature inactivation of probiotics, which would affect the fermentation efficiency.

10. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the S3 coarse filtration process, a 200-mesh food-grade polypropylene filter cloth is used for pressure filtration to remove large particulate impurities such as residual fruit shells and mycelia from the fermented material. The turbidity of the filtrate after coarse filtration is less than 5 NTU. The sterilization filtration process uses a polyethersulfone nanofiltration membrane with a pore size of 0.22 μm for microfiltration sterilization. The total number of colonies in the sterilized product is less than 10 CFU / mL, and molds, yeasts and pathogenic bacteria are not detected. It meets the microbiological safety standards for food contact products and daily chemical products. The finished product is a light yellow, clear and transparent liquid with no visible impurities or suspended matter.

Images