Research progress on drying methods of roots and rhizomes

ABSTRACT: By consulting the literature about drying methods of root and rhizome medicines in recent ten years, the drying methods of root and rhizome medicines were summarized in order to provide reference for further research and development of drying methods of root and rhizome medicines.

It is believed that the traditional drying methods are still the main drying methods for roots and rhizomes. The modern drying methods such as microwave drying equipment, infrared drying and far infrared drying are still in the stage of laboratory research. Whether the modern new drying methods can be used in large-scale drying still needs to be further explored.

Key words: root and rhizome medicinal materials; drying method; microwave drying of medicinal materials

Traditional Chinese medicine is the quintessence of our country. Its advantages, such as small side effects, strong drug resistance, low price and long-term use, have been paid close attention to by the whole society and strongly supported by the government. Although China is a big producer of Chinese herbal medicines and has abundant natural medicinal resources, there are few Chinese herbal medicines that can enter the international market. Therefore, expanding the production scale of Chinese herbal medicines, improving production technology and ensuring the quality requirements of Chinese herbal medicines are the only shortcuts to speed up the modernization of Chinese herbal medicines.

The drying of traditional Chinese medicines is an important link to ensure the quality of traditional Chinese medicines. The drying method, temperature and time will directly affect the quality, color and content of effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicines. Root and rhizome Chinese medicines account for about one third of the total Chinese medicines, but the drying methods of root and rhizome Chinese medicines vary from good to bad. Some methods are time-consuming and inefficient. There is no unified standard, lack of standardization and standardization, which is not conducive to the standardization and standardization of the drying of rhizome Chinese medicines.

In order to improve the quality of Rhizomatous Chinese medicines and promote the standardized drying of Rhizomatous Chinese medicines, it is urgent to explore an efficient and standardized drying method of Rhizomatous Chinese medicines. This paper summarizes the related literature on the drying of rhizome and rhizome Chinese medicines in recent ten years, in order to explore an efficient and standardized drying method of rhizome Chinese medicines, and provide ideas for the drying of rhizome Chinese medicines.