Quality evaluation of Panax notoginseng extract dried by different drying methods

Quality control still remains a big issue, affecting herbs, formulations, and even the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A promising solution to the problem is to take advantage of innovative process techniques including alternative drying methods within the pharmaceutical processing. Nowadays, vacuum belt drying (VBD) has gained more and more importance in food and pharmaceutical processing. In this work, Panax notoginseng extract was made into powder by the gentle VBD as well as by classical spray drying (SD), freeze drying (FD), and vacuum drying (VD). Certain chemical and physical properties of the dried powders such as moisture content, drying time, porosity, density, saponins content, pH value and hydroxyl radicals scavenging activity were evaluated. The results showed the qualities of dried products were influenced to different extent by drying methods certainly. Vacuum belt drying was suggested to dry P. notoginseng extract for its high quality assurance of hygroscopic products and suitable for sticky or high viscous products.