Enhancing flavonoid enrichment via supramolecular: A study on the material basis of Sanguisorbae radix after carbonizing by stir-frying

Sanguisorbae radix (SR), the dried roots of Sanguisorba officinalis L. from the Rosaceae family, has been utilized in traditional herbal medicine for centuries. Flavonoids, recognized as natural antioxidants, have potential as food additives to extend food shelf life and enhance healthy food development. A study on the SR's material basis after carbonizing by stir-frying (CSF) was conducted from the perspective of enhancing flavonoid enrichment via Supramolecular. Taking Chinese Pharmacopoeia Edition 2020 as standard, the optimal CSF condition was optimized, stir-frying for 12 min at 250 °C. Under this condition, nanoparticles with the highest content of (82.7 ± 4.1) % were achieved compared to others. Three antioxidant experiments showed that nanoparticles exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, linked to flavonoids. Notably, all 50 flavonoid contents in nanoparticles increased or remained invariable after CSF, with total flavonoid fold changes ≥1.5 in qualitative analysis. Quantitative analysis demonstrated a significant increase in six tested flavonoids after CSF ( P < 0.05), consistent with peak area normalization data, proving the nanoparticles' potential to enrich flavonoids. Overall, this study demonstrates that CSF of SR forms supramolecular complexes, thereby enriching flavonoids with antioxidant activity, elucidating the scientific significance of SR's enhanced efficacy from a formulation perspective. Graphical Abstracts • The presence of nanoparticles was found in Sanguisorbae radix for the first time. • The CSR extracts have a tough supramolecular structure resembling a sphere with a size of 275 ± 9 nm (PDI ≈ 0.25). • The antioxidant capacity of CSR NPs is comparable to ascorbic acid. • CSR NPs significantly enrich flavonoids through the dual action of adsorption and encapsulation. • The study clarifies the material basis of SR after Carbonizing by Stir-Frying.