Metabolomic analysis reveals chemical changes in Atractylodes macrocephala before and after processing with different methods

Atractylodes macrocephala (AM) is an herbaceous plant with significant medicinal and nutritional value. The processing of AM has a long history and has evolved under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory into a distinctive system aimed at enhancing efficacy, reducing toxicity, and meeting diverse therapeutic needs. To compare the internal chemical changes of AM under different processing methods and to identify the characteristic features associated with each method. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) was used to systematically analyze the metabolite profiles of raw AM, bran-fried AM (AB), and soil-fried AM (AS). A total of 51 metabolites were identified. Metabolomic profiling revealed substantial changes in AM’s chemical composition following processing. Notably, the two processing methods induced distinct metabolic features. In AB, many metabolites exhibited increased levels with relatively low inter-individual variation and high intra-group homogeneity. In contrast, AS samples showed reduced variability within the group, but major terpenoids were markedly elevated compared to both raw AM and AB. These findings offer new insights into the chemical foundations of AM processing and provide a deeper understanding of the mechanistic and pharmacological implications of different processing techniques.