Processing methods and mechanisms for alkaloid-rich Chinese herbal medicines: A review

The processing of Chinese herbal medicine is a form of pharmaceutical technology developed over thousands of years, in order to increase efficiency and decrease toxicity of herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Herbal processing is essential for safe and effective application of TCM in clinical practice, as it alters the active chemical components and therefore the functions of herbal medicines. Alkaloid-rich herbal medicines in TCM are commonly processed by cleansing, cutting, processing by dry stir-frying, stir-frying with liquid adjuvants, and processing by water decoction. In addition, commonly used adjuvants for processing alkaloid-rich herbal medicines are river sand, wine, vinegar, brine, honey and herbal juice. For alkaloid-rich herbal medicines, the main chemical reactions that occur during processing include hydrolysis, oxidation, replacement, decomposition and condensation. This paper aimed to summarize the processing methods and mechanisms for alkaloid-rich Chinese herbal medicines, and provide much-needed theoretical support and scientific evidence for understanding those mechanisms and effects. Information on processing methods for alkaloid-rich herbal medicines was collected from classic books of herbal medicine, PhD and MSc dissertations, online scientific databases including PubMed, SciFinder, Scopus, Web of Science, Baidu Scholar and Google Scholar. This paper should help to advance our knowledge of the processing mechanisms and aid in the development of processing methods for alkaloid-rich Chinese herbal medicines. (C) 2021 Shanghai Changhai Hospital. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The processing of Chinese herbal medicine is a crucial step in traditional Chinese medicine, aiming to enhance the efficacy and reduce toxicity of herbs. Common processing methods include cleansing, cutting, dry stir-frying, stir-frying with liquid adjuvants, and water decoction, with main chemical reactions like hydrolysis, oxidation, replacement, decomposition, and condensation occurring during the process. This study provides theoretical support and scientific evidence for understanding the mechanisms and effects of processing alkaloid-rich Chinese herbal medicines.