Zhejiang Academy of Forestry Researchers Update Understanding of Pharmaceuticals (Traditional Processing Can Enhance the Medicinal Effects of Polygonatum cyrtonema by Inducing Significant Chemical Changes in the Functional Components in...).

A study conducted by researchers at the Zhejiang Academy of Forestry in Hangzhou, China, explored the effects of traditional processing methods on the medicinal properties of Polygonatum cyrtonema rhizome. The researchers found that nine cycles of steaming and drying significantly increased the accumulation of secondary metabolites in the processed rhizomes compared to unprocessed crude rhizomes. The first three processing cycles induced the most drastic changes in the accumulation of functional components, while continued processing beyond six cycles reversed or weakened the enhancing effects. The study suggests that traditional processing can enhance the medicinal effects of P. cyrtonema rhizome by enhancing chemical synthesis and inducing structural transformation of functional components. [Extracted from the article]