No abstract

Application of micronizing technologies in processing Chinese herbal medicines is very important to improve the forms of prepared Chinese herbal medicines and promote their therapeutic efficacy. Baicalin, a major active component of the typical Chinese herb medicine Scullateria baicallensis Georgi, was micronized using the Solution Enhanced Dispersion by Supercritical fluids though Prefilming Atomization (SEDS-PA) process with the aim of evaluating the efficiency of applying supercritical fluid precipitation technologies in Chinese herb medicine. This study has shown that acicula or rod-like baicalin crystals with Particle Size (PS) of about 20×100 µm were successfully micronized by the SEDS-PA process to long rod-like, twisted fiber-like or fibrous net-like microparticles with PS of 0.1-2.2 µm in width within the range of experiments performed. It was found that a substantial reduction of baicalin microparticles' sizes could lead to a marked increase of adhesions among them and subsequent microparticles agglomeration. With the increase of supercritical CO 2 flow rate and the decrease of solution concentration and solution flow rate, smaller and much more agglomerated microparticles were obtained. Increasing pressure led to formation of smaller microparticles. A larger tendency of particles agglomeration was produced at a higher temperature.