Method-Driven Physicochemical Profiling of Aconitum pendulum Bush Polysaccharides and Optimization of Extraction Protocols.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from Aconitum pendulum Bush processed through different methods (the polysaccharide from A. pendulum (DT), the polysaccharide from A. pendulum processed with zanba (Z-DT), the polysaccharide from A. pendulum processed with highland barley wine (Q-DT), and the polysaccharide from A. pendulum processed with hezi (H-DT)). Additionally, the research focused on optimizing the hot water extraction process for DT using response surface methodology (RSM) to enhance extraction efficiency and establish a scientific basis for pharmaceutical applications. Methods: The physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of the four polysaccharides were systematically evaluated. RSM with a 17-run Box-Behnken design was employed to investigate the extraction process, examining three factors: extraction runs, liquid-solid ratio, and extraction time. Results: The physicochemical properties and antioxidant assays demonstrated that the DT exhibited significantly higher properties. The factors influencing the extraction process were ranked as extraction runs > liquid-solid ratio > extraction time. The optimal conditions for DT were a liquid-solid ratio of 25 mL/g, extraction time of 2.5 h, and four extraction runs, yielding a sugar content of 63.4%. Under these conditions, the extraction rate of DT was significantly higher than before optimization. Conclusions: The study demonstrated distinct structural features among the four polysaccharides, providing a scientific framework for their potential pharmaceutical applications. What's more, the optimized hot water extraction protocol for DT was validated for high extraction rate and reproducibility.