Effect of De-enzyme and Drying Methods on Active Elements of Ophiorrhiza pumila

In mid-September, Ophiorrhiza pumila were harvested in Jian’ou, Fujian province, and were treated by drying in sun, in shade, by baking, vacuum freeze drying and vacuum drying, as well as pretreated by de-enzyme then treated by different drying methods. High-performance liquid chromatography and UV-Vis spectrophotometry was used to determine active elements of dried O. pumila. The result demonstrated that the active elements of O. pumila were greatly influenced by the method of drying and de-enzyme. The content of camptothecin had the highest (1.90 mg/g) in dried O. pumila by sun drying, and the content of total flavonoids and crude polysaccharides was the highest in that by vacuum freezing drying, evidently higher than the other treatments(P<0.05). De-enzyme would decrease the content of camptothecin and crude polysaccharides, while significantly increase the content of total flavonoids. In practice, sun drying is the preferred method for O. pumila without de-enzyme before drying.