Crushing is an important part in the processing of Chinese herbal medicines and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. However, the use of traditional crushing machinery has certain limitations in terms of particle size, powder yield, powder collection rate and preservation of active ingredients. The materials, such as heat-sensitive, low-melting points, and ingredients that are easily destroyed, are also useless. Moreover, China has abundant resources of traditional Chinese medicine. In the past, extensive processing methods have been unable to meet the requirements of traditional Chinese medicine production. The airflow crushing technology will provide a new way to develop ultra-fine Chinese medicine powder with better curative effect and better variety.

Airflow pulverization technology and its characteristics The airflow pulverization technology uses the material to obtain huge kinetic energy under the action of high-speed airflow, causing high-speed collision and severe friction between material particles in the pulverization chamber, and high-speed airflow shearing the material. In order to achieve the purpose of pulverizing the material, it can process the raw material into a very fine powder. The technology is used in almost all fine processing industries, such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, plastics, mining, metal materials, etc., and has a special position in many specific powder fields. It has the following characteristics:

The pulverization temperature is low, and the heat sensitive and low melting point materials can be pulverized. According to the Joule-Thomson effect of the high-speed jet stream, when the gas is sprayed by the nozzle and adiabatically expands, the gas cools itself, thereby offsetting the heat generated by material collision and friction.

The production cycle is short and the rate of powder collection is high. Due to high-speed collision and closed pulverization, the probability of collision between materials is large, and dust does not leak.

High purity (less pollution) and uniform particle size distribution (accumulated frequency up to D95).

For some materials that have to be wet-pulverized, they can also be pulverized by air jet pulverization to obtain a uniform and fine powder.

A variety of joint operations can be achieved, and the drying operation can be achieved while pulverizing.

Attention to airflow pulverization technology in fine processing of traditional Chinese medicine Airflow pulverization technology is an advanced pulverization technology. Its application in the fine processing of traditional Chinese medicine has just started, and there are still many problems.

Whether the process is controllable:

Compared with general inorganic minerals, traditional Chinese medicine has its own characteristics and its own characteristics. Whether the pulverization process is controllable is the core problem of whether the technology can be applied to the fine processing of traditional Chinese medicine. The following two aspects need to be studied:

First, combined with the general characteristics of the powder and the characteristics of the Chinese herbal medicine, the preparation process is as follows: medicinal material → preliminary pulverization → air pulverization → cyclone separation → quality inspection → packaging → finished product.

The second is to screen and optimize the preparation process parameters: 1 dry moisture: drying is to control the water, and moisture often affects the characteristics of the material. It is generally believed that the less the water, the easier it is to pulverize, requiring 4% moisture, as an indicator To filter and optimize drying methods, drying temperature, drying time and other factors. 2 Airflow pulverization parameters: The main technical parameters of the jet mill include the crushing chamber diameter (m), crushing pressure (Mpa), feeding pressure (Mpa), gas consumption (m3.min-1), and processing capacity (kg.h-1). ), air compressor power (kw), feed size, etc. The product particle size is selected as the experimental index, and the orthogonal test design and the technical parameters of the preferred jet mill are performed. 3 Powder classification parameters: The main parameters affecting the classification particle size are the rotational speed, feeding amount and secondary air volume of the centrifugal air classifier. The powder classification parameters were orthogonally screened by using the fractional particle size as an index.

How to choose product identification indicators:

Traditional Chinese medicine powder is a collection of a plurality of individual particles. The properties of the powder are influenced by the properties of the individual particles and also the interaction between the particles. Therefore, the quality of the powder is comprehensively reflected in two types. Important parameters: single particle parameters and powder coefficient parameters. However, its basic characteristic parameters such as particle size, particle size distribution, specific surface area, wettability and fluidity are generally the main research objects.

How to apply Chinese medicine ultrafine powder:

First, the problematic substance that solves the problem of powder aggregation is significantly increased after ultra-micronization, and the surface energy is high, so that there is a strong mutual attraction and a stable tendency. In order to prevent the powder from being aggregated in a monodisperse state, suitable surface treatment and packaging techniques can be employed.

The second is to solve the technical problems in the process of chemical extraction. The application of traditional Chinese medicine is no more than two ways: extraction and direct injection. From the perspective of extraction, there are two problems, one is the dispersion of powder, and the other is the gelatinization problem in the extraction process. This requires screening and optimization of extraction process parameters (including extraction temperature, extraction time, solvent extraction). Types, etc.) to solve.

The third is to solve the technical problems in the determination of dissolution in vitro. From the perspective of direct injection of Chinese medicine into the medicine, the core problem of the preparation made of ultrafine Chinese medicine powder is the establishment of in vitro dissolution technology. The measure to solve this problem is to carry out a methodological investigation of screening the dissolution medium and the dissolution method, and the index components are comprehensively selected.

The fourth is to solve the technical problem of pharmacodynamic verification. Pharmacodynamics is the most powerful means of verifying whether the Chinese medicine micropowder preserves the effective ingredients and enhances the efficacy. It has been reported in the literature that the pharmacodynamics studies of the ultrafine powder preparations and traditional process preparations of the original medicinal materials show that the micropowder can significantly improve the pharmacodynamic activity of the medicinal materials, but the establishment of the verification method needs further study.

Current status and prospects of airflow pulverization technology in fine processing of traditional Chinese medicine At present, there are few varieties of traditional Chinese medicine developed by airflow pulverization technology, which are mainly limited to some unique and valuable Chinese herbal medicines. The ginseng, ginseng, pearl and three have been reported. Seven, pollen, etc., but the experimental data is not much, the persuasive power is not strong, the development of some health care products is just just starting, they have not formed a broad market.

The introduction of airflow pulverization technology into the processing link of traditional Chinese medicine can create a new pulverization technology process, which not only enriches the content of traditional processing, but also brings a new look to the processing and production of traditional Chinese medicine, and becomes a new technology growth point of Chinese medicine industry. .

After the ultrafine pulverization of traditional Chinese medicine, the contact area with the solvent increases during the extraction process, so the extraction method tends to be simplified, the extraction time is shortened, and the transfer rate is increased, which saves time, speeds up the production cycle, and saves energy. Improve the comprehensive utilization of raw materials. In the solid preparation using powder as a raw material, ultrafine pulverization can significantly improve the appearance properties, and the pharmaceutical parameters such as solubility, dissolution, absorption rate, adhesion, bioavailability and the like.

In short, the full use of airflow pulverization of ultra-micro technology can improve the technicalization of the Chinese medicine industry.