Studies on the sterilization methods for the crude drugs. Possibility of EB machine for decontamination of crude drugs and influence on the components of crude drugs by irradiation

• Published in: Radiation physics and chemistry (Oxford, England : 1993) England : 1993), 2002-03, Vol.63 (3), p.685-689
• Main Authors: Kamakura, Hiroyuki, Hirano, Takeshi, Ito, Hitoshi, Sunaga, Hiromi, Takizawa, Haruki, Takatani, Yasuyuki, Sekita, Setsuko, Satake, Motoyoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Computer tomography; Crude drugs; Irradiation simulation; Sterilization method
• ISSN: 0969-806X; 1879-0895
• DOI: 10.1016/S0969-806X(01)00659-4

As the sterilization method for crude drugs, irradiation may be a more advantageous method than the general method with dry heat, steam under pressure, and flowing steam or gases. Electron beam (EB) irradiation for crude drugs of various shapes and sizes may be an effective method. Hirano et al. (Radiat. Phys. Chem. 57 (2000) 721–723) previously reported on the possible application of EB for plant quarantine treatment. In the case of the irradiation method for crude drugs, there have been only a few reports on the influence of components and the optimum irradiation conditions. To apply EB irradiation for the sterilization of crude drugs, it is necessary to investigate basic studies of the optimum irradiation conditions for crude drugs and influence the components of crude drugs by irradiation. In this study, computer tomography (CT) was applied for measuring density distribution in the package for the purpose of estimating dose uniformity similar to the previous report and quantitative analysis of crude drugs that was carried out by GC-MS and HPLC. The density of crude drugs is usually much different by products and even in the part of a product. For all the samples, it is difficult to obtain the same distribution of dose. However, the cut of samples averages the density in the part of product. In this case, good dose uniformity was obtained. After irradiation, the contents, of low-molecular components were little different from those before irradiation. On the high molecular components, the Phellodendron bark clearly showed a decreased viscosity by irradiation. The chemical data of the polysaccharide fraction relate to a phenomenon in this case.