Work

Temperature-dependent saponin transformation and process-linked quality formation during steaming of Panax notoginseng

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen is a cultivated medicinal crop whose post-harvest steaming process markedly alters its major saponin markers in roots. In this study, the temperature-dependent transformation of saponins during steaming was systematically investigated to clarify process-linked quality formation in Panax notoginseng root. Samples were steamed at 105, 110, and 120 °C for 2–10 h, and major native and newly generated saponins were quantitatively profiled. Steaming caused a pronounced shift from native saponins to newly generated less-polar products, with 120 °C showing the most pronounced marker remodeling within the tested temperature range. Protopanaxadiol- and protopanaxatriol-type saponins exhibited distinct transformation patterns, indicating differential pathway responses to the tested steaming conditions. Molecular dynamics and density functional theory analyses further provided comparative evidence that elevated temperature was associated with looser intermolecular organization and lower relative thermodynamic requirements for several downstream transformation steps. These results provide a process-oriented framework for understanding steaming-induced quality formation in Panax notoginseng and may support post-harvest process control and chemical standardization of steamed materials.

Source: Industrial Crops and Products

DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.124543