ABSTRACT
Objective :To determine the weight coefficient and optimize the steaming technology of decoction pieces of Scrophularia ningpoensis (SN). Methods The contents of harpagide, harpagoside, aucubin, acteoside, angoroside C, and cinnamic acid were simultaneously determined by HPLC. The weight coefficient of each component was evaluated by AHP-entropy (analyitc hierarchy process) method. With composite score as index, D-optimal response surface methodology was adopted to investigate the effects of soaking time, steaming time, and drying temperature on the quality of processed products and optimize the processing technology of decoction pieces of SN. Results :Optimal processing parameters were as follows: soaking time was 15.63 min, steaming time was 85 min, drying temperature was 60 ℃, and the synthetical mark was 97.20. Considering the actual situation, the optimum processing technology of SN was obtained by fine-turning the soaking time. The soaking time was 15 min, the steaming time was 85 min, and the drying temperature was 60 ℃. Also, the synthetical mark were 98.53, 99.39, 98.86, and its RSD was 0.47% through the obtained conditions in parallel with three batches of samples. Conclusion: The optimized steaming technology is simple and feasible, which can provide a reference for the steaming of decoction pieces of SN. The method established to simultaneously determine the contents of six components in decoction pieces of SN is rapid and reliable for controlling the quality of decoction pieces of SN.