Abstract
Background: The purpose of improving the quality of oriental medicinal herbs is to contribute to the improvement of the income of farm. The present study investigated the effect of reasonable drying methods, different storage conditions and packageing materials on quality and stability of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and for developing GAP (good agricultural practice) guide book. Methods and Results: Three methods of drying Scutellaria baicalensis roots produced over two years were used to estimate loss rate owing to drying, storage, and packaging. The methods of drying were categorized into natural drying (36 - 60 h by sunshine), drying with heat dryer (2 - 10 h), or drying with gas bulk dryer (2 - 10 h). After cleaning, and initial drying for a few days under controlled temperature conditions, the second phase of drying was carried out at 35, 45 and $55^{\circ}C$. Changes in hunter color values and quality under the two studied storage treatments (at $20^{\circ}C$ indoors and at $4^{\circ}C$ in a refigerator) were evaluated. Storage period for 60, 120, and 180 days in three packaging materials, PE (polyethylene package), PP (polypropylene gunnysack), and WP (watertight packing paper) were studied. Conclusions: Initial cleaning, reasonable gas drying and hot air drying, and drying in an oven at 35 and $45^{\circ}C$ after cutting the roots resulted in the lowest loss rates in S. Baicalensis root. Hunter color valuse indicated that stroage of dry roots at room temperature was better than PP packaging, and that cold stroage was better than PE packaging for long-term stability.
