Microwave technology applications in the pharmaceutical industry
    Microwave technology and other science and technology of mutual penetration , combined with each other and constantly generate new fields of application. Microwave technology application in the production of traditional Chinese medicine is another field of application of this technology expansion. Microwave technology in the production process, the application of traditional Chinese medicine mainly extraction, drying , sterilization and other aspects .
    To traditional heating methods on different herbs for dry, inside and outside the uneven heating of raw materials , energy consumption , long time, the drying effect is not ideal. The use of microwave technology for processing, as is the amount of material directly absorb microwave energy to achieve the purpose of heating , so the material inside and outside heated evenly, fast, low energy consumption , especially highly polar substances absorb microwaves and rapid warming of the material good drying acceleration . Liu Wenhui and other pills by orthogonal experiments affecting the quality factors were investigated and found that the pill by microwave drying moisture content uniformity , quality is superior oven dried product . Microwave low temperature sterilization of drugs generally only tens of seconds to several minutes , and the drying temperature is generally below 80 ℃ , the main ingredient not affected, can ensure efficacy . 1999 , Liuze Feng reported that many oral sterilized at high temperatures , while most of the destruction of its nutrients contained , easy to produce precipitation , and with the focus of bitter doctrinal ; while using microwave processing, you can keep the original nutrients , and the color clarification , no precipitation , sterilization effect. Furthermore microwave drying energy consumption, low cost, no environmental and noise pollution. Equipment is easy to operate , control of sensitive , easy to automate production and enterprise management .
    It is reported that the microwave and high-pressure steam sterilization compared to 17 chemical stability of drugs , the high-pressure steam sterilization that stable pharmaceutical , microwave also change; while the high-pressure steam sterilization unstable drugs such as vitamin C , aspirin and other microwave sterilization, is relatively stable , lower degree of decomposition . In 1975 , Culkin on the concentration of 107.109 / IIll nine kinds of bacteria Bacillus subtilis bacterial liquid radiation show , 1 min within all died . Pill microwave drying sterilization can also play a role in both , the moisture absorption of microwave pills , the polarization of water molecules , the heat generated by friction between the molecules , the rapid warming , evaporation, drying , no such temperature gradient heating , pills the exterior humidity difference is small, inside and outside the uniform drying , drying speed .
    MODERN APPLIED other using a continuous microwave reactor extraction and determination Quebec Artemisia leaves, Xinjiang Codonopsis , leaves, rugosa, Perrin , etc.
Drugs in the volatile oil , the results with the traditional steam distillation wears comparison , microwave extraction of reaction time by 15 times, while volatile oil extraction rates have improved to varying degrees , indicating that microwave extraction of volatile oil is a safe, rapid and efficient method .