Optimization of Pretreatment Process for Northern Mugwort Leaf Volatile Oil and Research on Its Commercial Value and Application Scenarios

Abstract

To address the issues of low extraction yield and insufficient retention of active components in the volatile oil of Northern Artemisia argyi leaves, and to clarify the commercial suitability of the process, this study investigated the effects of six pretreatment methods on the volatile oil of Artemisia argyi leaves grown in Liaoning for 75 days. The results showed that freeze-drying (-50°C, 200 Pa, 12 h), shade-drying (5°C ± 2°C, 50% ± 5% humidity, 7 d), and bio-enzyme pretreatment (cellulase 0.4%, pH 4, 50°C, 4 h) were optimal, with a volatile oil extraction yield of 1.87% to 1.91% (nearly double that of fresh Artemisia argyi leaves), caryophyllene content of 2.89% to 3.05%, and phytol content of 8.51% to 8.95%, exhibiting excellent properties. In contrast, micro-thermal explosion, steam explosion, and acid-base pretreatment resulted in loss of active components and low commercial cost-effectiveness. Commercially, freeze-dried products are suitable for pharmaceutical-grade raw materials (800-1200 RMB/kg), shade-dried products for food preservation-grade raw materials (300-500 RMB/kg), and bio-enzyme pretreated products for cosmetic-grade raw materials (600-800 RMB/kg). This study provides support for the industrialization and high-value applications of volatile oil from Northern Artemisia argyi leaves.