Objective To optimize the extraction process of the classic prescription Baizhu Powder (白术散), and verify its anti-inflammatory activity through cell anti-inflammatory activity experiments, providing a basis for the development of Baizhu Powder. Methods An HPLC detection method was established for the index components puerarin, daidzin, ginsenoside Rg₁, daidzein, ginsenoside Rb₁, and ammonium glycyrrhizinate. Taking the content of index components, paste yield and oil extraction volume as evaluation indicators, the comprehensive weights of each index were determined by analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-entropy weight method. Based on the single-factor experiment, the Box-Behnken design-response surface method (BBD-RSM) was adopted to optimize the Baizhu Powder extraction process. The anti-inflammatory activity of Baizhu Powder was investigated by inducing an inflammatory model of human normal colonic epithelial cells (NCM460) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the feasibility of the process was verified. Results The optimized extraction process of Baizhu Powder was 10 times the volume of water, soaking for 30 min, extraction time for 90 min, and extraction twice. Under these conditions, the average comprehensive score of the three batches of process validation was 0.974, and the RSD value was 1.94%. The pharmacodynamic verification results of Baizhu Powder indicated that the Baizhu Powder prepared by the optimized process could significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the LPS-induced NCM460 cell inflammatory model. The level of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 was increased, and there was no significant difference compared with the Baizhu Powder benchmark sample. Conclusion The Baizhu Powder extraction process optimized by AHP-entropy weight method combined with BBD-RSM is stable and reliable, which can provide a basis for the subsequent research and development of Baizhu Powder.

Baizhu Powder  /  Box-Behnken design-response surface method  /  AHP-entropy weight method  /  puerarin  /  daidzin  /  ginsenoside Rg₁  /  daidzein  /  ginsenoside Rb₁  /  interleukin  /  tumor necrosis factor-α