Asarone

Acorus calamus, a perennial herbaceous plant with a long history of traditional use, is attracting scientific interest for its diverse bioactive compounds and therapeutic potential. This review investigates its medicinal properties, including neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory effects, and antihyperglycemic activities, primarily attributed to compounds such as α-asarone. A. calamus also has antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi, making it a natural antibiotic. Its antioxidative and cardioprotective properties are promising for cardiovascular health, while its antispasmodic and neuroprotective properties suggest applications in neuromuscular and cognitive disorders. Ongoing research aims to decipher mechanisms, dosing, and safety, bridging traditional practices with modern healthcare options.

This study addresses the oxidative stability bottleneck of TCM preparations containing volatile oil components by innovatively constructing a Pickering emulsion system based on "protein-polysaccharide" supramolecular structures, enabling precise regulation of the oxidative stability of volatile oil components. Chitosan-mediated heterocoagulation technology was used to prepare "Saigae Tataricae Cornu-Chitosan" composite particles. Multi-dimensional characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, elemental energy spectrum analysis, and contact angle measurement revealed the physicochemical basis of the composite particles as Pickering stabilizers: the contact angle increased from 53.00° to 87.67°, indicating enhanced interfacial wettability. Scanning electron microscopy and surface element analysis showed increased particle volume, with Saigae Tataricae Cornu particles adhering to the serrated surface of chitosan, while surface sulfur(S) and phosphorus(P) elements were significantly reduced, demonstrating effective compounding of Saigae Tataricae Cornu powder with chitosan. Based on this, a Pickering emulsion of volatile oil from Acorus tatarinowii Schott was successfully constructed using a high-speed shear method. Laser confocal microscopy confirmed that the composite particles formed a dense adsorption layer at the oil-water interface, with an average droplet size of(1.77±0.70) μm and a zeta potential increased to(32.50±0.50) mV, indicating an electrostatically dominated stabilization mechanism. In ozone-accelerated oxidation tests, the emulsion exhibited outstanding protective efficacy, significantly reducing the formation of peroxides and malondialdehyde in volatile oil components(P<0.05, P<0.01), while effectively slowing the oxidative degradation of key active components(α-asarone and γ-asarone) and maintaining their quantitative structure. This study presents a tripartite solution, "raw powder incorporation-interface regulation-system stabilization", establishing an ozone-resistant Pickering emulsion system and providing a distinctive TCM-based strategy for overcoming the stability challenges of solid preparations containing volatile oil components.