LAUSR

Polygonatum cyrtonema rhizome (PCR), the dried sweet rhizome of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua, is commonly used as a tonic remedy and a functional food in Asia, Europe, and North America. Multiple components, including secondary metabolites, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides, collectively contribute to the therapeutic effects of PCR. Processing time exerts a significant influence on the quality of PCR, but the various processing stages have not been comprehensively chemically profiled. It is urgent to study processing-induced chemical variations in PCR to control the processing degree. In this study, multiple chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques were used in combination with multivariate statistical analysis to perform qualitative and quantitative research on secondary metabolites and carbohydrates in PCR during processing. The results demonstrated that PCR processing can be divided into three stages, namely the raw stage (0 h), the middle stage (1–6 h), and the late stage (8–18 h). Twenty differential compounds were screened from secondary metabolites and oligosaccharides to distinguish PCR in different processing stages. Furthermore, the chemical variations of Polygonatum cyrtonema polysaccharides (PCP) also entered a new stage after processing for 6 h. Multiple chemical mechanisms, including hydrolysis, oxidative decomposition, dehydration, Maillard reaction, and polymerization were involved in the processing. This work provides a scientific basis to reveal the relationship between processing stage and chemical variations.