Weiying Gao^1,2

1 Tongxiang Lukang Chrysanthemum Industry Co. Ltd., Tongxiang, 314501, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Medicinal Plant Research, 2026, Vol. 16, No. 2   
Received: 14 Mar., 2026    Accepted: 18 Apr., 2026    Published: 30 Apr., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Hangbaiju, an important medicinal and edible plant in Zhejiang Province, has value in tea, food, and medicinal product development, and its quality is jointly affected by harvest period and post-harvest drying methods. This study explored the effects of harvest period and drying methods on the formation and preservation of Hangbaiju quality, with a focus on analyzing the effects of different flowering stages on flavonoids, phenolic acids, volatile compounds, antioxidant activity, and commercial appearance quality. It also compared the differences among sun drying, shade drying, hot-air drying, microwave-assisted drying, pulsed vacuum drying, and vacuum freeze-drying in terms of active component retention, color preservation, aroma maintenance, and processing efficiency. The results showed that the period from the bud stage to the Taiju stage is generally favorable for the accumulation of functional components such as chlorogenic acid, total flavonoids, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, and 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, whereas the full flowering stage has certain advantages in flower integrity, yield, and commercial maturity. In terms of drying methods, moderate or staged thermal treatment, microwave-hot air combined drying, infrared-assisted drying, and pulsed vacuum drying help improve quality stability, while shade drying also shows advantages in preserving some active components and maintaining appearance quality. Overall, the quality improvement of Hangbaiju should be based on suitable harvest windows, matched drying processes, and a multi-indicator comprehensive evaluation system, thereby promoting the transformation of Hangbaiju harvest and processing from experience-based management toward standardization, precision, and quality-oriented development.

Hangbaiju; Harvest period; Drying method; Quality evaluation; Active components