Application of cavitation system to accelerate the endogenous enzymatic hydrolysis of baicalin and wogonoside in Radix Scutellariae

Baicalinase is an endogenous enzyme present in the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis that can hydrolyse baicalin and wogonoside into baicalein and wogonin directly, which have higher bioactivity and bioavailability than their glycosides. Baicalinase-catalysed hydrolysis with cavitation was examined as a highly efficient and green alternative method for large scale production of baicalein and wogonin. Effect of cavitation system on the transformation and extraction efficiency was investigated by using reaction kinetic and mass transfer kinetic models at three levels of temperature (20–50 °C). Experimental results showed that cavitation had a significant effect (p < 0.01) on the biocatalysis process; the transformation of baicalin and wogonoside reached 98.21% and 96.60% at 50 °C for 60 min, and the yields of baicalein and wogonin were about 4.47- and 2.86-fold higher than those of the raw sample without enzymatic hydrolysis, respectively.