1. Production Process Flow
The production process for Ningxue Tablets is illustrated in Figure 12-4.
Process Flow:
- Peanut Seed Skin → Screening → Washing → Decoction → Filtration → Concentration → Drying → Crushing
- Impurities, wastewater, and residue are removed.
- Ingredients → Granulation → Tablet Compression → Quality Inspection → Packaging → Finished Ningxue Tablets
2. Production Details
In the production of Ningxue Tablets, it is crucial to select mould-free peanuts. These peanuts are low-temperature-dried and then shelled to obtain the seed coat. To preserve the active components, the drying temperature should not exceed 85°C. The processed seed skins are then screened using a 30-mesh sieve to remove impurities and washed with clean water to eliminate dust.
Next, the cleaned seed skins are placed in a decoction pot with 8 times their weight in clean water and boiled using indirect steam for 2 hours. Alternatively, the seed skins can be placed in small cloth bags (1.5 kg each) and steamed in a cooking pot. The goal is to maximise the solubility of the active components in the water.
After boiling, the solution is filtered through a 50-mesh sieve. The filtrate is allowed to settle for 2-3 hours to separate the clear liquid, which is then concentrated in a vacuum concentrator at 100°C until it reaches a syrupy consistency. The concentrated liquid is transferred to a drying chamber and dried at low temperatures (not exceeding 85°C) to avoid destroying the medicinal components. The resulting dried product, which yields 4%-5% of the raw material, is crushed into a powder for formulation.
Ingredient Ratio for Tablets:
- Medicinal powder: 1000 g
- Granulated sugar: 160 g (sugar is powdered to match the consistency of the medicinal powder)
- Medicinal starch: 240 g
These ingredients are mixed thoroughly before granulation. During granulation, 10-15 g of alcohol (70%-75% v/v) is added per 100 kg of medicinal powder to enhance viscosity and ensure tablet quality. While incorporating the alcohol, mixing must be controlled to maintain an appropriate granule size. The granules are then passed through a 30-mesh sieve for uniformity and stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry place to prevent alcohol evaporation and product degradation.
Moisture control is essential, as excessive humidity can impact tablet quality. After granulation, the tablets are compressed to ensure they are firm and smooth, followed by quality inspection and packaging in brown glass bottles with wax-sealed caps. Each tablet contains 0.25 g of peanut seed skin extract.
3. Quality Standards for Ningxue Tablets
- Moisture Content: Below 8%
- Weight Variation Limit: Each tablet weighs 0.35 g, with a variation limit of ±5%
- Disintegration Time: Five tablets are placed in a disintegration tester at 37°C ± 2°C. Each tablet must completely disintegrate within 60 minutes.
- Hardness Test: Drop 10 tablets from a height of 1 meter onto a softwood board. No more than 2 tablets should break.
- Appearance: Ningxue Tablets should be reddish-brown with no peculiar smell. Uncoated tablets may have a bitter taste.
4. Equipment for Manufacturing Ningxue Tablets
The leading equipment for producing Ningxue Tablets includes a decoction pot, a concentration tank, a sedimentation tank, a crusher, a drying chamber, and a boiler. The specifications and quantities for a production line capable of producing 400,000 tablets per day are listed in Table 12-2.
Table 12-2: Main Equipment and Specifications for a Production Line of 400,000 Ningxue Tablets per Day
| Equipment Name | Model | Specifications | Quantity | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decoction Pot | 950mm × 3000mm | 2 | Outer layer: regular steel; Inner layer: stainless steel | |
| Concentration Tank | 950mm × 3400mm | 1 | 4mm Stainless steel | |
| Sedimentation Tank | 180mm × 1300mm × 120mm | 1 | Stainless steel | |
| Crusher | T-A model | 2 | ||
| Drying Chamber | 4m × 4m | 1 | DN25 iron or steel pipe | |
| Boiler | 0.5t/h | 1 |
Production of Ningxue Syrup from Peanut Seed Skin
Ningxue Syrup is another byproduct of the bleeding-stopping Ning injection preparation process. It is a reddish-brown liquid that should be stored in a cool, dark place to prevent deterioration. The dosage should be tailored to the patient’s condition.
Raw Material Formulation:
- Peanut seed skin concentrated liquid (residual liquid after primary and secondary distillation): 100 kg
- Granulated sugar: 10 kg
- Benzoic acid: 0.2 kg
- Saccharin: 15 g
- Flavouring: As needed
Preparation Steps:
Combine the residual liquids from both primary and secondary distillation in an open pot and concentrate to 100 kg. After removing the remaining seed skins, add granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Mix other raw materials into the syrup and store it in clean, sterilised bottles.
The quality of the granulated sugar significantly impacts the syrup’s quality; refined, colourless or white dry crystals should be used. Coarse sugars can cause off-flavours due to impurities such as proteins and viscous substances. High-concentration syrups, having high sugar content and osmotic pressure, inhibit microbial growth. However, low concentrations can enable rapid microbial proliferation, necessitating the addition of preservatives such as 0.1%-0.3% benzoic acid or 0.03%-0.05% parabens.
Peanut seed skins can also be used to produce peanut pigments by two methods: first, by treating the seed skin with polyphenol oxidase at pH 4.7, followed by acid and alkaline treatments; second, by directly treating with acid and alkaline solutions to create edible pigments. These edible pigments can enhance antioxidant effects when added to foods like sausages at a 0.02% ratio, contributing to food preservation.
In practical applications, large quantities of peanut seed skin are often used as animal feed or processed into peanut cake for the same purpose.
