Background Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha are two marine shellfish herbs with similar composition and efficacy, which are usually calcined and used clinically. Objective This study investigated variations in the inorganic and organic components of Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha from different production regions, both Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha. The aim was to enhance the understanding of these two types of marine shell traditional Chinese medicine (msTCM) and provide a foundation for their future development and application. Method Spectroscopic techniques, including infrared spectroscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, were used to analyze the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) crystal and trace elements. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to investigate the decomposition process during heating. The proteins were quantified using the BCA protein assay kit. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to classify inorganic elements in the two marine shellfish traditional Chinese medicines. Results No significant differences among the various production regions. The crystal structure of CaCO3 in the raw products was aragonite, but it transformed into calcite after calcination. The contents of Ca, Na, Sr, and other inorganic elements were highest. The protein content was significantly reduced after calcination. Therefore, these factors cannot accurately reflect the internal quality of TCM, rendering qualitative identification challenging. CaCO3 dissolution in the decoction of Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha increased after calcination, aligning with the clinical application of calcined shell TCM. PCA revealed the inorganic elements in them, indicating that the variation in trace element composition among different drugs leads to differences in their therapeutic focus, which should be considered during usage. Conclusion This study clarified the composition and structure changes of corrugated and clam shell before and after calcining, and laid the foundation for the comprehensive utilization of Marine traditional Chinese medicine. Highlights These technical representations reveal the differences between raw materials and processed products, which will provide support for the quality control of other shellfish TCMS.

中文翻译：

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两种贝壳中药的结构和成分变化：煅烧前后的比较分析

【背景】 甲壳和文蛤是两种成分和功效相似的海洋贝类药材，临床上多采用煅烧使用。目的 研究不同产地的甲壳和文蛤的无机和有机成分的差异。目的是加深对这两类海洋贝类中药（msTCM）的认识，为其未来的开发和应用奠定基础。方法采用红外光谱、X射线光谱、X射线荧光光谱等光谱技术对碳酸钙(CaCO3)晶体和微量元素进行分析。热重分析用于研究加热过程中的分解过程。使用 BCA 蛋白质测定试剂盒对蛋白质进行定量。采用主成分分析（PCA）对两种海洋贝类中药中的无机元素进行分类。结果各产区间无显着差异。粗品中CaCO3的晶体结构为文石，但经煅烧后转变为方解石。Ca、Na、Sr等无机元素含量最高。煅烧后蛋白质含量显着降低。因此，这些因素无法准确反映中药的内在质量，给定性鉴定带来困难。甲壳和文蛤煎剂经煅烧后CaCO3溶出量增加，符合煅壳中药的临床应用。PCA揭示了其中的无机元素，表明不同药物的微量元素组成存在差异，导致其治疗重点存在差异，使用时应予以考虑。结论本研究明确了瓦楞和蛤壳煅烧前后的成分和结构变化,为海洋中药的综合利用奠定了基础。这些技术表征揭示了原料和加工产品之间的差异，将为其他贝类中药的质量控制提供支持。