Integration of HPLC Amino Acid Profiling With AHP‐CRITIC Guided Freeze‐Drying Process Optimization, Chemical–Pharmacodynamic Equivalence, and Acute Toxicity Evaluation of Scorpio

ABSTRACT This study optimized the freeze‐drying process of Scorpio, compared its chemical and pharmacodynamic equivalence with traditional salt‐processed Scorpio in treating CIA model rats, established an equivalent conversion relationship, and evaluated acute toxicity. Single‐factor experiments and orthogonal tests were conducted with prefreezing time, drying time, and temperature as factors and water‐soluble protein content, ethanol‐soluble extract content, and freeze‐drying rate as indices. The analytic hierarchy process‐criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (AHP‐CRITIC) mixed weighting method was used for comprehensive scoring to determine the optimal process. Chemical equivalence was calculated using four amino acids and water‐soluble protein content. Pharmacodynamic equivalence was evaluated in a complete Freund's adjuvant‐induced arthritis rat model using arthritis index, rheumatoid factor, and serum inflammatory cytokines (IL‐6, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β). Acute toxicity was assessed by determining the LD 5 0 . Results showed that freeze‐killing pretreatment was superior to scalding. The optimal process was prefreezing for 2 h, drying at 45°C for 16 h. Chemical equivalence indicated that 1 g of freeze‐dried Scorpio was equivalent to 1.455 g of salt‐processed Scorpio. Pharmacodynamic equivalence showed that 1 g of freeze‐dried Scorpio was equivalent to 1.081 g of salt‐processed Scorpio. The LD 5 0 of freeze‐dried Scorpio was 11.091 g/kg.