An exploratory study on the influence of 60Co irradiation on the volatile organic components and antibacterial activity of Artemisia argyi Folium

Background/Objectives Artemisia argyi Folium, renowned as the “king of herbs” and one of the oldest medicinal plants in China, is popular worldwide. However, it is highly susceptible to contamination by bacteria, molds, and insect eggs during harvesting, drying, and processing. 60 Co irradiation is currently applied as an effective method. This study aimed to assess the impact of 60 Co irradiation at 0, 3, 6, and 9 kGy on the volatile organic component (VOC) profile and antibacterial activity of A. argyi Folium essential oil (EO). Methods GC-IMS, antibacterial assays, and multivariate statistical analysis to analyze the variation patterns of VOCs in the EO of Artemisia Argyi Folium, as well as corresponding changes in antibacterial activity, before and after 60 Co irradiation treatment at various intensities. Results A total of 111 headspace derived VOCs were tentatively identified. The VOC profiles of the 3.0 kGy and 6.0 kGy groups were similar, while 9.0 kGy irradiation was associated with significant changes. Based on agar diffusion assay results, the 6.0 kGy group exhibited the largest inhibition zone against Escherichia coli , whereas the 3.0 kGy group produced the maximum inhibition zone against MRSA. Correlation analysis revealed that α-Phellandrene was strongly negatively correlated with MRSA IC 50 , suggesting it may act as a candidate marker associated with the antibacterial activity against MRSA. Conclusion The results indicate that, within the tested dose range, lower irradiation doses (3.0 and 6.0 kGy) may be more favorable than 9.0 kGy for preserving the VOC profile, higher doses (6.0 and 9.0 kGy) improved the MIC and MBC values against MRSA. It provided a reliable reference for rational irradiation dose selection for A. argyi Folium processing and quality preservation.