Lactic Acid Bacteria as Probiotics Improve Bioactive Compounds in Radix Angelica Gigas (Danggui) via Solid-State Fermentation

The study demonstrates that solid-state fermentation (SSF) using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) significantly enhances the bioactive compounds in Radix Angelica gigas (Danggui), a traditional herbal medicine. LAB strains such as L. buchneri, L. acidophilus, and L. rhamnosus increased antioxidant activities and the contents of phenolics and flavonoids by up to 230%, 111%, 137%, and 133%, respectively, compared to non-fermented herbs. L. buchneri showed the highest growth at 30 °C, and multi-strain fermentations further boosted antioxidant activities. These findings suggest that SSF with LAB can modernize traditional herbal medicine, enhancing its potential benefits for human and animal health.