The action of medicinal animal horns on Escherichia coli growth investigated by microcalorimetry and chemometric analysis

The action of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum (CCP), Cornu Cervi (CC) and Cornu Saigae Tataricae (CST) on Escherichia coli growth were investigated using microcalorimetry to find the heat change regularity of microbial growth. The similarity of thermogenic curves and thermodynamics parameters were investigated as evaluation index, such as the growth rate constant in the first exponential phase (k₁), maximum power in the first exponential phase (P₁), maximum power in the secondary exponential phase (P₂), peak time in the first exponential phase (T₁), peak time in the stationary phase (T2) and the total heat production in stage 1 (Q₁), and the total heat production in stage 2 (Q₂). Chemometric analysis was used as a reference for the bioactivity evaluation of medicinal animal horns. The results indicated that the similarity between CST and the control was smaller than that between CCP, CC and the control. Both CCP and CC could increase the heat in the microbial growth, whereas CST decreased it. The biotic thermal activity of different medicinal animal horns was objectively, qualitatively, and quantitatively evaluated by the similarity of thermogenic curves and thermodynamics parameters analysis.