Objective To elucidate the effects of processing methods on the components and functions of Penthorum chinense Pursh, and to provide a theoretical foundation for the development of new products.Methods This study compares the effects of five distinct processing methods-cleansing, wine-processing, vinegar-processing, salt-processing, and ginger-processing-on the functional components, in vitro antioxidant activity, and antibacterial activity of Penthorum chinense Pursh. To be specific, the differences in functional components before and after processing are analyzed, the in vitro antioxidant activity is measured using DPPH and ABTS^＋ radical scavenging models, and the antibacterial effects of the processed medicine against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella paratyphi B, and Salmonella enteritidis are evaluated.Results The Penthorum chinense Pursh subjected to the cleansing process has a significantly higher content of total flavonoids and total polyphenols than those treated with other methods (P<0.05), followed by those treated by salt-processing and wine-processing, with vinegar-processed samples showing the lowest levels. The wine-processed Penthorum chinense Pursh exhibits the strongest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella Enteritidis, while the salt-processed samples show the weakest activity. In terms of antioxidant capacity, the wine-processed Penthorum chinense Pursh demonstrates the highest scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS⁺ radicals, with IC₅₀ values of 33.52 and 35.86 μg/mL, respectively. Conversely, the vinegar-processed samples exhibit the weakest scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS⁺ radicals, with IC₅₀ values of 43.90 and 54.87 μg/mL, respectively. The primary active components responsible for the scavenging of DPPH and ABTS⁺ radicals in Penthorum chinense Pursh are identified as gallic acid, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, pinocembrin, and rutin.Conclusion Wine-processing is identified as the optimal treatment method for Penthorum chinense Pursh.