Can boiled Chinese medicine be frozen?

Traditional Chinese medicine is a traditional medical technology in my country. After thousands of years of sedimentation, it has obvious effects on some diseases and can solve some problems that Western medicine cannot solve. The most common Chinese medicine is the Chinese herbal medicines unique to my country. The medicines are boiled into juice and taken to treat diseases. So, how long can the boiled Chinese herbal medicines be stored in the refrigerator? How to preserve boiled Chinese medicinal materials?

How long can Chinese herbal medicine be stored in the refrigerator after being boiled?

Decoction of Chinese medicine

At present, when you go to the hospital, you can have the medicine boiled for you. That is, the hospital will boil the medicine for you, and then pack it in a vacuum bag for easy storage. This type of Chinese medicinal material usually has a shelf life indicated on the packaging bag. The shelf life at room temperature is no more than 2 days. If it is frozen in the refrigerator, the shelf life is 7 days. If the medicine is stored for more than 7 days, it may become moldy and its efficacy may be reduced.

Self-cooked Chinese medicine

There are many old doctors in many second- and third-tier cities, and the Chinese medicines they prescribe are mostly raw Chinese medicines that have not been boiled, and they need to be decocted by themselves. The boiled Chinese medicines are usually boiled once for each consumption, but some people will boil them in advance for the next few times due to time constraints. The boiled medicines cannot be kept at room temperature for a long time. After staying at room temperature overnight, the Chinese medicines will become moldy. The time in the refrigerator cannot exceed 3 days, otherwise it will become moldy.

How to preserve boiled Chinese medicinal materials

Glass bottle storage

You can store the prepared Chinese medicinal materials in a glass bottle of corresponding capacity according to the amount consumed each time, and cover the glass bottle tightly to avoid contact with external air as much as possible.

Fresh-keeping bag sealing

If the boiled Chinese medicinal materials are put into a bowl, and the bowl buckle is large and the external surface is also large, the bowl buckle should be fully covered with a plastic bag to seal it and prevent it from being touched by the outside.

Storage at ultra low temperature

Chinese medicinal materials are very easy to go moldy at room temperature, especially in summer, when the room temperature is high and it is not easy to store Chinese medicinal materials. They should be placed in the refrigerator and stored in an environment of 0~5℃. In addition, Chinese medicinal materials should be kept away from other foods, especially meat, in the refrigerator as much as possible to avoid fungal infection of the Chinese medicinal materials.

Long-term storage of Chinese herbal medicines is not recommended

When it is difficult to boil Chinese medicinal materials by yourself, it is recommended to boil the medicine on the same day and drink it on the same day. It is not recommended to boil the medicine in advance and drink it for the next few times, because Chinese medicinal materials contain starch, glycogen, protein, vitamins, volatile oils, amino acids and various enzymes, nutrients and other ingredients. Most of these ingredients are dissolved in the decoction during boiling. It is most effective to take the medicine when it is hot and humid.

Will the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines decrease after being frozen?

Short-term freezing will not easily reduce the potency of the drug.

The freezing condition is generally 0~5℃. The quality of Chinese medicinal materials is not likely to change significantly in a short period of time under ultra-low temperature. However, it should not be stored for a long time. Because it is stored for too long, not only the medicinal effect will be reduced, but also due to the influence of air, temperature, time and fungal infection and other factors, the enzyme dissolution in the medicine will be reduced, bacteria will multiply and grow, and ingredients such as starch and glycogen will ferment and hydrolyze, so that the medicine will become rancid and moldy, which is harmful to health after taking.