How long can boiled Chinese medicine be kept in the refrigerator?

There are generally two types of boiled Chinese medicinal materials. One is decocted by equipment and sealed in a bag. This type of Chinese medicinal material can generally be stored for a relatively long time. The other is the Chinese medicinal material that is boiled by yourself. I wonder how long these two types of Chinese medicinal materials can be stored in the refrigerator?

How long can boiled Chinese medicinal materials be stored in the refrigerator?

In order to ensure the safety of drug use, the best storage temperature for Chinese herbal medicines in sealed vacuum-packed bags is 0-5°C, and the storage time should not exceed 7 days.

On the one hand, after the decoction is cooked, it is stored at room temperature for most of half a day to a day before being taken home and frozen, which will "accelerate" the mold of the medicine. On the other hand, if the decocted medicine soup contains animal-based Chinese medicinal materials such as whole insects and centipedes, or Chinese medicinal materials with high sugar content such as cooked rehmannia and scutellaria, it will also affect the storage time. If you find bulges in the medicine bag or the medicine has changed its taste, has an odor and other abnormal conditions, it is moldy and cannot be taken.

If you use your own containers to hold Chinese herbal medicine, it is generally not recommended to take it overnight. Even if placed in a refrigerator, it should not exceed 3 days to prevent the medicine from spoiling and affecting your health.

How long can boiled Chinese medicinal materials be kept at room temperature?

About 2 days.

Each hospital and pharmacy has different storage time instructions for medicines on the sealed vacuum packaging bags. Generally, the higher the temperature, the faster the medicine will get moldy. In seasons with higher temperatures, the indoor temperature is above 25°C and the medicine is generally stored for no more than 2 days. If it is refrigerated, it is generally not likely to get moldy after being stored for 7 days. However, different medicines will have very different degrees of mold even under the same conditions. If the medicine contains more starch, protein, glycogen and other ingredients, it will get moldy faster.

How to warm up frozen Chinese medicinal materials

1. Take out the bags of Chinese medicinal materials from the refrigerator 30 minutes in advance.

2. Then put about 500mL of boiling water in a slightly larger container.

3. If the medicine needs to be heated as soon as it is taken out of the refrigerator, it is best to change the boiling water more often to ensure that the medicine soup is "heated through".

4. In addition, drinking unevenly hot and cold medicine soup will also cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Therefore, when changing the water, you can pick up the medicine bag and shake it to make it evenly heated.

5. For people with weak spleen and stomach, the temperature of the medicine soup is higher, and the medicine soup should be "heated thoroughly". It is best to pour the medicinal soup into a stainless steel steamer and heat it to above 60 or 70 degrees, then let it cool slightly until it is "warm" before drinking it.

6. If it is a tonic Chinese medicinal material, it should be boiled and eaten immediately, and it cannot be heated after boiling, as this will reduce the medicinal effect.

What Chinese medicinal materials cannot be put into the refrigerator?

1. Ejiao Cake

Donkey-hide gelatin cake is a very common Chinese medicinal material. This kind of Chinese medicinal material should be stored in a cool and dry place. In summer, the donkey-hide gelatin cake should be sealed in a double-layer bag, and then placed in a sealed quicklime powder can. It should not be placed in a refrigerator, otherwise it will become damp and accelerate mildew.

2. Wild Ginseng

Red ginseng is generally not easy to be infested with insects, but it must be kept dry. When drying, it should be covered with thin paper to prevent discoloration, and then stored in a gift box or porcelain jar for sealing. White ginseng is very easy to grow mold and insects, and will continue to fade, so it must be kept dry before storage. It should also be covered with thin paper when drying to prevent fading. After drying, it can be packed into a special box and the box cover must be tightly closed before storage.

3. Cordyceps

Cordyceps should be dried, wrapped in paper, put into a printer cartridge, put into a sealed bag, and stored in a dry place. If the Cordyceps is found to be damp, it should be taken out immediately and exposed to the sun, or lightly baked with charcoal fire. The Cordyceps cannot be stored for a long time, otherwise the medicinal effect will be reduced.

4. Deer antler slices

When storing, it is best to wrap the medicinal materials with fine cloth, put them in a small camphor wood box or suitcase for sealed storage, or store them in a shoulder bag. Before storage, a small amount of pepper should be mixed to prevent wood borers. Deer antler slices should be placed in a ventilated area. If stored properly, the medicinal properties of the deer antler slices will not change within two years.

5. Bezoar

Bezoar can be stored in dark brown glass bottles or in plastic bags in iron cans. Bezoar cannot be frozen to avoid turning black in color, which will render the medicinal effect ineffective.