How to filter the residue of traditional Chinese medicine

When people boil Chinese medicine, they usually boil it twice, because only by boiling it twice can the unique medicinal effects of the medicine be fully exerted. However, because Chinese medicine takes a long time to boil, the medicinal materials used can easily become residue. The residue of the medicine cannot be taken directly, so it must be completely filtered when drinking Chinese medicine. But what is the correct way to filter the residue when taking traditional Chinese medicine?

1. What can be used to filter decoction of Chinese medicine?

After decocting, the Chinese medicine needs to be filtered to filter out the residue. Generally speaking, you can choose ordinary impermeable steel mesh for filtering, or you can choose iron mesh for filtering. However, it is best not to use aluminum mesh for filtering, because the performance of aluminum mesh is not as good as stainless steel and iron mesh. It is also best to filter it while hot, so that the filtering effect will be much better and no drug residue will remain.

2. Why should we filter Chinese medicine while it is hot?

2.1. Some people wait until the Chinese medicine cools down before filtering it for fear of getting burned. In fact, this is wrong. Chinese medicine should be filtered while hot.

2.2. After the Chinese medicine is decocted, the liquid medicine and the medicine reach a balance of internal and external concentrations. As the temperature drops, the solubility of the medicine will decrease, and some of the active ingredients in the liquid medicine will return to the residue, while some of the active ingredients will condense into larger particles of sediment and be filtered out during filtration. Therefore, in order to ensure the effective concentration of the drug solution, it should be filtered while hot.

3. How to use the residue after filtering traditional Chinese medicine

3.1. The medicinal residue can be left and then dried on the balcony. In spring, summer and autumn, Chinese medicine is kept on the balcony to prevent mosquitoes from entering. This is because Chinese medicine emits a special pungent smell that mosquitoes cannot get close to. The purpose of doing this is to prevent mosquitoes.

3.2. If you suffer from insomnia or are dependent on Chinese medicine, you can wrap the residue from boiling medicine in gauze and put it under your pillow. This will allow you to sleep well. Remember, when putting it in, make sure to flatten the residue, otherwise it will be sticky.

3.3. Of course, you can keep the leftover medicinal residues and put them into hot water when soaking your feet every night. This can play a very good care role. It can not only activate the meridians, but also add fragrance, deodorize, and treat foot diseases, especially foot odor and athlete's foot.

3.4. Sell to beverage processing plants. In fact, Chinese medicine residue is not useless, but it is still useful if other substances are added. Therefore, the Chinese medicine residue can be sold to beverage processing factories, they are useful and can be processed into fish drinks or poultry feed drinks, etc. It can also make use of waste.

How to properly decoct Chinese medicine

1. Soak in cold water

The retrieved Chinese medicine should first be placed in a clean container and soaked in cold water, generally for about half an hour to an hour. At this time, the Chinese medicine absorbs a lot of water, but the water level should still be higher than the medicinal materials.

2. Start to suffer

Pour the soaked Chinese medicine together with the soaking water into the casserole. It would be even better if you have a special pot for decocting medicine. Simmer on low heat. It is best not to use high heat at the beginning for the casserole because it will be easily cracked due to uneven heating.

3. Filter out the residue and continue soaking and decocting

When decocting the medicine for the first time, simmer it on low heat for 10-15 minutes after it boils, then pour out the decocted medicine and leave the residue in the casserole. Continue to soak the just-decocted medicinal residue in cold boiled water or warm water. Don't use too much water this time, just enough to cover the medicinal residue. Then simmer over low heat until 5 minutes after the water boils, pour it out for the second time, and leave the residue in the casserole.

4. Third soaking and residue filtering

For the third soaking, the decoction method is the same as the second time, except that the color of the poured medicine will be significantly weakened this time.

5. Mix the liquid medicine and divide it into two parts.

Mix the three decoctions together, then divide into two portions and take them twice a day, morning and evening. The second time you drink it, you should heat it up.