How long can sealed Chinese medicine be stored?

Everyone knows that traditional Chinese medicine is effective in treating diseases, but how long can it be preserved if it is sealed? Generally speaking, Chinese herbal decoctions need to be sealed for storage, but they must also be kept at a suitable temperature, usually not higher than 25 degrees or lower than 2 degrees, so it is best to refrigerate them in the refrigerator. Strictly speaking, Chinese medicine can be stored at the right temperature for up to seven days, but it also depends on the ingredients of the medicine.

Currently, the most common packaging for decocted Chinese herbal medicines is vacuum sealed packaging. The shelf life of liquid medicine indicated on the sealed vacuum packaging bags varies from hospital to hospital and pharmacy to pharmacy. There was a study that stored different prescriptions at different temperatures and observed the degree of deterioration of the medicinal juice. The results showed that the higher the temperature, the faster the medicine deteriorates. In seasons with higher temperatures, when the room temperature is above 25°C, the decoction can generally be stored for no more than 2 days; if refrigerated, it can generally be stored for 7 days. Different prescriptions have different degrees of deterioration under the same conditions. If the medicine contains more starch, protein, sugar, etc., it will deteriorate faster.

To ensure the safety of drug use, the optimal storage temperature for sealed vacuum-packed Chinese herbal decoctions is 0-5°C, and the storage time is 7-14 days, but it is best not to exceed 7 days. If you find that the medicine bag is bulging or the medicine tastes different, or there are bubbles or other abnormal phenomena, it is spoiled and should not be taken.

Tip: After buying decocted Chinese medicine, many people often remove the hospital's vacuum packaging and use home containers to hold the Chinese medicine decoction. It is generally not recommended to take it overnight. Even if it is placed in the refrigerator, it should not exceed 3 days to avoid the deterioration of the medicine and affect your health.