How to decoct Chinese medicine most effectively?

Don't underestimate the method of decocting Chinese medicine, there is a lot of knowledge involved. If the preparation method is improper, not only will the efficacy of the medicine be reduced, but it may also cause side effects. Only by following certain rules for boiling medicine can you produce high-quality medicinal juice and exert its best medicinal effect. So, how should Chinese medicine be boiled to be most effective? Please take a look at the experts' suggestions!

1. Soak in warm water for 40 minutes

When a doctor prescribes medicine, you must first know which medicines need to be decocted first or later according to the doctor's instructions. Then soak the medicines in warm water for about 40 minutes before decocting them. The purpose of soaking in warm water is to allow the Chinese medicine to be soaked thoroughly so that more effective ingredients of the medicine can be decocted out. Do you want to know whether there are Chinese medicines in the prescription that need to be decocted first or later? For example, shellfish, minerals, bones and shells should be decocted first. Shells include oyster powder, clam powder, etc.; minerals include gypsum powder, dragon bones, etc.; bones include turtle shell, tortoise shell, etc.

This type of medicine should be decocted for ten minutes before adding other medicines. Some prescriptions require that Chinese medicine be decocted later. "Post-decocting" means decocting the medicine for ten minutes before putting it into the medicine pot, because some Chinese medicines, such as Uncaria rhynchophylla, are ineffective if decocted for too long. The efficacy of some aromatic and flavored medicines, such as honeysuckle, forsythia, mint, etc., will be reduced if they are decocted for a long time. There are also some medicines whose toxicity can be reduced by long-term decoction, such as Strychnos nux vomica.

2. There are some rules for high heat and low heat

Some medicines need to be boiled for a long time over low heat, while others need to be boiled over high heat for a short time. Long-term simmering with low heat refers to tonic medicines, while high heat for a short time refers to attacking medicines and aromatic medicines.

Laxative drugs refer to: laxatives. Aromatic and flavored medicine refers to: cold and flu medicine. It is best to use a casserole for decocting medicine. The casserole is heated evenly, and when the medicine boils, its rolling is like waves with impact force. Then use chopsticks to stir it constantly, like a washing machine washing away dirt from clothes. In this way, all the effective ingredients in the medicine can be decocted out. Some hospitals or pharmacies now use pressure cookers to decoct medicine. Of course, there is no impact and stirring effect, and the composition of the medicine will be affected.

3. Decoction 180 ml

The amount of medicinal juice used for decocting the medicine is very critical. How much medicine should be boiled? It is best to boil it three times, about 180 ml each time. If there is more medicine juice, there will be less effective ingredients in the residue. Conversely, if there is less medicine juice, the residue will absorb the effective ingredients of the medicine back, which will be wasted. Of course, what we are talking about here is the normal prescription, not the special prescription.

4. Cook the volatile medicine with the lid on.

Whether to cover the lid when boiling medicine is not a matter of lifestyle habits. For different medicines, there is indeed a difference in the effects between keeping the lid open and covering it. If some volatile medicinal materials are boiled openly, the active ingredients will be released into the air along with the water vapor, and the efficacy will be greatly reduced. This type of volatile medicinal material is easy to identify. They are generally pungent, dispersing, and aromatic drugs for dehumidifying the body, such as mint, perilla leaves, and patchouli, and the decoction time should not be too long. For example, some tonic medicines such as ginseng, deer antler, American ginseng, etc. need to be simmered slowly over low heat in a container for a long time to fully boil out their effective ingredients. The lid should also be covered to prevent the medicinal ingredients from being lost with the water vapor during the slow simmering.

However, for some light-weight and large-volume medicinal materials, such as Centella asiatica and Senna leaves, if the container for boiling the medicine is not large enough, the medicine liquid will easily overflow when the lid is closed. In addition, some medicinal materials that are difficult to dissolve need to be stirred frequently during decocting. It is best not to cook such medicines with the lid on. Of course, it is best to stir in one direction so that the medicinal materials can be heated evenly and the effective ingredients can be completely dissolved. Generally, turn it over once every 10 minutes.

5. Boil the false boiling medicine for a while longer

When the medicine is cooked, people generally think it is boiling with a "gurgling" sound. However, some herbs, such as Adenophora Root, Panax Notoginseng, Achyranthes Bidentata, Licorice, Platycodon, etc., will have a false boiling phenomenon, that is, the medicine will start to boil before the temperature reaches 100°C. If the medicine is taken off the fire at this time, the active ingredients in the herbs will not dissolve and the efficacy will be affected.

6. Use boiled water to cook medicine

Nowadays, people are a bit "lazy" when making medicine and just use tap water. In fact, you cannot take shortcuts when using water for boiling medicine. You still have to let the boiled water cool down before using it. This is because tap water in some places is often disinfected with chlorine, which has more or less residues. At the same time, tap water contains more calcium and magnesium ions, which can easily react with the compounds in the medicinal materials and affect the efficacy.