How do I decoct Chinese herbs for good results?
How do I decoct Chinese herbs for good results?
I'm sure many of you know how to decoct herbs, but what are the precautions that need to be taken?
1. Chinese medicine does not need to be rinsed, just check for debris.
2. Soak the herbs in a wok with about three bowls of water for 15 to 20 minutes. You cannot use aluminum or stainless steel pots; these pots are not to be used for decocting herbs.

3. After soaking for 20 minutes, turn on high heat and boil, and then turn on low heat for about 15 minutes. You can't open the lid when decocting, and there are also post-decoction medicines, such as sand nuts, yu gui, mint and other such medicines, which are decocted 10 bells ahead of time when the medicines are almost ready to be decocted. These medicines cannot be decocted for a long time and contain volatility.
4. Pour out the medicine from the first decoction. Then add a small amount of water and decoct again for about 15 minutes over low heat. Pour out the medicine and combine it with the first decoction. Divide the medicine into three portions, one for the morning, one for the afternoon and one for the evening. Eat one portion and put the remaining two portions in the refrigerator (in a porcelain container with a lid) with plastic wrap to hold it in place. Each time you take the medicine, soak it in hot water and eat it while it's hot, you can't cook it in a casserole again, the potency will be reduced.

The above personal views are for reference only.
Chinese medicine boiling is an indispensable and important part of the treatment process in Chinese medicine. The Compendium of Materia Medica says: "Whenever you take tonics, even though the products are specialized and refined, and the treatment is like the law, the decoctors are reckless, the water and fire are bad, and the fire is out of order, then the medicine is also ineffective. Ancient books have repeatedly mentioned the program of boiling herbs and the promotion of the efficacy of the drug.
The operating procedure for boiling is roughly as follows:
Step 1: Pre-cooking treatment. Generally do not need to wash the herbs, individual herbs are too dirty can be washed. Handle individual herbs, for example, the prescription has written to break open the jujube, half-summer cracked and so on.
Step 2: Blend the water. Usually you put down 4 to 5 bowls of water (the bowl you eat in) and boil it down to 2 to 3 bowls. You can put less water if the grouping herbs are too small.
Step 3: Decoction. A dose of Chinese medicine is only boiled once, remove the dregs, such as other kimono, this time can be blended into the soup; in principle, toxic herbs need to be boiled for at least 1 hour, non-toxic herbs generally only 40 minutes can be (the length of boiling time can be based on their own actual situation, this is from the point of view of the economy but also to ensure that the efficacy of the perspective of considerations).
Step 4: Take the medicine. Start by dividing the medicinal broth into 2-3 equal portions and take each drink at least 4 hours apart.
Note: A dose of Chinese medicine is only cooked once, do not cook repeatedly, the grouping of herbs with water and then through the role of fire heating to make the medicine fused together, the cooking process will evaporate water and some medicinal ingredients, and once again decocted combination of structure, strength, and amount of medicine will be changed.
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There are three main steps to boiling herbs, which are as follows:
I. Soaking
The steeping step involves the choice of utensils, the amount of water used for steeping, and the duration of steeping.
Ancient medical practitioners on the choice of decoction appliances are particularly well studied, Tao Hongjing said "warm soup do not use iron", Li Shizhen also said "decoction avoid copper, iron, preferable silver tile pots", in general, decoction appliances are avoided iron pots, copper pots, aluminum pots, lead pots, or hazardous Plastic products, this is because these appliances are prone to chemical reactions with drugs, affecting the efficacy of drugs. You can choose some stable nature, thermal conductivity uniform, not easy to chemical reaction with the drug utensils, such as pottery, casserole, stainless steel utensils, glassware and so on. Modern more convenient family with automatic decoction pot, medical institutions have a large automatic decoction machine, with more convenient.
Chinese medicine soaking generally use tap water, do not recommend the use of hot water, it is appropriate to use cool water soaking, the amount of water for the first time not over the drug about 3-5 cm, the second not over 1-2 cm can be. Of course, if the Chinese medicine is loose texture of flowers, grass, leaves or mucilage, starch, water-absorbing rhizomes, seeds and other herbs, the number of immersion should be appropriately increased according to the specific circumstances. Soaking time is generally 20-30 minutes, for some hard texture shells, fossils, ores, seeds, fruits and other herbs can also be soaked for 60 minutes, but do not recommend soaking time is too long, so as to avoid the drug enzymes and mold.
II. Decoctions
The main issues involved in this process of decoction are the heat of the decoction and the duration of the decoction.
Generally a dose of medicine can be decocted 2-3 times, and I personally recommend decocting it twice. The time for the first decoction is about 30 minutes, the time for the second decoction is about 20-25 minutes, and if a third decoction is performed, the time for the decoction is about the same as the second one. The heat of the decoction is mainly divided into "martial fire" and "gentle fire", the decoction is usually first martial fire until the drug boils and then changed to gentle fire to keep the state of light boiling urgently decoction, which can make the active ingredients fully dissolved.
III. Taking medication
When it comes to taking medication, it mainly involves the timing and temperature at which the medication is taken.
Generally we will be after two or three times the decoction of the Chinese medicine medicine together, usually a drink of about 300 ml, can be a day and a time or twice a day, which mainly depends on the needs of the condition, follow the doctor's instructions can be.
For stomachic drugs, it is advisable to take half an hour before meals; for the treatment of diseases below the chest diaphragm (such as the stomach, liver, kidneys, etc.), as well as some acid medicines should be taken before meals; for gastrointestinal stimulation of the drug is advisable to take after meals, such as breaking the stasis and eliminating accumulation of stagnant blood, blood stasis activation drugs, the disease of the chest diaphragm above the person, it is also advisable to take after meals; for the laxative, tonic and deworming drugs are advisable to be taken on an empty stomach; for the tranquillizer class of drugs It is advisable to take them before going to bed. For asthma medicines, they should be taken 2 hours before the onset of an attack; for malaria medicines, they should be taken 3 hours before the onset of an attack, and for acute and serious diseases, they should be taken immediately.
In order to minimize the stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract, Chinese medicines should be taken warm. For medicines that stop bleeding and astringency, clear heat and remove toxins, and dispel summer heat, it is generally advisable to take them cold; for medicines that regulate qi, activate blood circulation, remove blood stasis, relieve symptoms, and tonify the body, it is generally advisable to take them hot.
The above is only a personal opinion, not as a basis for the use of medication, please use the medication under the guidance of a physician, any questions or views are welcome to leave a comment at the bottom of the article.
The authoritative interpretation of Pharmaceutical Affairs, unauthorized reproduction, plagiarism will be punished.
Decoction of Chinese medicine is a good idea, first of all, boil Chinese medicine vessels to choose the best casserole, boil Chinese medicine before, you should first soak the drug in water for half an hour, and then put on the fire for decoction, first with a large fire, and then changed to a small fire to simmer for about 20 minutes, the decocted Chinese medicine poured out, set aside, and then add water for the second simmering, or a large fire to boil, and changed to a small fire to simmer for 20 minutes on the, and then poured out the juice, and the first pouring out of medicine evenly mixed, divided into two equal parts to be taken in the morning and evening. Then pour out the juice, and the first pour out of the juice evenly mixed, divided into two equal parts, divided into morning and evening to take.
The decoction of Chinese medicine is effective in the choice of vessels, which can be a casserole, enameled pot or electric frying pan. Never use iron pots and copper pots because they will affect the effect of the medicine and may even produce toxic ingredients, which will not only affect the efficacy of the treatment, but also affect health and life.
When you get a pair of Chinese medicines, first check if there are any single packets, minerals, shellfish or lighter texture medicines in the Chinese medicine. If it is a mineral or animal shellfish drugs, you need to decoct first, the first decoction of the first decoction in accordance with the doctor's instructions first decoction how long, if there is no special instructions first decoction of the first decoction of the medicine is generally first decocted for 5 to 10 minutes, and then added to the other conventional medicine. Then look at the herbs in the soil is not more, if more appropriate rinse can be, not vigorously rubbed. Try to choose to go to the regular Chinese pharmacy or hospital, these places are still guaranteed the quality of the medicines.
Herbs in the decoction before the need for cold water soaking is for the ingredients in the herbs more easily precipitated, so it is recommended that the soaking time of the herbs should be lengthened, we generally give the patient boiled medicine, if there is no special requirements of the herbs soaking time will not be less than two hours. The amount of water added to soak more than 1cm of herbs can be.
Conventional medicinal herbs decoction water did not open with a martial fire (that is, high heat), water boiled and then turned to medium heat, generally 10-15 minutes can be used to relieve the table medicine; tonic medicine, in 20-30 minutes or so; a pair of medicines can be decocted twice, decocted after the first and second decoction of the first and second decoction of the medicines together, second decoction of the time can be a slightly longer time than the first decoction of the first decoction, in order to facilitate complete precipitation of the medicinal herbs. We call it out of the net (that is, to boil out as many ingredients in the herbs as possible).
Simmering process should be stirred at any time to avoid paste pot bottom, if the phenomenon of paste pot bottom is recommended to pour out, because the paste pot bottom will affect the nature of the medicine, herbs are used to cure the disease, not even a fraction of a thousand li, and comrades who smoke decoctions are never let the soot fall into the decoctions of the traditional Chinese medicine, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, important things to say three times, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never.
This is Fatty's answer to the question "How to decoct Chinese herbal medicine with good effect?" The answer, thank you for reading.



Thanks for the invitation. How do you decoct Chinese herbs for good results? There are several ways to do this, and by following the method below, the decoction will work well.
First, choose the correct choice of decoction vessels. Decoction of Chinese medicine in casserole, tile pot is good, you can use pottery, stainless steel utensils, glassware. Avoid using iron pots, copper pots, aluminum pots, lead or harmful plastic products, so as not to have chemical reactions with the drugs, affecting the efficacy of the medicine. It is best to choose a casserole dish that is evenly heated, so as to prevent the bottom of the pot from being too hot, leading to the burning of the heavier texture of the tablets burnt and scorched. At the same time, ensure that the bottom of the pot is clean. Before decocting, thoroughly remove the residual dregs and grease from the bottom of the pot.
Second, the decoction process to ensure the amount of water. First of all, soaking Chinese medicine tablets should use cool water, adding water more than the surface of the drug 3 to 5 cm, soaking time needs to be based on the nature of the herbs, leaves, stems and herbs-based formulas, can be immersed for 30 minutes; roots, rhizomes, seeds, fruits, ores, fossils, shellfish-based formulas, can be immersed for 60 minutes. Overall, the soaking time should not be too long, so as not to cause decomposition and deterioration of the drugs.
When it comes to soaking herbal medicines, many patients ask, does this medicine need to be washed, the water in which it has been soaked poured out, and then new cool water is connected when it is decocted? Chinese medicine tablets do not need to be washed. Drinking tablets have been purified before they are released to the market, and washing of drinking tablets will lead to the loss of water-soluble Chinese medicine tablets and auxiliary materials on the surface of the tablets. Cleaning the tablets before decoction will weaken or change the original efficacy of the soup, affecting the efficacy of the medicine and the treatment of the disease.
Generally speaking, Chinese herbal medicines are decocted twice, and the amount of water added to the second decoction is 1/3~1/2 of that of the first decoction, and the two decoctions are mixed together and divided into two doses. That is to say, the soaked Chinese herbal medicinal herbs will be brought to a boil over a high flame, then boiled over a low flame for 20 to 25 minutes, and then filtered out of the first decoction while it is still hot. Start the second decoction, add cool water to the decoction container 1 to 2 centimeters above the surface of the dregs of the medicine, boil over a high flame, then change to a mild flame and decoct for another 15 to 20 minutes, and again filter out the liquid while it is still hot. Mix the two decoctions and take two doses of about 200 ml each, halved for children or as directed by the doctor.

Thirdly, correctly grasp the fire. Generally speaking, antidepressants and heat-clearing medicines should be decocted with martial arts fire (high fire), and the time should be short, boiling and then decocting for 3 to 5 minutes; tonic medicines need to be decocted slowly with gentle fire (low fire), and the time should be long, boiling and then continuing to decoct for 30 to 60 minutes.
The fourth is to grasp the special decoction method of Chinese medicine. If the medicine bag contains drinking tablets packed in cloth bags, such medicines are packaged for decoction. The medicines of package decoction mainly refer to those medicines which are sticky, powdery and with fluff. They are packed in cloth and then decocted at the same time with the group of medicines to prevent the medicine from turbidity or irritation of the throat causing coughing and sinking to the bottom of the pot, causing scorching or pasting when heated. For example, Liu Yi San, Qing Dai, Pu Huang, Che Qian Zi, Xin Yi, and Xin Yin Hua.

In addition to packet decoctions, common special decoctions for tablets include first decoction, second decoction, separate decoction, melting, and rinsing.
First decoction mainly refers to some goldstone, minerals, shell drugs whose active ingredients are difficult to dissolve in water, which should be broken and decocted first, boiled for 20-30 minutes, and then decocted with other drugs in order to fully precipitate the active ingredients. Such as magnetite, ochre, raw iron, gypsum, cold water stone, quartz, dragon bone, oyster, corrugated seed, mother-of-pearl, cassia, turtle shell, turtle shell and so on. In addition, medicines with strong toxic side effects such as epiphyllum, aconite, etc., should be decocted for 45 to 60 minutes before putting down other medicines, so that decocting for a long time can reduce the toxicity and safe use of medicines.
After the next drug mainly refers to some aromatic drugs, long decoction of its active ingredients are easy to volatilize and reduce the efficacy of other drugs must be put into the decoction after boiling for 5 to 10 minutes. Such as mint, Elsholtzia, artemisia, wood, sand, incense, nutmeg and so on. In addition, some drugs are not aromatic drugs, but the long decoction can also destroy its active ingredients, such as hooker, rhubarb, senna and so on.
Separate decoction refers to some valuable herbs, which are suitable to be decocted separately in order to better decoct the active ingredients, such as the valuable herbs ginseng, cordyceps, saffron, and so on. The other decoction should also be soaked before decoction, and the decoction can be taken separately or mixed with other decoctions. The general decoction time is 2 to 3 hours.

Melting mainly refers to certain gum drugs and viscous and soluble drugs, in order to avoid the decoction into the sticky pot or adherence to other drugs to affect the decoction, you can use water or wine alone to dissolve such medicines by heating, that is, after melting, with the decoction of the liquid to be taken, but also can be placed in such drugs into other drugs decocted into the liquid heated melting to be taken. For example, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, and so on.
In addition, the decoction needs to be covered to ensure the temperature of the liquid, stirring and turning at the right time. After mastering these principles of decoction, you will be able to decoct Chinese medicine with ease.
Boiling medicine, that is, the production of soup, with the drug decoction, remove the dregs to take the juice and become. Soup has the advantages of fast absorption, strong effect, so there is "soup, swing also go to the big disease with the" record. And according to the specific clinical conditions of flexible prescription, so the most widely used in the clinic. However, the correctness of the decoction method is also directly related to the efficacy of good or bad.
1、Rinsing of herbs
Most of the herbs have dust and debris, so they should be rinsed to remove the dust and debris before decoction. For herbs with flowers, leaves, fruits and meat in the prescription, they need to be rinsed.
2、Soak before cooking
After the herbs are cleaned, they can be soaked for 20 to 30 minutes to facilitate the precipitation of the active ingredients in the herbs, and at the same time, the decoction time can be shortened, and for the seeds and fruit-based herbs, the soaking time can be longer.
3、Decoction container
Casseroles and sand pots are the preferred containers for decocting Chinese medicine; white enameled ware or non-inductive steel pots are second best. Iron, copper, lead and other metal containers are contraindicated.
4. Water consumption
The amount of water needed to decoct herbs is generally 2 to 3 centimeters above the surface of the herbs. For hard herbs such as He Shou Wu and Bai Shao Yao, more water can be added, and for loose herbs such as Dandelion and Patchouli, the amount of water added should be enough to submerge the herbs.
Can also be dispensed after the Chinese medicine, take 1 sticker (dosage) medicine weighing, and then according to the principle of 1 gram of Chinese medicine plus 10 milliliters of water, 65% of the total calculated amount of water added to the first decoction, the remaining 35% left for the second decoction. For example, for the tonic and regulating medicine Ginseng Nourishing Rong Tang, the total weight of the drug is 150 grams, and the amount of water added should be 1500 milliliters, 65% of which should be added to the first decoction, i.e. 975 milliliters, and 35% of which should be added to the second decoction, i.e. 525 milliliters. The method of adding water is accurate, especially more suitable for proprietary Chinese medicine formulas with many kinds of drugs and large amount of drugs.
In addition, if the medicine in the flowers (such as stabilized flowers, pouch flowers, etc.), leaves (such as mulberry leaves, loquat leaves, etc.) category is more, you can also add more water in moderation.
When the hot water is rushed into the raw medicine, the outer layer of the raw medicine tissue due to the sudden impact of high temperature, immediately coagulation, tightening, especially proteins in the cell wall to form a layer of irreversible denaturation layer, hindering the penetration of water, the tissue inside the dissolved active ingredient is also difficult to dissolve, which greatly affects the dissolution rate of the active ingredient. Therefore, do not add water to the decoction.
5. Order of precedence
Generally speaking, Chinese herbs can be decocted at the same time, but some herbs require special treatment. In the prescription, the medicines labeled as "first decoction" such as magnetite, oyster and other mineral medicines, shellfish medicines, etc. should be put into the pot first, and then decocted with other medicines for about 30 minutes; the medicines labeled as "second decoction" should be put into the decoction of other medicines, and then boiled for a few minutes; for the medicines labeled as "packaged decoction", they should be wrapped in gauze and then decocted. A few minutes after boiling; for the herbs labeled "package decoction", they should be wrapped in gauze before decoction.
6, decoction fire and time
Generally speaking, Chinese herbal medicines are decocted twice, and the amount of water added to the second decoction is 1/3~1/2 of that of the first decoction, and the two decoctions are mixed together and divided into two doses. That is to say, the soaked Chinese herbal medicinal herbs will be brought to a boil over a high flame, then boiled over a low flame for 20 to 25 minutes, and then filtered out of the first decoction while it is still hot. To start the second decoction, add cool water to the decoction container 1 to 2 centimeters above the surface of the dregs of the herbs, boil over a high flame, then change the flame to a low flame and decoct for another 15 to 20 minutes, and then filter out the liquid while it is still hot.
According to the nature of the drugs, the first decoction of antidepressants is boiled and decocted for 10-15 minutes, and the second decoction for 10 minutes; the first decoction of tonic drugs is boiled and decocted for 30-40 minutes, and the second decoction for 25-30 minutes; for the general nature of the drugs, the first decoction is boiled and decocted for 20-25 minutes, and the second decoction for 15-20 minutes, and two decoctions are appropriate for all types of soups, and the soup drugs, after decocting, should be strained while still hot and squeezed dry, so as to minimize the dregs of decoction in the After the decoction is finished, it should be filtered and dried while hot to minimize the residue of the decoction in the dregs. Drugs containing volatile ingredients, such as mint, sueh, patchouli, pellitory, etc., do not need to be thickly decocted to prevent volatilization of the active ingredients during decoction, so they must be decocted with the lid on. Bone horn, keel bone, shellfish drugs and tonic drugs such as ginseng and atractylodes, it is generally advisable to use a long decoction over a mild fire.
Sha Shen, Tianqi, hyssop, licorice, Platycodonopsis and other drugs, the temperature does not reach 100 ℃ will begin to boil, the phenomenon of "false boiling", therefore, even if the boiling should not reduce the fire.
If the medicine bag contains tablets wrapped in cloth, such medicines are packaged for decoction. Packaged decoctions are mainly those drugs that are sticky, powdery and with fluff.
There is also a category of "separate decoction". Another decoction refers to some precious herbs, in order to better decoct the active ingredients, it is advisable to decoct them separately, such as the precious herbs ginseng, cordyceps, saffron, etc.. The other decoction should also be soaked before decoction, and the decoction can be taken separately or mixed with other decoctions. The general decoction time is 2 to 3 hours.
Certain colloidal drugs and viscous and soluble drugs are easy to melt, you can use water or wine alone to dissolve such drugs by heating, that is, after melting, with the decoction of the liquid, but also such drugs can be put into other drugs decocted in the liquid heated and melted to be taken. For example, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, Colla Corii Asini, and so on.
7. Filtering volume
Each time the decoction is ready, the amount of filtration should not be less than 180 milliliters (about nine minutes of a bowl); if it is decocted for small children to take, due to the lower dose, each time the amount of liquid filtration can be reduced to about 120 milliliters.
In addition, microwave decoction is undesirable. When microwave decoctions are made, the heat and the decoction time are difficult to master, which will affect the efficacy of the medicine.
Also, a high concentration of soup does not necessarily mean that it is effective. Decoction of Chinese medicine is the active ingredients in Chinese medicine tablets continue to release, the process of dissolution, and when the decoction to the tablets themselves and the concentration of active ingredients in the liquid equilibrium, this diffusion movement will stop. At this time, if you continue to decoct may also make the non-active ingredients (such as resin, gum, pigment and other macromolecular compounds) continue to dissolve, which will make the active ingredients in the liquid due to evaporation and reduce, or even in the high temperature for too long destroyed, thus reducing the effectiveness of the medicine, and easy to decoction paste.
Method of decoction.
Decoction utensils: casserole, tile pots for the best, enamel pots second, avoid copper, iron pots.
Water for decoction: tap water, well water.
Decoction fire: tonic drugs should be decocted slowly over a gentle fire; antidepressants should be decocted rapidly over a strong fire.
Strongly toxic drugs: for example, white aconite, more than 30 grams of at least one hour decoction to detoxify.
General Chinese medicine should be soaked in water first soak 20 to 30 minutes, add water to soak over the Chinese medicine 2/3 centimeters can be, with a large fire boil and then adjusted to a slow fire boil for 40 to 45 minutes, pour out the medicinal juice with a kettle. And then return to the pot for the second time, the water soaked over the surface of the medicine can be, high heat boil adjusted to slow fire boil 25 to 30 minutes, the juice poured out of the first medicinal juice, can be divided into two times to take.
Decocting medicines has always been a hassle. How long to boil it, how to decoct it, and what is the best to decoct it with? Before you even start, a direct trio of questions can jam a person up.
Generally speaking, a pair of medicines usually need to boil 20-30 minutes, if the main treatment of colds and flu, the head is more aromatic herbs, such as peppermint, patchouli, chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, etc., then the boiling time, it is best to control the time of 20 minutes or less, and more cooking will be the flavor of the medicine to boil.
If there are poisonous medicines such as epiphyllum, Chuanwu, Caowu, etc., although they are prepared, it is recommended that the epiphyllum be boiled for twenty minutes beforehand, and then boiled with other medicines afterward.
For the most part, simmering vessels. It is best to use ceramic jars, which may have a slower heating process, but will allow for even heating of the bottom of the pot. Moreover, ceramic will not be averse to which herbs, thus affecting the medication.
The best way to do this for talcum powder, psyllium, dragon bones, oysters, and a host of other powders, substitutes, and minerals, is to use a small gauze bag, wrap them up, and simmer them together.
So is it true that once the herbs are boiled, it's best to drink them while they're hot?
In fact, it is not. The treatment of cold illnesses, such as the common cold and flu, and the resulting coughs, requires that they be drunk while still hot, and even requires that hot porridge be used to aid the strength of the medicine, and there is no better example of this than the use of Gui Zhi Tang in the Treatise on Typhoid Fever by Zhang Zhongjing.
For some warm illnesses, such as those with epiphyllum, dried ginger, and cinnamon sticks in the formula, it is better to ask for the boiled medicine, let it cool, and then take it.
According to the principle of serving in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, "treating heat with cold and warming it, treating cold with heat and cooling it".
Conventional decoction method of Chinese medicine is to retrieve the Chinese medicine first into the pure water for soaking, add just not over the amount of water in the Chinese medicine, usually placed in a casserole soak for about half an hour, soak outside if the water loss is not much, the fire for decoction, the initial period of the first large fire, to be the water boiled and then transferred to a small fire to continue to simmer for 20 minutes to 30 minutes, and then the broth and medicine slowly poured into the bowl. Then continue to add the right amount of water to the casserole and continue to simmer for 20 minutes before pouring out the medicine. Then mix the first and second boiled herbs and divide them equally into two portions to be taken in the morning and evening.
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