Decoction is the oldest and most commonly used method of taking Chinese medicine.

The ancients have long discussed the utensils, heat, methods, etc. for decoction.

For example, "On the Origin of Medicine" says: "The method of decoction is best explained in depth. The effectiveness of the medicine depends entirely on this." Treating diseases with traditional Chinese medicine is either a single medicine or a combination of multiple medicines.

All prescriptions need to be decoctioned to a certain extent, and water, wine or other medicinal liquids are added to make a decoction before it can be taken. Therefore, the decoction method is very particular, and it has a great decisive effect on the efficacy of the medicine.

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Although the procedure for decoction of medicine is simple, it contains a lot of knowledge. So, how to decoct the medicine to effectively play its role? Let’s start with the container for decoction.

Many people know that a casserole is required for frying Chinese medicine, but not a pot made of copper, aluminum, iron or other metals. Why is this?

Ceramic casseroles are used to decoct medicines because they are stable in nature and are not prone to chemical reactions with medicines. In addition, they conduct heat slowly, are heated evenly, are not easy to burn in the pot, and are cheap. Therefore, it is best to use ceramic casseroles and earthen pots.

Convenient and practical.

If casseroles and crock pots are not available, stainless steel, enamel or glassware can be used instead.

However, metal containers such as copper, aluminum, and iron cannot be used because the chemical properties of metal containers are unstable and chemical reactions are prone to occur, affecting the efficacy of the medicine and even causing toxic side effects.

Patients may experience nausea, vomiting and other phenomena after taking it, which may aggravate their condition.

Water is one of the most important factors when decoction of Chinese medicine.

Usually, as long as it is clean water, well water or tap water will do.

But the amount of water added is very important. The amount of water added is different for different medicines. If there is less water, it may not be enough to boil out the active ingredients in the medicine. If there is too much water, it will not only delay the time, but also make the soup liquid.

Reducing the concentration of the decoction will also affect the efficacy. So how much water should be added to a decoction before decoction?

The amount of water used to decoct Chinese medicine is determined based on the performance of the medicine, specific dosage requirements, the size of the medicine, and the flavor of the medicine.

First of all, before decoction, soak the medicine in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes so that the medicine is completely penetrated by water to facilitate the dissolution of the active ingredients, and then add water to cook.

The amount of water added is usually 5 to 10 times that of the drug.

Or just add it until it is about 2 to 3 centimeters above the medicinal surface.

If the doctor has specific requirements, follow the doctor's instructions.

The length of time when a decoction is boiled will also directly affect the quality of the medicine. So how long should a decoction be boiled for?

Due to the different textures of medicines, the methods and procedures for decoction are also different. For example, some medicines need to be fried first and then added, some need to be fried separately, etc. Although it is very particular about doing this, it is quite cumbersome. If you don’t do this,

Will it affect the quality of the drug and its therapeutic effect?

The decoction time should be determined according to the nature of the medicine.

Usually, the first time of decoction should be done after boiling the Chinese medicine for about 20 minutes. The second time of decoction can be slightly shorter.

But it also depends on the specific drug.

For example, the decoction time of some antibacterial drugs should be shorter, because most of the antibacterial drugs use stems and leaves of plants, which have loose texture and large water absorption, so the decoction time can be shorter.

Aromatic drugs such as Patchouli, Peilan, Mint and some fresh drugs are more volatile and soft in texture. If they are decoctioned for a long time, they will easily lose too many active ingredients, so the decoction time should be short, usually before other drugs are ready.

Add it when it is fried and you can smell the aroma of the medicine.

Some mineral, shell, or animal medicines, such as gypsum, magnets, raw oysters, and cassia, need to be fried for about 20 minutes first, and then other medicines are added to the mixture because of their relatively hard texture.

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In addition, there are some medicines that need to be wrapped and decocted, such as medicines with small seeds, powdery, sticky, and easy to burn, or medicines with burrs that easily irritate the throat or digestive tract, etc., you should use gauze.

After wrapping, fry and cook.

What do the first and second decoctions of the decoction mean?

The dissolution of the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine is the key to treating diseases, so people think that it is better to decoct traditional Chinese medicine twice. The first time is called "first decoction" and the second time is called "second decoction".

In this way, the drugs can fully interact with each other, the active ingredients can be completely dissolved, and the efficacy can be enhanced.

Usually, these two decoctions are mixed together and taken, with a total volume of about 300 to 500 ml. For patients who have difficulty taking traditional Chinese medicine, they can be divided into small doses multiple times, or administered in concentrated form.

However, some medicines, such as those that relieve symptoms, cannot be administered in concentrated form, but should be decoctioned and taken as much as possible.

The firepower of decoction of Chinese medicine can be divided into slow fire and strong fire according to the size. Wenhuo is a small fire, and Wuhuo is a large or vigorous fire. So when to use slow fire and when to use strong fire?

The flame of Wuhuo is large and powerful, which can cause the temperature to rise rapidly and make the liquid boil quickly, but it is also easy to burn; while the flame of Slow Fire is smaller and the power is relatively mild.

Therefore, when decoction, the medicine liquid is usually boiled with strong fire first, and then slowly decocted with slow fire.

Decoction of Chinese medicine is not an easy task. After reading the above introduction, may it be helpful to you?

Finally, let us summarize it together.

Things to note when decoction of Chinese medicine: 1.

Metal containers such as copper, iron, and aluminum are prohibited to avoid affecting the efficacy of the medicine.

2.

Add the appropriate amount of water and soak before frying. The time depends on the specific situation.

3.

Pay attention to the decoction method of special Chinese medicine to ensure the curative effect.

4．

Do not take spoiled or fried Chinese medicine to avoid poisoning.

5. Generally speaking, casseroles, earthen pots, and ceramics are acceptable. Stainless steel pots or copper pots are also acceptable, but iron pots and aluminum pots must not be used. 6. For casseroles, earthen pots, ceramics are better, and enamel basins and stainless steel pots are better.

The pot comes second.

But you must not use iron or aluminum pots.

It is best not to use copper pots.