How long should Chinese medicine be boiled?

Traditional Chinese medicine is a kind of medicine we need to take when we feel uncomfortable or need to regulate our body. Traditional Chinese medicine is different from Western medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine needs to be decocted, especially when decocting, it also takes a certain amount of time. The properties of each medicine are different, and the length of time required is also different. When decocting medicine, we must grasp the time according to the properties of the traditional Chinese medicine. Let us introduce it below.

How to boil Chinese medicine depends on the nature of the medicine you are taking.

Soak the herbs first for 30 to 60 minutes, using enough water to cover the surface of the herbs. Generally, Chinese medicine is decocted twice, and the amount of water added in the second decoction is 1/2 of the first. Take the decoction after removing the residue. The temperature and time of decoction should be determined according to the properties of the medicine. Generally speaking, antipyretic and heat-clearing drugs should be decocted over high heat for a short time, and only need to be decocted for 3 to 5 minutes after boiling. (Because its active ingredients are in volatile oils, they are easy to volatilize during the decoction process. Tonic medicines should be decocted slowly over low heat for a long time, and decocted for 30 to 60 minutes after boiling. Some medicines have different textures and require special decocting methods.

1. Fry first. Mineral medicines such as magnetite, hematite, gypsum, calcite, dragon bone, oyster, as well as medicines with strong toxic side effects such as aconite and monkshood.

2. Go down from behind. Aromatic and volatile medicines such as mint, Artemisia annua, Elsholtzia ciliata, costusroot, Amomum villosum, cardamom, and white cardamom, as well as medicines such as Uncaria rhynchophylla, rhubarb, and senna leaves, which will destroy their active ingredients if boiled for a long time.

3. Wrap and fry. Talc, Indigo, Gecko Powder, Plantago Seed and other medicines that are highly sticky, powdery or fuzzy should be wrapped in gauze before being decocted with other medicines.

4Dissolve. Donkey-hide gelatin. Deer antler glue, honey, maltose.

5. Take with water. A powdered preparation that is used in lighter doses. Usually the medicine is packaged separately when you get it.

Through the above introduction, we now know how long to boil Chinese medicine. When boiling medicine in normal times, we must pay attention to the length of time. If it is too short, the medicinal effect cannot be fully exerted. If the time is too long, it will also affect the efficacy. However, what needs to be remembered is that when boiling the medicine, it must not become a paste. Chinese medicine cannot be eaten after it is boiled into a paste.