How long is the best time to stew Chinese medicine?

Chinese medicine must be boiled in water before it can be taken. However, if it is boiled for too long, the original nutrients in the medicine will decompose or even disappear. Such Chinese medicine will not have much effect after taking it. Therefore, grasping the time of decocting the medicine has a very important impact on the efficacy of the medicine. So, what is the most appropriate stewing time? Let’s take a look together below.

1. Determine based on the efficacy of the drug

The general medication is 30 minutes. Antipyretic drugs, heat-clearing drugs, and aromatic drugs should not be decocted for a long time. They should be decocted for 15-20 minutes after boiling. The tonic medicine should be boiled over high heat first, then simmered over low heat for 40-60 minutes. Stir the medicine 2-3 times when decocting it. Each dose of Chinese medicine is generally decocted twice, and the second decocting time can be slightly shorter.

2. Soak before decocting

The medicine must be soaked before decocting to make it easier for the active ingredients to be extracted. Generally, for medicines composed mainly of flowers, leaves and stems, the soaking time is usually 15 minutes. The soaking time for medicines mainly composed of roots, seeds, rhizomes and fruits is generally half an hour.

3. Decoction temperature

Generally, high heat (i.e. strong fire) is used before boiling, and then low heat (i.e. weak fire) is used after boiling, and the water is kept in a slightly boiling state, which is conducive to the extraction of effective ingredients.

4. How to take medicine

1. Decoction one dose a day, decoct two juices for each dose, take one juice each morning and evening, usually after meals.

2. Pills are generally taken twice a day. It is best to dissolve the pills before taking them to facilitate absorption and enhance efficacy.

From the above introduction, we can see that there is no unified answer to the question of how long it is appropriate to boil Chinese medicine. Instead, it should be determined based on the efficacy and dosage of the Chinese medicine. The same is true for taking Chinese medicine. Depending on the efficacy, the time of taking it is also different. For example, Chinese medicine for treating insomnia is best taken before going to bed.