How long does it usually take to boil Chinese medicine?

Friends who have taken Chinese medicine know that after the doctor prepares the ingredients for the patient, he will remind the patient to make sure the herbs are boiled thoroughly at home. Boiling thoroughly means that the herbs must be boiled for sufficient time. Many patients fail to achieve the desired effects of Chinese medicine because they do not boil the medicine thoroughly before taking it at home. So how long does it usually take to boil Chinese medicine?

The temperature and time when decocting the medicine are also very important. When decocting the medicine, use high heat (i.e. strong fire) at the beginning. After it boils, use low heat (i.e. gentle fire) to slowly simmer until the medicine boils but does not overflow. The decocting time should be determined according to the nature and effect of the medicine. For example, tonic medicines are thick, greasy and turbid in nature, and contain a large amount of nutrients that are not easy to be boiled thoroughly, so the boiling time should be longer. The first juice is usually simmered for 40 to 60 minutes after the water boils, and the second juice is simmered for another 30 minutes after the water boils. For example, diaphoretic and antipyretic drugs are dispersing in nature and contain a lot of volatile oils, so they should not be decocted for a long time. After the first water boils, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. After the second water boils, simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. For general treatment, boil the first juice of the medicine for 30 minutes after it is boiled, and boil the second juice for another 20 minutes after it is boiled. The pot should be covered when decocting medicine. However, the first and second juices are generally not less than 400-500 ml (about a small bowl).

Usually the first frying takes 30 minutes and the second frying takes 20-25 minutes. For those who relieve exterior symptoms and clear away heat, the cooking time for each decoction should be reduced by 10 minutes; for those who nourish the body, the first decoction should take 40-60 minutes. Fry for 30-40 minutes.

After putting the Chinese medicine into the container, adding water is a key step. Water is the main solution for decocting Chinese medicine decoctions. If there is too much water, there will be too much medicinal juice and the concentration of the medicinal juice will be reduced. If too little water is added, not only will the effective ingredients of the medicine be difficult to decoct, but it will also be easy to dry the pot or the medicine will be charred. The correct way is to put the medicine into the casserole, spread it out, and then add water 3 to 4 cm (about two horizontal fingers) above the surface of the medicine.

The question of how long it usually takes to boil Chinese medicine has already been explained to you. The boiling time can be determined based on the specific ingredients of the Chinese medicine. Under normal circumstances, the doctor will give you some instructions and you don't need to worry too much about it. When taking Chinese medicine, you need to pay attention to dietary adjustments, try to reduce the consumption of some irritating foods during the medication period, and avoid eating foods that are incompatible with the ingredients in the Chinese medicine two hours before and after taking the medicine.