How long does it take to boil Chinese medicine?

Many of our friends have taken traditional Chinese medicine. We all know that traditional Chinese medicine needs to be decocted before it can be taken. Many friends don’t know how to decoct it, especially when decocting it, they don’t know how long to decoct it. This situation occurs among most people. In fact, the decocting time for different traditional Chinese medicines is also different. Now let us understand it through the following introduction.

Soaking before decoction: For the first decoction (first decoction), general medicines should be soaked for 30 minutes, and medicines mainly composed of seeds and fruits can be soaked for one hour; when decocting again (second decoction), no soaking is required. For the first decoction, add enough water to exceed the medicine by 2-5 cm. For the second decoction, add enough water to cover the medicine. Number of decoctions: Generally decoct twice. One long frying cannot replace two separate fryings. Decoction and cooking time: Generally, use high heat (strong heat) before boiling, and use low heat (gentle heat) to keep it in a slightly boiling state after boiling.

For antipyretic and aromatic drugs, it is advisable to use high heat for rapid decocting to prevent the volatilization of the medicinal properties and reduction of the efficacy; for tonic medicines, it is better to use low heat for a long time to fully release the effective ingredients of the medicine. Decoction time: For general medicines, the first decoction should be boiled and then simmered for 20-25 minutes, and the second decoction should be boiled and then simmered for 15-20 minutes; for antipyretic and aromatic medicines, the first decoction should be 10-15 minutes, and the second decoction should be 10 minutes; for tonic medicines, the first decoction should be 30-40 minutes, and the second decoction should be 25-30 minutes. The longer you boil the medicine, the better.

Through the above introduction, we now know how long it takes to boil Chinese medicine. When boiling the medicine, we must pay attention to not having too little water, especially not allowing it to become mushy. Chinese medicine cannot be eaten after it becomes mushy. Special attention should be paid to this. At the same time, it should not be boiled too much, as too much water will result in drinking too much when taking the medicine.