Whether the decoction time of decoction is appropriate or not is directly related to the dissolution rate and curative effect of the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine. If a dose of traditional Chinese medicine is properly decocted, it can maximize the dissolution rate of the active ingredients, so that it can exert the best curative effect. Generally speaking, the appropriate decoction time can be roughly divided into three categories:
(1) For general medicine, after the first decoction is boiled, decoct for another 15 minutes to 20 minutes; minutes to 15 minutes.
(2) The texture is light or contains a lot of aromatic ingredients, including medicines such as detoxifying, aromatizing dampness, and promoting qi. 10 minutes to 15 minutes, and then fry for 5 minutes to 10 minutes after the second boil.
(3) Tonic medicines, mineral medicines, and rhizomes and other medicines that are thick, firm, and non-volatile should be boiled for a longer time. Four fry and then fry for 30 to 40 minutes.
For some medicines, the decoction time should be extended or shortened according to the above methods as appropriate for treatment needs.
In general, one dose of medicine is decoction 3 times, and at least 2 times. During decoction, the active ingredients of the medicine will first dissolve in the water entering the tissue of the medicinal material, and then diffuse into the water outside the medicinal material. When the concentration of the internal and external solutions of the medicinal material reaches a balance, due to the balance of osmotic pressure, the active ingredient will no longer dissolve. At this time, only after the medicinal liquid is filtered out and boiled with water again, the active ingredients can continue to dissolve. Therefore, except for the special needs of clinical treatment, generally a dose of medicine should be decocted at least 2 times, and the thick or moist tonic drugs can be decocted 3 times or more.
(Organized by Xihai All Media reporter Ji Rong)