According to statistics, doctors prescribe herbal medicines to patients usually for a week, two weeks, and possibly a month’s worth of medicine for patients with stable conditions. How can patients store the Chinese medicine after taking it home to ensure the quality of the medicine? If the Chinese medicine is entrusted to the hospital for decoction, how should the decocted medicine be preserved? Preservation of Chinese medicine Currently, there are two types of packaging for Chinese medicine, small packaging and bulk packaging. Pharmacists recommend that herbal medicines should be stored in a cool and dry place, not in a humid place such as a kitchen or in a place with direct sunlight such as a balcony. Why? Generally, Chinese medicine contains about 10% water, so if it is placed in a place with sunlight, the water in the herbs will easily evaporate and affect the efficacy of the medicine. Small packages of Chinese herbal medicines have bags on the outside, so the moisture cannot evaporate and remains in the bags, which can easily cause mildew. Some herbs such as safflower are easily discolored by sunlight, which affects the efficacy of the medicine. When placed in a humid environment, if they are packed in bulk, they will easily absorb moisture and cause mildew. Chinese herbs can also be stored in the freezer if they are kept in the refrigerator, but bulk Chinese herbs need to be kept airtight in a bag. How to identify whether the Chinese medicine is moldy or not. The easiest way is to first see if there are white or green moldy spots, but some rootstock herbs such as Panax ginseng have grayish brown or grayish yellow surfaces and grayish green, yellowish green or grayish white cross-sections. Therefore, while looking at the color, you can use a razor blade on the surface of the suspected moldy Chinese medicine can also be scraped with a fingernail, such as white or green moldy debris fall, can be identified as the herb has mold. If you find that the herbs have mold, insects, oil artemisia smell, string, etc., you can not take them. How to store valuable herbs 1, Cordyceps sinensis Cordyceps sinensis is prone to mildew, can be sealed with paper or packaged in transparent plastic bags, preferably in the freezer. If the moisture should be immediately dried or baked with a light fire. 2, saffron Saffron is prone to oil, discoloration, moisture and mold. It can be packed in a brown glass bottle and placed in a cool and dry place. 3. Panax ginseng Panax ginseng is prone to mildew and insects. It can be packed in an airtight box or plastic bag and placed in a cool, dry place. Expose to the sun 1 to 2 times a year before spring, generally not easy to deteriorate. 4.Ginseng Ginseng is prone to mildew, odor and insects, so it can be put in a closed box and placed in a cool and dry place. 5. Preservation of decoction of Chinese medicine Currently, decoction of Chinese medicine is done by automatic decoction machine, and the liquid is directly vacuum sealed and packed. It is recommended to keep it in the refrigerator, or in a cool place if the refrigerator is not available. The storage time is usually 7-14 days, but if you find that the medicine bag is bulging or the medicine is tasteless, there are bubbles and other abnormalities, it is deterioration and should not be taken. If you decoct it yourself, it is generally recommended to take it on the same day, even if it is placed in the refrigerator freezer, it should not exceed 2 days to avoid deterioration of the liquid and affect its efficacy.