The effectiveness of Chinese medicine requires the cooperation of three aspects: first, the prescription of the doctor should be precise; second, the quality of the herbs should be excellent; third, the decoction method should be appropriate. If the decoction method is not appropriate, the effectiveness of the medicine will be greatly reduced, and even produce toxic side effects. Li Shizhen, a famous pharmacist in the Ming Dynasty, said, “All medicines are not effective when they are taken, even though they are made with the right ingredients and the right treatment, but if the decoction is done recklessly, the water and fire are not good, and the fire is out of order.” Therefore, it is important to master the correct decoction method, and now we would like to introduce the precautions in the process of decocting and taking Chinese medicine. 1, the choice of decoction apparatus in the choice of decoction apparatus should not occur with the chemical reaction of the ingredients contained in the drug, decoction of good quality, apparatus heat transfer evenly and gently appropriate. Generally, the best pottery, casserole, glass, enamel, stainless steel vessels can also be. Avoid using iron, copper and aluminum utensils, so as not to change the medicinal properties and reduce the efficacy of the medicine by reacting with the metal. 2. Soaking method Before decocting Chinese medicine, you have to add water to macerate (soak), and there are rules about what and how much water to add. The water used for decocting Chinese medicine should be clean and drinkable, and should be cold water. In particular, the first decoction should not be added to boiling water or hot water to avoid immediate starch paste and protein solidification in the tissues of the herbs, which makes it difficult to dissolve the active ingredients. When soaking, add water to exceed 3~5 cm of the drug in the vessel, or lightly press the herb with your hand and add water until your palm is submerged. After adding water, macerate for about 30 minutes. The maceration time can be extended to 1 hour for winter or solid herbs. After soaking, the decoction can be made. After the first decoction is ready, strain out the liquid and then heat the water for the second decoction, adding water to exceed the surface of the dregs by 1~2 cm. If it is a tonic herbal medicine and the decoction time is longer, the amount of water can be increased appropriately. 3. Decoction formula Chinese medicine should be decocted twice, divided into the first juice and the second juice. By decocting twice, the extraction rate of the active ingredients in the herbs can reach 70%~80%. The decoction should be controlled by fire, generally using martial fire (larger fire) first, and then changing to civil fire (smaller fire) after boiling to keep it in a slightly boiling state for a certain time, while stirring several times in the middle to facilitate the dissolution of the active ingredients. (1) Decoction time: the first decoction of common Chinese medicine starts timing when the liquid boils, 20~25 minutes, then add water to decoct the second juice after filtering the liquid, 15~20 minutes after the second decoction boils. The first decoction of aromatic herbs and antiphlogistic herbs is 10~15 minutes, and the second decoction is 5~10 minutes; the first decoction of offensive herbs (such as raw rhubarb) is 10 minutes, and the second decoction is 5 minutes; the first decoction of tonic herbs is 30~40 minutes, and the second decoction is 25~30 minutes. (2) Decoction amount: Immediately after the Chinese medicine is decocted, filter out the liquid with a medicine sieve or gauze. The amount of herbal medicine for adults is usually around 300 ml for one dose of two decoctions. In the case of heart failure patients, the amount of herbal medicine can be controlled at around 100 ml for one or two doses, as the amount of liquid intake needs to be strictly controlled, and 50 ml of medicine can be taken each time. In addition, for patients with insomnia, the decoction dose can be controlled at 150 ml for one or two doses, with 100 ml taken in the morning and 50 ml taken one hour before bedtime (to prevent nighttime rising). For children, the dose of medicine should be less and thicker. The first one or two juices can be mixed and left to clarify for a period of time, and then the supernatant can be heated and concentrated to the right amount, and it is generally appropriate to control the dose of medicine at 100~150ml per dose. 4. Chinese medicine requiring special treatment When opening a package of Chinese medicine, first check whether there is a special sub-package of the medicine, if so, it needs to be handled separately according to the instructions on the package. There are usually the following cases. (1) First decoction: Most of the first decoctions are of ores and animal bones and shells. Such herbs should be decocted first with water for more than 30 minutes so that the active ingredients can be fully dissolved. The other category is toxic drugs, such as Chuanwu, Cao Wu, Lei Gong Tang, etc., especially in excess of the commonly used amount, must be first decocted for 1~2 hours so that the toxic ingredients can be decomposed and the medicine can be used safely. In addition, herbs such as Dendrobium can only be effective by decocting for a long time first. (2) after the next: after the next is the other drugs first decoction for a certain period of time, and then add this type of drugs with decoction. There are mainly two types, one is aromatic herbs containing volatile oil, such as mint, cardamom, incense, etc.; the other is the active ingredient is unstable when exposed to heat, such as hooked vine, raw rhubarb, etc. It is appropriate to add the same decoction within 5 minutes before the first decoction is ready. (3) Melting: mainly gum or sugar drugs, such as gum, honey, etc., should be added to the decoction and heated to melt it, mixed and then taken. (4) Dissolve: For crystalline salts, such as Xuanming powder, etc., it should be added directly to the decoction and dissolved in the hot liquid. (5) Decocted separately and blended in: mainly for precious drugs, such as ginseng, Cordyceps sinensis, Tin Pei Feng Dou, etc., which need to be decocted separately and taken separately, or blended in other medicinal solutions. (6) punch: for difficult to dissolve in water or should not be into the decoction or valuable drugs, such as raw rhubarb, Panax notoginseng powder, antelope powder, Chuanbei powder, amber powder, etc., usually into a fine powder with warm water to swallow, or punch into the soup with the medicine. 5, serving method (1) time to take medicine: human physiological activities, pathological changes follow a certain time rule. General drugs should be taken one hour before meals. Tranquilizers are taken before bedtime; tonic drugs should be taken on an empty stomach. In short, to master the regularity of the time to take drugs, by choosing the best time to take drugs, in order to maximize the efficacy of drugs and better serve the clinic. (2) the number of doses: generally 1 day 1 dose, divided into morning and evening 2 doses, or divided into morning and evening 3 doses (friends at work can be taken in the morning and evening); critical illness, can be 1 dose; pharyngeal disease more than the use of holding; vomiting patients can be taken in small amounts frequently. (3) Method of taking medicine: General tonics are mostly taken in warm. It is better to decoct Chinese medicine on the same day and take it on the same day to ensure the freshness of the liquid. If the herbal medicine is decocted for several days at a time, it should be stored in the refrigerator to avoid deterioration. Chinese medicines should be taken warm, and when taking them, they should be heated in a suitable way before taking them, such as reheating the liquid and boiling it, or placing the bagged liquid with the bag in boiling water for soaking.