When decocting Chinese medicines, the medicines are first soaked in a container for 20 to 30 minutes before adding an appropriate amount of clean, fresh and unadulterated water for decoction. In general, decocting Chinese medicine is generally divided into two steps: soaking and decocting.
1. Soaking: Soak the herbs in cold water for 20~30 minutes in advance. Seeds, harder shellfish can be soaked 1 hour in advance, which is conducive to the full release of active ingredients, but also reduces the boiling time. Note that the soaking time of Chinese medicine should not be too long, otherwise the Chinese medicine will “hurt the water”, so that the efficacy of the medicine is reduced.
2. Decoction: boil Chinese medicine as much as possible with a casserole, plus clean drinking water, no more than Chinese medicine tablets 3 ~ 5cm is appropriate, high heat to boil, boil after the turn to a small fire, the fire to keep the liquid slightly boiling state, 10 ~ 15 minutes.
At the same time should be based on the nature of the drug and the required decoction time requirements, to determine the fire, for example, used to relieve the symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine, should be decocted and decoction time should not be long, the amount of water should be less; need to be decocted for a long time of minerals, shellfish, should be decocted first, so that its active ingredients are fully released.
A dose of Chinese medicine can usually be decocted twice, and the liquid of the two decoctions should be blended together and heated before taking. If you need to decoct Chinese medicines, you should do so under the guidance of a Chinese medicine practitioner or a Chinese pharmacist and follow the doctor’s instructions to decoct correctly so as not to affect the efficacy of the medicine.