1. The medicine jar must be cleaned
When decocting Chinese medicine, the medicinal juice is concentrated due to evaporation of water, and a layer of medicinal scale often accumulates at the bottom and around the medicine pot. If the decocted medicine in the medicine pot is often changed, and the accumulated medicinal scale is not wiped off in time, the medicinal scale will dissolve when the new medicine is decocted, interfering with and reducing the efficacy of the medicine, and even delaying the treatment of the disease. Especially if highly toxic medicines or external medicines that cannot be eaten have been decocted before, it may cause poisoning.
In addition, if the Chinese medicine is not cleaned immediately after each decoction, the scale at the bottom of the medicine pot will become thicker and thicker, and it will easily burn when the medicine is re-decocted, thus losing its efficacy.
2. Whether to cover the medicine
Generally speaking, in order to make Chinese medicine boil thoroughly, it is best to cover it. This is especially true for Chinese medicines containing volatile ingredients, such as mint, patchouli, and perilla leaves, and they should be boiled in a short time to prevent the active ingredients from volatilizing. For some expensive medicines, such as ginseng, deer antler, and wolfberry, the active ingredients should be fully released.
Some Chinese herbal medicines are light in weight and large in size, such as Centella asiatica, Prunella vulgaris, White tongcao, Loofah, Corn hair, etc., so they should not be decocted with the lid on, otherwise they will often overflow from the pot. You can decoct with the lid on and stir at any time.
3. Fry thoroughly and squeeze dry
"Decoction thoroughly" means that the active ingredients of the medicine are fully released, which is the basic requirement for decoction. For medicines with tough texture and difficult to release active ingredients at once, only by decoction separately, decocting first, decocting for a long time, etc. can the medicine juice be thickened and the efficacy be fully exerted. Medicines with loose texture and light and fragrant nature do not need to be decocted for too long; but herbs with light texture and large body should be stirred frequently to facilitate decoction.
