The old medicine stored at home should be regularly cleaned, and the ones that are no longer usable should not be kept. You can use methods such as visual inspection, touch, smell, and taste to make a selection. The basic principle is to "keep the good and discard the spoiled."
Herbal supplements: If stored improperly, they are prone to discoloration, oiliness, insect infestation, mold, and rot. For example, if ginseng and tremella only change from white or light yellow to yellow or light brown, they can still be used. But if the inside has turned brown or dark brown, it should be discarded. Deer antler, cordyceps, clam oil, dangshen, and goji berries that have been stored for a long time should be discarded if their surface turns dark brown, the broken surface shows a dark brown color, or they develop a sour taste. If the herbal medicine has been infested by insects, as long as the infestation is limited to the surface and the insect powder and eggs are removed and washed off, it can still be used. But if most of it has been hollowed out by insects, it should not be used.
Pills: Pills like deer antler pills, ginseng pills, and tonifying yin pills are often made with honey. They should have a dense and moist surface with a strong medicinal fragrance. If the pills become severely wrinkled, have green or white mold spots, show signs of insect infestation, become sticky, or have a sour smell, they should not be consumed.
Capsules: It is not easy to determine the quality of capsules from their appearance alone. You can open the capsules and observe whether the powder is normal or not. If the powder has become moist and clumped together, solidified, or has developed mold, it should not be used.
Granules: If granules such as astragalus crystal, ginseng crystal, eucommia granules, or silver ear fungus crystal have absorbed moisture and become moldy or hardened into clumps, they should not be used.
Tablets: Tablets like polygonum multiflorum tablets, youth treasure tablets, ginseng and deer antler tablets, should be discarded if they have changed color, cracked open, become loose, sticky, moldy, or infested by insects.
Syrups: Syrups like royal jelly, ginseng and silver ear syrup, and gelatin and angelica essence should not be consumed if the packaging is not properly sealed and there are fibers or solid precipitates, or if they have already fermented or foamed.
Medicated pastes: Also known as decoction pastes, products like ginseng and goji paste, ginseng and deer antler paste, and tonifying yin paste have a smooth, oily and delicate surface. After long-term storage, sugar crystals may precipitate. This is due to excessive evaporation of water. As long as the paste is heated in a water bath, melted, and stirred well, it can still be consumed. However, if the paste has white or black-green mold patches, is swollen and foaming, or emits a sour and spoiled smell, it should not be consumed.
Tonic wines: Tonic wines such as ginseng wine, dragon and phoenix wine, turtle longevity wine, ginseng and deer antler wine, and tonifying yin wine should not be consumed if there is a large amount of sediment or if they have become sour and spoiled.
Oral liquids: Oral liquids like refined decoction, Shengmai drink, ginseng royal jelly, ginseng and deer antler extract, and ginseng and clam extract may form lumps, develop mold or fermentation, or have an irritating sour taste after long-term storage. They should not be consumed.
