Some people, when taking Chinese herbal decoctions, like to divide the liquid into several doses and drink it over the course of a day or save it for the next day. However, from the perspective of treatment effectiveness and hygiene, this is not a good practice.
Chinese herbal medicine contains various components such as proteins, carbohydrates, starch, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, and trace elements. When boiled, most of these components dissolve in the liquid. The usual method of consumption is to mix the liquid from two separate boilings (one dose of medicine is typically boiled twice) and drink it several times within a day to ensure consistent medicinal effects.
If the decoction is consumed the next day or stored for too long before consumption, the enzymes in the liquid will degrade and lose their effectiveness due to factors such as air, temperature, time, and bacterial contamination. Not only will the medicinal effects decrease, but bacteria will also grow. The vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates, and starch in the liquid will also undergo fermentation by enzymes secreted by bacteria, leading to hydrolysis and causing the liquid to spoil. Consuming such spoiled medicine not only has no therapeutic effect, but can also produce toxic side effects. Therefore, for those who take self-boiled Chinese herbal decoctions, it is advisable to consume them on the same day they are boiled and avoid leaving them overnight or storing them in the refrigerator for extended periods of time.
