Nowadays, people tend to be a bit lazy when it comes to boiling medicine. They simply add the required amount of water at once. However, when boiling medicine, it is important not to take shortcuts. The boiled water should be cooled before use, and different methods of adding water should be used for different prescriptions!
[Three Methods of Adding Water When Boiling Medicine]
1. Weight-based Method:
This method determines the amount of water to be added based on the total weight of the medicine. To ensure maximum effectiveness of the medicine, take one prescription (dose) of the prepared Chinese medicine, measure its weight, and then add 65% of the total calculated water to the first boil, leaving the remaining 35% for the second boil.
For example, for the nourishing and regulating medicine "Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang" with a total weight of 150 grams, the amount of water to be added is 1500 milliliters. Therefore, 65% of this amount, which is equal to 975 milliliters, should be added to the first boil, while the remaining 35%, which is equal to 525 milliliters, should be reserved for the second boil. This method ensures accurate water measurement, especially for complex prescriptions with large amounts of medicine.
2. Traditional Method:
Place the Chinese medicine in a pot, spread it out with your hand, and then add water that is about 3-4 centimeters (the height of a small finger) above the level of the medicine. This method is the simplest and most convenient, but it may be less accurate.
3. Measuring Cup Method:
This method involves using a measuring cup or cylinder to add water, with different amounts of water added for different therapeutic medicines and their first and second boils.
Some pharmaceutical companies specify the amount of water for boiling various types of medicine: for nourishing and regulating medicine, 700-900 milliliters for the first boil and 400-450 milliliters for the second boil; for general medicine (mainly used to treat various diseases), 500-700 milliliters for the first boil and 300-350 milliliters for the second boil; for medicine that treats cold and flu symptoms, 400-600 milliliters for the first boil and 280-300 milliliters for the second boil.
This method is more accurate than the traditional method, but the amount of water added may be less when dealing with larger quantities of medicine.
[Boiling Time for Medicine]
1. Soaking before Boiling: For the first boil, soak the medicine for 30 minutes (for medicines mainly consisting of seeds and fruits, soaking for one hour is recommended). There is no need to soak the medicine again for the second boil. The water level for the first boil should be 2-5 centimeters above the medicine, while the water level for the second boil should cover the medicine.
2. Number of Boils: Generally, two boils are required. A long first boil cannot replace two separate boils.
3. Cooking Heat: Use high heat (strong fire) before boiling and switch to low heat (gentle fire) after boiling to maintain a gentle boil. For medicine that treats cold and flu symptoms or has aromatic properties, it is recommended to use high heat to avoid the evaporation of medicinal properties and reduce the effectiveness of the medicine. For nourishing and regulating medicine, it is better to use low heat for a long period of time to fully extract the active ingredients of the medicine.
4. Boiling Time: For general medicine, boil for 20-25 minutes after boiling starts for the first boil, and boil for 15-20 minutes after boiling starts for the second boil. For medicine that treats cold and flu symptoms or has aromatic properties, boil for 10-15 minutes for the first boil and 10 minutes for the second boil. For nourishing and regulating medicine, boil for 30-40 minutes for the first boil and 25-30 minutes for the second boil.
Boiling medicine for a longer time does not necessarily result in better effectiveness. The boiling time depends on the nature of the Chinese medicine, the disease being treated, and the specific characteristics of the medicine.
