The dosage forms of TCM prescriptions refer to the definite forms of herbs Prepared according to their properties and the needs of treatment. Here are several commonly used forms of prepared herbs.

1. Decoction

By decoction we mean the medicinal solution obtained by boiling for some time the selected herbs which have been soaked in an appropriate amount of water or yellow rice wine and then removing the dregs. It is the most commonly used form of prepared herbs with the characteristics of being easily absorbed, able to produce quick curative effects with mild poisonous or side effect. Its recipe can be modified to meet the needs of treating diseases, moderate or emergent. The decoction can be used as herbs for oral administration, enemas and external application-herbs, such as fumigant, lotion.

2. Powder

It refers to a preparation of herbs ground into dry powder and well mixed. There are two types, the powder for oral administration and the powder for external application. The former is either a preparation of herbs ground into fine powder and small in dosage to be taken orally with water or a formula of herbs ground into coarse granules and large in dosage, which should be first boiled in water and then filtered to remove the residue with the medicinal solution to be taken orally. The latter is a preparation of herb ground into fine powder sprinkled or applied topically to the affected part after being mixed. Powder is easy to prepare, convenient to use, not liable to go bad and economical in using herbs, so it is also one of the commonly used forms of prepared herbs.

3. Pill and Bolus

Pill or bolus refers to round medicinal mass of various sizes prepared by grinding herbs into powder, mixing it with expectants such as honey, water, rice paste, flour paste, wine, vinegar, herb juices, or bee-wax. Clinically, the following are commonly used.

3.1. Honeyed bolus or honeyed pill
It refers to pills or boluses prepared by grinding herbs into fine powder, mixing it with the excipient refined honey, usually prepared into large round masses for oral administration, each weighing about 3 to 9 grams. It can also be prepared into small-sized round masses named honeyed Pills for oral administration. Because honeyed boluses and honeyed Pills contain some honey, they are soft and moist in property and moderate in action, and can produce flavoring, replenishing and restoring effects, fit for the treatment of many acute and chronic diseases.

3.2. Water-paste pill
It refers to medicinal pills prepared manually or mechanically by grinding herbs into fine powder, mixing it with excipients such as cold boiled water, wine, vinegar, or some herb juices. Usually it is made into small-sized mass for oral administration. Water-Paste pills are small in size, easy to be swallowed, decomposed and quick to be absorbed. It is also a relatively common form of prepared herbs.

3.3. Paste-pi11
It refers to a medicinal mass prepared by grinding herbs into fine powder, mixing it with excipients such as rice paste and flour Paste. Paste-pill is of a very strong stickiness, so after being taken, it is decomposed and absorbed more slowly than honeyed bolus, honeyed Pill and water-Paste pill. Some strong irritant ingredients or poisonous herbs are better prepared into paste-pill so as to be absorbed slowly in the body after been taken, thus prolonging the therapeutic effect as well, as reducing the herbs' stimulus to the gastro-intestinal tract.

3.4. Concentrated pill
It refers to medicinal pill prepared by decocting herbs until their decoction is condensed to extract, then mixing the extract with the powder of other herbs, drying the mixed material and grinding it into powder with some excipients such as water, wine, and decoction of some herbs in the recipe. The characteristics of the concentrated pills are as follows: containing very effective components, small in size and dosage, convenient to use and fit for treating various diseases.

4. Extract, Ointmen and Plaster

They are medicinal preparations made by decocting herbs in water or plant oil and then concentrating them. These preparations are divided into two kinds, extract for oral administration and ointment and adhesive plaster for external application. Extract for oral administration is subdivided into liquid extract, half-solid or dry extract and soft extract while those for external application are subdivided into two kinds, ointment and plaster.

4.1. Liquid extract
It refers to a liquid-soaking form of preparation made by using appropriate solvent to soak out the effective part of the herbs, then distilling out some solvent of the extract at low temperature, and adjusting its concentration and the alcohol content to a formulated standard. Usually a milligram effective component of liquid extract equals a gram of herbs except in specific cases.

4.2. Half-solid or dry extracts
They are half-solid or solid forms of preparation made by using solvents to soak out the effective components of the herbs, then removing all the solvents by means of distillation at low temperature. In accordance with the formulated standard, one gram extract is as effective as two to five grams of herbs. Ha1f-solid extract tends to be used to make pills or tablets, while dry extract is a kind of dry fine powder which may be taken orally after being infused with boiling water or put into capsules for oral administration.

4.3. Soft extract
It refers to a thick, half-solid form of preparation made by decocting the herbs in water repeatedly to a certain extent, discarding the residue, then concentrating it, adding appropriate honey, crystal sugar or granulated sugar in the decoction. Soft extract is small in size, convenient to use and contains a great deal of honey and sugar and of better nourishing effect. It is fit for the debilitiated patients who have been ill for a long time.

4.4. Ointment
It refers to a half-solid form of preparation made by mixing appropriate matrix and herbs. The ointment is easy to apply to the skin and mucous membrane. The ground substance of the ointment is solid at normal temperature and is of certain stickiness. After being applied to the skin and mucous membrane, it gradually becomes softer or melted, its effective components being absorbed slowly, producing moderate effect in the treatment.

4.5. Plaster
It refers to a form of preparation made by using lead soap and others as ground substance with herbs mixed or dissolved in it, spreading it over a piece of cloth or some other material to be stuck on the skin for the treatment. One of them is named black Plaster for its dull black color. This preparation remains in a solid state at normal temperature, while at 36 to 37⁰C, it becomes softer and begins to work, acting on the affected local region or on the affected local region or on the whole body.

5. Medicated Wine

It refers to a transparent medicated liquid obtained by using wine as a solvent to soak out the effective components of the herbs. The medicated wine is fit for the treatment of general asthenia, rheumatic pain and traumatic injury.

6. Medicated Tea

It is a solid preparation made of coarse-powdered herbs and adhesive cxcipients and drunk as tea after being infused with boiling water in a vessel with a lid. So it is named Medicated Tea.

7. Distilled Medicinal Water

It refers to distilled water obtained by distilling fresh herbs containing components with volatility in water by heating. Distilled medicinal water is bland in flavor, delicately aromatic and colorless and convenient to take orally. Usually it is used as beverage, especially in summer.

8. Moxa-Preparation

It is a form of preparation for external use made by pulverizing Chinese mugwort leaves into mugwort floss and rolling it into a certain shape. When used, the lighted end of it is kept a certain distance from the skin of a specific acupoint or the affected part to heat them for the therapeutic Purpose.

9. Syrup

It is a saturated solution of sugar with or without herbs. The one that doesn't contain herbs is known as simple syrup, usually used as excipient or condiment while the other that contains herbs is made by decocting the herbs to obtain the juice and then decocting the juice until it becomes concentrated, and finally adding into it some cane sugar. Syrup tastes sweet and is suitable for children.

10. Infusion

It is a form of preparation prepared by making an extract of the herbs into medicated granule, mixing the granule with an appropriate amount of excipient materials (starch, dextrin and powdered sugar). It is a new preparation for oral administration originating from decoction and syrup. It has the characteristics of being quick-acting, convenient to use, easy to carry about and fit for the treatment of many different diseases.

11. Tablet

Tablet is a form of preparation made of refined herbs and some excipients by pressing. It is convenient in use, accurate in content and low in production cost, easy to store and transport. Bitter herbs and herbs with an offensive odour can be made into sugar-coated tablets. If it is aimed at acting only on the diseases of the intestinal tract or if the herbs in it is apt to lose the curative effect when affected by the gastric acid, enteric coasting can be used so as to enable it to break down in the intestine.

12. Injection

Injection is a kind of germ-free solution obtained by refining the herbs. It is used for subcutaneous, muscular or intravenous injections. It has the characteristics of being accurate in dosage, quick in action, convenient to use and of not being affected by food and digestive juice.

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