Formulas of TCM Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Methods of Decocting and Taking Herbs

In the above-mentioned dosage forms of preparation, decoction is the most commonly used. The method of using a decoction refers to the methods of making and taking it. It is directly related to the therapeutic effect that whether the methods of decocting and taking herbs are right or not. They are introduced in detail as follows:

Section 1 the Methods of Decocting Herbs

The method of decocting herbs refers to the appropriate way to make a decoction, to which the medical men through the ages have devoted their great attention and efforts.
The following should be taken into serious consideration:

1. Utensil for Decocting herbs
Ceramic clay pot with lid is universally used at present to avoid the chemical reaction of the herbs with the utensil in the course of decocting the herbs, thus maintaining the original curative potency of the herbs. Metal vessels such as tin or iron vessels are forbidden to prevent sediment, lower solubility of the herbs and the toxic or side effects caused by the chemical reaction with the herbs.

2. Water for decocting herbs

The water to be used must be pure and clean except some special need. Tap water, well water or distilled water can be used. Usually the herbs are put in the utensil and then water is added until the herbs are 30mm under water.

3. Fire for decocting herbs

The fire for decocting herbs is divided into two types: soft fire and strong fire. Quick fire for decocting herbs is called “strong fire”, while slow fire is called “soft fire”. Usually strong fire is used prior to slow fire. Sometimes, soft fire or strong fire is alone used to decoct herbs. The former is used to decoct tonic herbs while the latter to decoct the herbs for relieving exterior syndrome.

4. Methods for decocting herbs
Herb-decocting methods are divided into two types, the routine method and the special method.

4.1.The Routine method
This refers to the method of putting the herbs into a herb-decocting pot first, then adding water until the herbs are slightly submerged under the water surface and decocting them after the herbs are soaked through. When the herbs are decocted, strong fire should be first used until the water is boiling, and then soft fire is used instead to prevent the medicinal solution from overflowing or drying up quickly. Meanwhile the pot lid is must not taken off too frequently, so as to reduce the loss of the volatile components. Herbs for relieving exterior syndrome and herbs for clearing away heat are preferably decocted on strong fire to avoid the volatilization of the effective components. It is better to decoct the tonic herbs with strong flavor on soft fire so that their effective components may be completely released. Some poisonous herbs such as prepared lateral aconite and aconite root, should also be decocted on soft fire for a longer period of time, so as to reduce their toxicity.

4.2.The special method
This refers to the method for decocting some special herbs. All those that need decocting in a special way should be noted in a prescription.

4.2.1. To be decocted first: Some herbs, strong in flavor and heavy in nature with active constituents difficult to extract, such as minerals and shells, should be smashed and Decocted first for about ten minutes before adding other herbs. Some crude herbs with sand and mud, such as baked yellow earth and glutinous rice root, should be Decocted first to obtain their juice, then other herbs are decocted in the juice instead of water.

4.2.2. To be decocted later: Those herbs with fragrance and active constituents ready to diffuse or evaporate, such as peppermint and costus root, should be added and decocted for four or five minutes when the decoction is nearly done.

4.2.3. To be decocted in packet: Some herbs such as plantain seed, red holloysite and inula flower should be wrapped in a piece of cloth before they are Decocted with other herbs in case they may cause the decoction turbid and produce irritation to the throat.

4.2.4. To be simmered or decocted alone: Some rare and expensive herbs should be simmered or decocted alone so as to avoid the destruction of their effective constituents from being absorbed by other herbs when decocted together. For example, ginseng should be sliced into pieces and then decocted in a separate vessel in a clay pot with lid for two or three hours.

4.2.5. To be melted by heating: Some gluey, viscous, easy-dissolved herbs, such as donkey-hide gelatin and malt sugar are easy to adhere to the pot as to be charred, or to the other herbs when decocted along with other herbs. Therefore, they should be put into the decocted solution of other herbs (after removal of the residue), dissolved by gently boiling or stirring, and then taken orally.

4.2.6. To be taken after being soaked in hot water or in decoction: Some herbs contain volatile oil and their effective constituents are easy to dissolve, so they should be soaked with boiling water or decoction in a vessel (with lid on) to collect the solution for oral administration.

4.2.7. To take herb following its infusion: Powder, small pill, natural medicinal juice and other fragrant or expensive herbs should be taken after being infused with boiling water, hot decoction or wine.

Section 2 Methods of Taking Herbs

Methods of taking medicines include both the time and the method of taking medicines.

1.Time of taking herbs

1.l. Usually herbs are taken before meals, while herbs irritant to the gastro-intestinal tract should be taken after meals.
1.2. Tonic herbs should be taken with an empty stomach.
1.3. Anti-malarial herbs should be taken two hours before the attack of malaria.
1.4. Sedative herbs should be taken before going to bed.
1.5. The herbs for acute diseases should be taken at any time while those for chronic cases should be taken at regular time.
1.6. Herbs can be taken many times a day to meet the need of the condition of the illness and can also be decocted and taken as a drink in multiple doses.

2. Methods of taking herbs

A herb is usually taken one dose a day, with each dose being divided into two or three equal portions and taken twice or three times. It can also be taken at one draught in an emergency case, and meantime, if necessary, the patient should take the herbs in small portions at frequent intervals so as to maintain the effective dose in the body.

Generally speaking, decoction should be taken warm, especially the decoction for relieving exterior syndrome should be taken when it is hot, and then the patient must be kept warm to induce slight sweat. Cold-natured decoction for heat syndrome should be taken cool while hot-natured decoction for cold syndrome should be taken hot. But for the treatment of cold syndrome with pseudo-heat syndromes, the hot-natured Decoct ion should be taken cool while for the treatment of heat syndrome with pseudo-cold syndrome, the cold-natured decoction should be taken warm so as to avoid vomiting after taking the herbs. Patients apt to vomit after taking medicine should take some ginger juice or take the herb in small doses at short intervals. For unconscious patients or patients who have difficulty in swallowing, nasal feeding should be used. Drastic or poisonous herbs should be taken in small dosage before its dose is increased gradually until the curative effect is achieved.

Fill the Registration Form Right Now

return