Medicine Baby Quiz | Can all decocted Chinese medicines be cooked in one pot?

The decoction method of Chinese medicine has a great influence on its efficacy. If the method is incorrect, it often fails to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Due to the special nature of some Chinese herbal medicine slices, there are also special requirements for decoction, such as decocting first, adding later, decocting in a package, decocting separately, taking with water, melting, etc.

Mineral dragon bones and toxic pieces such as processed aconite need to be decocted first, that is, put the pieces into the frying pan and decocted for 30 minutes, and then add other medicines to decoct together; aromatic pieces such as mint and pieces whose effective ingredients are easily destroyed after long decocting such as Uncaria rhynchophylla need to be added later, that is, add other medicines first, and when the medicine juice is decocted to the predetermined amount, put it into the decocting container and decoct together for 5 minutes; pieces containing more mucus such as Plantago and pieces rich in villi such as Magnolia officinalis need to be wrapped and decocted, that is, wrap the medicine with gauze and then decoct with other medicinal materials; precious Chinese medicines such as American ginseng need to be decocted separately (i.e. decocted separately); some small-dosage, precious and fine Chinese medicines such as deer antler need to be ground into powder and taken with boiled water; gelatin drugs such as donkey-hide gelatin need to be melted, that is, the medicine is added to the hot solution (boiled water, rice wine or decocted liquid) to dissolve. Therefore, when decocting Chinese medicine, it is best not to be convenient and add all Chinese medicines into the pot without discrimination.