Decoctions refer to liquid preparations made by boiling or soaking Chinese herbal pieces to extract their essence. Decoctions are one of the earliest and most widely used forms in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). They can adapt to TCM’s dialectical treatment and can be adjusted according to symptoms. Decoctions are characterized by their simple preparation, rapid absorption, and quick therapeutic effects.Before decocting, soak the herbs in cold water for about one hour (shorter soaking time in summer to prevent spoilage; longer soaking time in winter is acceptable). The decocting utensils should be made of clay pots, clay kettles, or enamel glassware; avoid using iron or aluminum pots (to prevent reactions between the herbal components and metals, which can reduce efficacy or produce toxic side effects). The water level should be 2-3 cm above the herbs, and there is no need to change the water before decocting. When decocting, first bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer on low heat for about 25 minutes (do not decoct for too long; 25 minutes is optimal for extracting herbal components). For the second decoction, use less water and decoct for about 10 minutes after boiling, then combine the two decoctions and take in two doses.
Special decoction methods for certain herbs: 1. Pre-decocting herbs: This refers to hard minerals, shells, or toxic herbs, which should generally be pre-decocted for about 30 minutes (for slightly toxic herbs like Fu Ling (Poria), pre-decoct for over 1 hour; for Water Buffalo Horn (Shui Niu Jiao), pre-decoct for over 3 hours). 2. Adding herbs later: This refers to herbs containing volatile oils or aromatic components, which should be added in the last 10 minutes of the first decoction to prevent loss of effective components. 3. Bag decocting herbs: Wrap the herbs in gauze and decoct them with other herbs, mainly used for small seeds (which can easily stick to the pot) and delicate powders (which can float on the water surface), as well as herbs that may irritate the throat like Xinyi Hua (Magnolia Flower) and Xuanfu Hua (Inula Flower) (which can cause coughing). 4. Melting and mixing herbs: Various gelatinous herbs should be melted in the decoction before consumption. 5. Directly taking powdered herbs: Powdered herbs can be taken directly with the decoction (choose products from manufacturers qualified for direct oral consumption). 6. Using decoction instead of water: For herbs with a loose texture or large dosage, such as Yu Mi Xu (Corn Silk) and Zao Xin Tu (Earth from the stove), use the decoction instead of pure water for soaking.Decoction in TCM refers to boiling multiple herbs together, allowing them to interact or produce new substances, maximizing the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.The Traditional Chinese Medicine pharmacy at the First People’s Hospital of Tancheng has qualified professionals who have undergone rigorous training and assessment for decocting herbs. The current system used in the smart TCM pharmacy is the Donghua Original Ten-Function Automatic Decoction Machine, which can perform pre-decocting and later adding herbs under normal pressure, featuring automatic cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, automatic switching between high and low heat, automatic stirring, and automatic squeezing of herbal residues for juice extraction. The herbal juice is packaged after triple filtration, ensuring safety and hygiene, comparable to manual decoction, allowing patients to take it with greater safety and peace of mind.
Images and text: First People’s Hospital of Tancheng Zhou Xiangmao