Chinese herbal slices include some Chinese herbal slices processed at the origin (including segments, blocks, and sections), original-shaped medicinal slices, as well as those that have been cut (based on origin processing) and炮炙ed. There is no absolute boundary between Chinese herbal slices and Chinese medicinal materials. For the first two categories, they should be regarded as Chinese medicinal materials in management, only to be understood as slices according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine when formulating prescriptions or preparing formulations. The concept of slices in the sense of management should be understood as: [the finished products obtained by further cutting and炮炙ing of net medicinal materials processed at the origin according to the needs of formulation or preparation are called Chinese herbal slices].
From the above analysis, it can be seen that the storage of Chinese herbal slices should focus on five aspects to ensure proper storage:
1. Slices should be dry (dehumidifier [http://www.szcleanair.org]);
2. Small packaging for drug storage and large space dehumidifiers [http://www.szcleanair.org] must all take sealing measures to avoid air convection and maintain a relatively stable environmental air;
3. Warehouses should be clean and hygienic;
4. Control the temperature and humidity of the environmental air to avoid fluctuations in temperature and humidity;
5. Use the characteristics of Chinese medicine for antagonistic storage.
Slices need to be dried; after herbs are sliced, their surface area increases significantly. At this time, the moisture absorption capacity of the slices and the chance of contamination also increase several times. The optimal moisture content of slices should be controlled between 7% and 13%, and appropriate containers should be selected for storage based on the characteristics of the herbs. Generally, plastic bags for vacuum packaging, wooden boxes, or metal boxes can be chosen, and sealed storage is recommended to prevent moisture from entering.
The number of slices stored in the pharmacy is relatively large, so the warehouse for slices should be kept ventilated, dry, cool with dehumidifiers [http://www.szcleanair.org], avoiding direct sunlight. The room temperature should preferably be controlled below 25℃ (industrial dehumidifier [http://www.zjliye.com/]), and the environmental air humidity should ideally be below 75% RH. Using air conditioning + dehumidifiers to control temperature and humidity has a relatively high cost-effectiveness, but because the temperature and humidity probes of air conditioners and dehumidifiers are relatively cheap, the best choice for equipment should be constant temperature and humidity machines, though they are more expensive.
Below are some recommended optimal storage methods based on the characteristics of certain herbs, using small packaging and small-scale examples, but it is still recommended to use dehumidifiers in large warehouses to control environmental humidity:
▲For herbs containing a lot of volatile oil such as mint, angelica, saussurea, ligusticum, and schizonepeta, after being cut into slices, the drying temperature cannot be too high (industrial dehumidifier [http://www.szcleanair.org]), generally below 60°C, to avoid losing effective components. During storage, the room temperature should not be too high, otherwise, the aroma may easily dissipate or become oily; if the indoor humidity is high, it is also prone to moisture absorption, mold growth, and insect infestation. It should be stored in a cool, dry place.
▲For slices rich in sugar and mucilage such as Cistanche, Rehmannia, Ophiopogon, and Codonopsis, they should not be dried after炮炙ing, as high temperatures and high humidity can easily cause them to absorb moisture, soften, stick together, and get contaminated, leading to mold and insect infestation. They should be stored in a well-ventilated, dry place.
▲Herbal slices processed with honey such as coltsfoot, licorice, and loquat leaves contain a lot of sugar after炮炙ing and are difficult to dry, especially prone to moisture absorption and becoming soft or sticky. If the temperature is too high, the honey may melt. Honey-fried slices are easily contaminated, attacked by insects, moldy, or eaten by rodents. They are usually stored in jars or cans, as tightly sealed as possible to prevent moisture absorption; they should be stored in a well-ventilated, dry, cool place.
▲Seed-type herbs such as perilla seeds, radish seeds, coix seeds, and broad beans increase in fragrance after炮炙ing. If the packaging is not strong, they are prone to insect damage and rodent bites, so they are mostly stored in jars or cans for closed preservation.
▲Certain mineral-type slices such as borax and mirabilite are prone to dehydration and efflorescence in dry air; if the humidity is high, they are prone to melting. Therefore, they should be stored in sealed jars or cans and placed in a cool place for preservation.
The preservation method of Chinese herbal slices or herbs has evolved from the original manual moisture-proof method to today's use of high-tech means for humidity control, such as moisture-proof cabinets, constant temperature and humidity machines [http://www.szcleanair.org], home dehumidifiers, etc., which have brought good economic benefits to pharmaceutical and medicinal material operating enterprises or units. Related articles: Prospects for domestic dehumidifier market look good! Temperature adjustment dehumidifier Dongguan dehumidifier maintenance precautions!!!!_Dongguan dehumidifier, constant temperature dehumidifier.