The quality of traditional Chinese medicine decoction factors twice a year is reasonable at 72.2009 18 14 mixed service. Regarding the Chinese medicine decoction machines used in hospitals, which operate under high temperature and pressure, the status of a 1000 drug pot affects the active ingredients of Chinese herbal medicine, especially those with loose textures containing volatile components. For instance, Uncaria's alkaloid substances are prone to decomposition when exposed to heat for extended periods at high temperatures, leading to loss. In the case of rhubarb prescribed for diarrhea, the higher its content of combined anthraquinones, the better. When heated at atmospheric pressure, the combined chrysophanol and physcion hydrolyze into free chrysophanol and emodin ether, then sublime, reducing the combined anthraquinone content to about 124°C. Another example includes ephedra, mint, wood, and Asarum, where boiling with a traditional Chinese medicine machine causes varying degrees of decomposition and destruction of active ingredients, thereby reducing efficacy.
The author believes that using a machine to fry recipes containing certain herbs should also consider the boiling temperature and pressure. Traditional medicine may not involve these factors too much, but machine-fried drugs require some selection. When the boiling temperature of the drug reaches 110-115°C, with a pressure of 0.1~0.2MPa, it should be maintained for 10 minutes before stopping heating to improve the frying rate of slices. If the pressure is less than or more than this range, the frying rate of slices shows a declining trend. Meanwhile, adjustments must be made according to the drug ingredients and clinical needs. Taking decoctions twice a year reasonably involves taking decoctions three times daily, morning and evening, with very few other requirements. Hospitalized patients have uniform medication schedules focusing on timing, which is somewhat stereotyped. In fact, ancient physicians were very particular about taking decoctions. The medication, warm clothing, cool clothing, must correspond to the syndrome and pathogenesis. Different conditions, different prescriptions, medication methods, and dosage numbers vary. The general requirements are: the drug should stay longer, preferably after meals; diseases in the lower abdomen (bladder, intestine) require drugs to be issued quickly, serving with meals; heat antidotes and laxative tonic precriptions should be taken on an empty stomach for easier absorption; nourishing yin and blood drugs should be taken at night, soothing nerves and delaying aging drugs should be taken before bedtime. Individual prescriptions should have special instructions, such as Zhuxiaohuayao requiring a small amount of medication before eating to help efficacy; anthelmintics should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning, drinking syrup beforehand to enhance insecticide effectiveness. Regarding dosage, each should be appropriate at 1.5~200mL. Exceptions exist, like fever patients taking heat antidotes where liquid can be slightly more to aid the drug; thirst-relieving drugs should have more liquid volume and be served frequently as tea. Medication frequency usually involves early, middle, and late three times daily, heat antidotes three to four times daily, rehydration medicine sooner or later, each serving diaphoretic service 1-2 times, including pharynx concoction several times with small amounts multiple servings. Mastering these reasonable ways of taking medications allows better use of herbs to achieve therapeutic effects and avoid improper decoction usage inefficacy.
In conclusion, the purpose of boiling decoctions is to extract active ingredients while minimizing the loss of volatile substances and the destruction of active ingredient decomposition. Whether traditional decoction or modern closed and piezoelectric frying, both impact drug utilization. Our hospital's prescription statistics found that commonly used Chinese herbal medicines are about 40% specially fried, making boiling machines less efficient than traditional methods or approaches. To improve traditional decoction methods, scientific premises and guidance by Chinese medicine theory are necessary without adhering rigidly to traditional experience. Specifications for various steps in medicine preparation should minimize human and environmental factors affecting drug quality. Compared to traditional casserole or traditional Chinese medicine decoction machines, each has advantages, and both boiling effects need further study in application.