Why do herbs soak in cold water before decoction
To smooth the way for storage and distribution, many Chinese traditional medicinal materials are prepared in the dried style, especially the materials of mineral, animal and coccids shell. They make against being decocted with water directly, because of their hard and compact texture.
But, to save time, some patients use large fire directly to decoct herbs with hot water or cold water, instead of soaking in cold water for a while before decoction. It may solidify or gelatinate the protein in the surface of medicinal material, blocking the effusion and dissolution of the
active ingredient from herbs, this will weaken the effect of herbs. For instance, in the decoction of oriental wormwood for treating hepatitis, the officinal part of oriental wormwood, gardenia and rhubarb are their stem and leaf, fruit and earthnut respectively. After soaking in cold water
for one hour, the first decoction's active ingredient reaches 21.31%, the second 9.67%, totally 30.98%; contrarily, that not soaking in cold water,
its first decoction's active ingredient reaches 16.05%, the second 7.69%, totally 23.73%.
And, in the decoction of windflower for treating diarrhea, the officinal part of windflower and Chinese goldthread, yellow-corktree bark and ash barks are their root and bark respectively. In the bacteriostasis testing, the effect of decoction, soaking in cold water for 20 minutes, is better than that not soaking in water.
So, how long is it appropriate that herbs soak in cold water before decoction? Generally, that depends on the component of the formula. The herbs, consisting of flower, leaf and slender branch, should soak in water for 20 minutes before decoction; herbs, consisting of earthnut, root, seed and fruit, should soak in water for 50-60 minutes before decoction; those, consisting of mineral, animal and shell, should soak in water for longer time, so as to improve the effect of herbs.
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In addition, during cold seasons of spring and winter, the herbs should soak in water for longer time before decoction, but during hot seasons of summer and autumn, the time when the herbs soak in water should not be too long, in odder to avoid going bad.
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