Judgment on decocting endpoint of decoction in "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" and "Treatise on Differentiation and Treatment of Epidemic Febrile Disease" / 中草药

The time of decocting plays an important role in ensuring the clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine decoction and the quality of traditional Chinese medicine, but from ancient times to the present, the judgment of the endpoint of Chinese medicine decoction has always been a technical problem. In this paper, the decocting time and the judgment methods in the Chinese medicine classics "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" and "Treatise on Differentiation and Treatment of Epidemic Febrile Disease" were analyzed. Certain laws of decocting time were found. It was demonstrated that the main factors affecting the decocting time were the disease, the efficacy of the prescriptions, the drug properties, and the characteristics of the medicine, etc. Combined with modern research results, the judgment method of the endpoint of traditional Chinese medicine decoction was expounded, hoping to seek a reasonable scientific basis for the boiling time of Chinese medicine decoction and the extraction process of modern Chinese medicine preparation, and provide a theoretical basis for ensuring the clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine decoction and the quality of Chinese medicine preparations.

Analysis and consideration based on first classical prescriptions / 中国中药杂志

Classical prescriptions are precious wealth left by ancient Chinese medical scientists. Moreover,they are also the important part of the treasure-house in Chinese medicine. Classical prescriptions have a long and rich history for human-use in China and play an important role in keeping people healthy. The state administration of traditional medicine of China published the Catalogue of Classical Prescriptions(first batch) in 2018. This measure has inspired the enthusiasm of Chinese medicine manufacturers to study ancient classical prescriptions and develop classical compound prescriptions. Based on the first batch of classical prescriptions, the dosage forms, sources, prescription components, decocting degree, use of toxic drugs and processing methods of classical prescriptions. The results showed that most of the classical prescriptions in the first batch were decoction and boiled powder,while only four of them were powder and paste forms,all of which were originated from representative classics in the past dynasties. The dosage and decocting degree of decoction were greater than those of boiled powder. The dosage and decocting degree of decoction in Han and Tang Dynasties was close to that in Ming and Qing Dynasties,higher than that in Song and Jin Dynasties. Moreover,the average number of herbs in the prescriptions in Han Dynasty was the smallest. The use of toxic traditional Chinese medicine was the most frequent in Han Dynasty, and Pinellia ternata was the most common toxic medicine. There were various processing methods, including cleansing, cutting, stir-frying, roasting and so on. In this paper, the dosage forms of traditional paste, the time concept of decoction in the ancient times, the traditional roasting method and the processing method of toxic drugs were summarized to provide ideas and reference for further development of classical prescriptions.

Discussion and consideration on special decoction method for Chinese materia medica (I): Decoction first / 中草药

"Decoction first" is one of the characteristics of the special decoction of Chinese materia medica (CMM). However, some people have misunderstanding or lack of basic knowledge about the CMM for decoction first leading to the poor cruative effect or even toxic effects because of improper decoction. This study attempts to analyze the causes of CMM for decocting first from the perspective of reducing toxicity and increasing efficacy, discuss its matters needing attention from the point of view of the effect of decoction time and crushing degree on the decoction first based on ancient and modern literature, and put forward exploratory thinking on methods for decocting first in order to provide scientific evidence for promoting clinical rational decoction for CMM.

Chemical constituent change regulation of processed aconite during decoction and discussion on time limit of decoction based on metabolomics / 中草药

Objective: To analyze the change regulation of chemical constituent groups in processed aconite during decocting, and also to discuss the scientificity connotation of decoction of processed aconite. Methods: An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was carried out to acquire the chemical constituents information in samples with different decoction time. High precise mass data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis techniques to discover and identify the constituents with significant difference. Furthermore, the content change, toxicity, and activity of these constituents were also discussed. Results: Fifteen chemical markers with significant difference were screened by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and t test. By analyzing the change regulation of the different constituents during 4 h decocting process, we found that it mainly happened in the constituent dissolution and chemical transformation from monoester alkaloids to aconine alkaloids, which indicates the attenuation process is secondary. Conclusion: In terms of analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, it suggests that 0.5 h of decoction would be fine, while in terms of cardiotonic effect, it needs the further systemic comparison for cardiac activity between monoester alkaloids and aconine alkaloids to be able to investigate the necessary and scientificity for long time decoction of the processed aconite.

Change Rule of Decocting Quantity of Effective Components in Amomi Fructus and Amomi Fructus Rotun-dus with Decocting Time by GC / 中国药师

Objective:To study the change rule of decocting quantity of the effective components in Amomi fructus and Amomi fructus rotundus with decocting time to determine whether or not decocted later and optimal decocting time. Methods:The herbs were extracted by the traditional water decoction, and at different time points, sampling was carried out. Using camphor and eucalyptol as the index components, the change rule of decocting quantity of the effective components with the decoction time under the condition of single and combined decoction was investigated. Results:When the decoction time of Amomi fructus was within the range of 3-6 min, the total amount of camphor in the decoction reached relatively high value, and the total amount lost more than 45% when the decoction time exceeded 10 min. Amomi fructus rotundus boiled for a short time below 2 min, and when the decoction time was more than 5 min, more than 50% eucalyptol lost. Conclusion:Amomi fructus and Amomi fructus rotundus should be decocted later with decocting time within 3-6min and below 2 min, respectively. The analytical method is reliable and precise in the quality control of relative decoction.