Drugs must be stored properly. Four categories of drugs and four precautions.

　　Proper storage of medicines can not only make them more effective but also extend their shelf life. This is also true for Chinese medicinal materials. Here are some examples of things you should pay attention to when preserving four traditional Chinese medicines.

　　Drugs must be stored properly. Four categories of drugs and four precautions.

　　Patchouli and other herbs with strong fragrance: afraid of heat. Volatile oil is an active ingredient in many Chinese medicinal materials that plays a therapeutic role. It is generally aromatic. As you can tell from the name, it is easy to evaporate, and the obvious fragrance can be smelled in the medicinal materials. If the flavor of these herbs becomes bland, their efficacy will also be reduced. Heating and decoction will accelerate the loss of volatile oils. Therefore, medicinal materials containing more volatile oils such as mint, nepeta, patchouli, and perilla should be placed far away from the heat source and should be removed during decoction to avoid reducing the efficacy of the medicine.

　　Angelicae and other herbs that are prone to oiliness: Afraid of moisture. During the storage process, due to factors such as moisture, the oil, sugar and other substances contained in the medicinal materials tend to precipitate on the surface of the medicinal materials, like a layer of oil, which is also called "oil leakage". Fruit and seed medicinal materials are prone to oil loss, such as almonds, Ophiopogon japonicus, angelica root, Codonopsis pilosula, longan, wolfberry, etc. These medicinal materials should be kept dry.

　　Ginseng and other medicinal materials that are susceptible to insects: afraid of insects. During the collection and storage of Chinese medicinal materials, insects may invade or contain insect eggs, causing insect infestation. When medicinal materials are infested, cavities and dust may occur. Some pests reproduce rapidly and may cause the medicinal materials to be "scrapped". Alisma, astragalus, rhubarb, ginseng, angelica, etc. are more susceptible to insect infestation. Medicinal materials that are lightly infested by insects can be processed before use, while medicinal materials that are severely infested by insects should be discarded in time.

　　Medicinal materials that change color easily such as peony bark: avoid exposure to sunlight. Medicinal materials have their own color, and peony bark, etc. may change color and reduce their effectiveness. Some medicinal materials contain enzymes that are prone to oxidation and discoloration; sun exposure and high baking temperatures can also cause discoloration of medicinal materials. These medicinal materials should be stored away from the sun.