Teaching You How to Store Chinese Medicine During the Plum Rain Season
In the Jiangnan region's plum rain season from June to July, due to abundant rainfall, high air humidity, and a warm climate, it is ideal for the proliferation of microorganisms such as mold. Many things in the home can get moldy, and Chinese medicine is no exception. Therefore, before the plum rain season, one should pay attention to properly storing moisture-prone Chinese medicine. After the plum rain season, a timely cleanup should be conducted.
The packaging of patent Chinese medicines usually includes instructions for storage, and the medicines can be stored according to the methods indicated. Solid dosage forms like tablets, capsules, and powders can be placed in a cool and shaded place. If it is loose medicine packaged in paper bags, it should be transferred into small bottles, sealed with a cap, and the package insert should be retained. Liquid preparations such as suspensions and syrups can be stored in a cool and shaded place before use. However, after opening the bottle, first check for any residual drops on the outside of the bottle, keep it clean, and promptly tighten the cap. Store it in a cool place or in the refrigerator. When taking syrup, never let the bottle mouth come into direct contact with your mouth, as during the plum rain season, it is more likely for the syrup to become contaminated and spoiled by bacteria from the contaminated bottle mouth.
Chinese medicinal herbs are most susceptible to moisture during the plum rain season, so special attention must be paid to their storage. The simplest and most practical method is to place the medicine in a clean glass bottle, then seal the cap tightly, and drip wax in a circle around the bottle mouth to ensure it is airtight. For volatile medicines with special odors that are extremely prone to odor mixing, such as musk and saffron, after sealing, place them in the refrigerator. This prevents the scent from dissipating and also helps prevent pests.
Precious Chinese medicinal herbs can be stored using specific methods. For example, after processed Tianma (Gastrodia elata) is prepared, it should be immediately sealed in a non-toxic plastic bag with an attached white paper, then covered with clean, thick paper and stored in a dry place, or placed in a porcelain jar to prevent moisture absorption and mold. Deer antler should be stored in a well-ventilated place, with some cloth bags of Sichuan peppercorn placed nearby. If stored properly, the medicinal efficacy of the deer antler will not change for three to five years. Cordyceps can be stored with Sichuan peppercorn or tree peony bark in a sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator, or some desiccant can be placed in the storage area for the cordyceps.
After the plum rain season, it is important to promptly clean up the medicines in your home. Once any moldy medicine is found, its use should be stopped. For solid dosage forms like tablets, powders, and capsules, if they show discoloration, deformation, moldiness, stickiness, yellowing, cracking, or leakage, they should be discarded and not used. For liquid preparations like syrup, if there is mold, discoloration, an off-odor, flocculent matter or precipitates, or if the entire bottle has become sticky, it must not be used.
If Chinese medicinal herbs are found to be moldy, they should not be used indiscriminately. If it is discovered that Chinese medicinal herbs, especially precious ones, have become damp, they should be dried as soon as possible, or gently roasted or stir-fried in a clean wok over low heat to remove the moisture. If Cordyceps becomes damp, it should be immediately sun-dried or lightly baked over a charcoal fire, after which any pest bodies and borings should be sifted out.
It should be pointed out that precious Chinese medicinal herbs are not suitable for long-term storage. In addition to being prone to mold and spoilage, long-term storage can also reduce their medicinal efficacy.