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. 2020 Jul 2;58(1):561–573. doi: 10.1080/13880209.2020.1778740

Table 1.

Typical processing with liquid excipients and representative processed traditional Chinese herbal medicines listed in CP (2015 edition).

Processing with liquid excipients Kind of liquid excipient Processing method (Classification) Traditional theory Properties of drugs Representative drugs
Processing with wine 1. Yellow rice wine
2. Chinese spirits
Stir-frying
Stewing
Quenching
Steaming
Leading drugs upward Drugs of bitter and cold Coptis chinensis Franch. (Ranunculaceae) root (Huanglian)
Drugs for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. (Lamiaceae) root and rhizome (Danshen)
Tonic drugs Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaert.) Libosch. ex Fisch. et Mey. (Scrophulariaceae) tuberous root (Dihuang)
Smelly drugs Zaocys dhumnades(Cantor). (Colubridae) body (Wushaoshe)
Processing with vinegar 1. Rice vinegar
2. Sorghum vinegar
Stir-frying
Boiling
Stewing
Quenching
Purficating
Introducing medicine into live Drugs for removing stagnation Curcuma aromatica Salisb. (Zingiberaceae) tuberous root (Yujin)
Drastically purgating water drug Euphorbia kansui T. N. Liou ex S. B. Ho. (Euphorbiaceae) tuberous root (Gansui)
Drugs for arresting discharge Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Magnoliaceae) fructus (Wuweizi)
Smelly drugs Boswellia bhaurdajiana Birdw. (Burseraceae) resin (Ruxiang)
   
Processing with honey Refined honey Stir-frying
Baking
Alleviating property and moistening lung Drugs for relieving cough and asthma Tussilago farfara Linn. (Compsitea) flowers (Kuandonghua)
Drugs for tonifying middle-Jiao and Qi Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Leguminosae) root and rhizome (Gancao)
Drugs for relieving exterior disorder Ephedra sinica Stapf. (Ephedraceae) herbaceous stem (Mahuang)
Drugs with toxic and side effects Aristolochia debilis Sieb. et Zucc. (Aristolochiaceae) fructus (Madouling)
Processing with salt water Salt water Stir-frying
Steaming
Introducing medicine into kidney Kidney-reinforcing drugs Eucommia ulmoides Oliver. (Eucommiaceae) bark (Duzhong)
Drugs for securing essence and reducing urination Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. (Zingiberaceae) fructus (Yizhiren)
Heat-clearing drugs Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge. (Liliaceae) root and rhizome (Zhimu)
Processing with ginger juice 1. Fresh ginger juice
2. Dried ginger juice
Stir-frying
Boiling
Diffusing Drugs of bitter and cold Coptis chinensis Franch. (Ranunculaceae) root (Huanglian)
Drugs for removing phlegm and relieving vomitin Caulis bambusae in Taenia (Zhuru)
Drugs with side effect Aristolochia debilis Sieb. et Zucc. (Aristolochiaceae) seed (Madouling)
Processing with oil 1. Plant oil
2. Tallow
Stir-frying
Frying
Baking
Increasing effect and decreasing toxicity Drugs for warming kidney and enhancing yang Epimedium brevicornu Maxim. (Berberidaceae) leaf (Yinyanghuo)
Toxic drugs Strychnos nux-vomica Linn. (Loganiaceae) seed (Maqianzi)
Drugs of hard texture Panax pseudo-ginseng Wall. var. notoginseng (Burkill)Hoo & Tseng. (Araliaceae) root and rhizome (Sanqi)
Processing with bile Bile Fermentation
Changing the properties Bitter and cold drug Arisaema heterophyllum Blume. (Araceae) tuber (Tiannanxing)
Processing with herbal extract 1. Gancao extract
2. Black soya bean juice
Boiling
Steaming
Synergism and attenuation Drugs with side effect Polygala tenuifolia Willd. (Polygalaceae) root (Yuanzhi)
Hepatic and kidney-tonifying drug Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Harald. (Polygonaceae) tuberous root (Heshouwu)