Processing of traditional Chinese medicine: calcination

Calcination processing of traditional Chinese medicine

Calcination methods include open calcination, closed calcination and calcination quenching.

First, the open calcination method

When drugs are calcined, the method of not isolating air is called open calcination, which is suitable for mineral drugs, shellfish and fossil drugs. Calcination methods include furnace mouth calcination, open hearth calcination and reverberatory furnace calcination. The latter two methods have high calcination temperature and high yield, but they are not resistant to high temperature. Fossils and shellfish drugs should not be calcined by the latter two methods. When calcining, the size of the drugs should be graded, and the drugs should be evenly heated until the inside and outside are consistent and "stored" and calcined at one time. For minerals mainly containing mica, asbestos and timely minerals, the calcination temperature should be high and the time should be long.

alum

It mainly contains potassium aluminum sulfate [kal (SO4) 2.65438+2h02o], and there are two specifications of alum and dried alum. Alum detoxifies and kills insects, clearing away heat and phlegm, eliminating dampness and relieving itching; Detoxification and itching relief for external use; The acidity and coldness of dried alum are reduced, the vomiting effect is weakened, and the functions of convergence, granulation, hemostasis and antisepsis are enhanced. When calcining, it should be thoroughly calcined at one time, without stopping fire or stirring in the middle. The water content of alum is 45.53% according to the crystal water contained in the molecular formula. Alum can be made into dried alum by traditional methods, with a weight loss of 45%. The calcination temperature should be controlled between 180 ~ 260℃.

Abalone shell or sea ear shell

There are concha Haliotidis and calcined concha Haliotidis. Raw concha Haliotidis tends to calm the liver and subdue yang, while calcined concha Haliotidis reduces its salty and cold properties, and has the effect of calming the liver and subduing yang, enhancing convergence and improving eyesight. Concha Haliotidis is required to be calcined to crisp, grayish white or bluish gray, without pearl luster.

Second, the calcination quenching method

The method of calcining the medicine to be red and transparent according to the open calcination method and immediately putting it into the specified liquid auxiliary materials for quenching is called calcination quenching method. Common ones are vinegar quenched natural copper, ochre and magnet; Wine quenching actinolite, medicine juice quenching calamine, etc. Purpose of calcination and quenching: The calcined and quenched medicine can make its texture crisp and easy to crush, which is beneficial to the decoction of effective components. In addition, it can also change the physical and chemical properties of drugs, reduce side effects and enhance the curative effect, such as native copper, actinolite, soapstone, calamine and so on. Before and after calcination and quenching of some mineral drugs, the changes of minerals are various, including simple crystal structure changes, such as the transformation of hematite in ochre into maghemite; There are also changes in crystal structure and chemical composition. For example, pyrite in native copper is converted into pyrrhotite; More common are local oxidation, acetylation or hydration in vinegar quenching. Calcination and quenching should be repeated several times, so that the liquid auxiliary materials are completely absorbed and the drugs are all crisp.

Pyritum

There are natural copper and calcined natural copper. This product is often calcined. After calcination and quenching, the effect of removing blood stasis and relieving pain can be enhanced. After calcination, the texture is loose, which is convenient for crushing and processing, and is beneficial to decocting effective components. Natural copper mainly contains iron disulfide, which is decomposed into iron sulfide after fire calcination, and ferrous acetate is generated on the surface after vinegar quenching, which can make the drug loose, fragile and easy to crush, increase the dissolved iron ions in the drug, and promote the function of hematopoietic system in vivo. Generally speaking, the calcination process is red and transparent (about 800℃, 1 ~ 2h), and it is quenched by vinegar for many times. Both inside and outside should be calcined to no metallic luster and crisp.

magnetite

There are magnets and forged magnets. Magnetism tends to calm the liver and subdue yang, tranquilize the mind, forge magnetism to improve eyesight and hearing, tonify kidney and strengthen strength, with crisp texture, easy to crush and decoct out effective components, and relieve the effect of calming the nerves in important towns. Generally, for every 100kg magnet, 30kg vinegar should be repeatedly calcined and quenched to be crisp, then taken out, dried and ground into coarse powder.

Three, buckle pot calcination method (stuffy calcination)

The method of calcining drugs into charcoal under the condition of high temperature and lack of oxygen is called smoldering, also called pot burning. Calcination purpose: In order to change the properties of drugs, produce new curative effects and enhance hemostasis, such as carbonized blood and palm charcoal; Some toxic drugs can reduce toxicity after carbonization, such as dry paint and honeycomb. Some drugs, such as candle wick and honeycomb, can enhance convergence and sore healing after carbonization. When calcining, the joint of the two pots should be blocked with wet salt mud at any time to prevent air from entering and ashing the medicine; After calcination, it should be thoroughly cooled and boiled to avoid the drug burning and ashing in air; The medicine in the calciner should not be filled to avoid incomplete calcination; To judge whether the medicine is thoroughly calcined, we can observe that the rice or paper at the bottom of the pot turns dark yellow or boils when dripping.

residual carbon

This product is not eaten raw, but must be calcined or fried into charcoal when used as medicine. Used for hematemesis, hemoptysis, nosebleed, hematuria, metrorrhagia and traumatic hemorrhage.