proposed experiment - decoction vs. teapills

[Guest guest]

This experiment may give some interesting results regarding dosing for

decoctions vs. teapills.

 

1. pick a common patent teapill formula, for example, si jun zi tang

/ wan; use a good brand such as Min Shan, Plum Flower, Blue Poppy, etc.

2. carefully weigh 24 teapills (a one day dose) to 0.1 g or better

accuracy

3. assemble the raw herbs for a 1 day dose of the same formula /

ingredients in the same ratio as the patent

4. carefully weigh the total herbs to 0.1 g or better accuracy

5. decoct the herbs in water as usual

6. take the left over herbs and let them air dry until they are dry

again, like before they were decocted --- I would NOT recommend drying

them in an oven because they may become more dry than they were

originally, losing the common moisture weight

7. carefully weight the total used (now dry) herbs to 0.1 g or better

accuracy

8. subtract the results of #7 from #4 and this should give you an

idea of how much herbs were part of the decoction

9. compare the result of #8 to #2 and draw some kind of conclusion

 

Then, repeat the experiment using a formula with more ingredients that

is also a common teapill patent, such as huo xiang zheng qi tang /

wan. Use the same brand patent as in the first experiment. The

results may be different, but may show a trend. Make sure that you

weigh these teapills also, rather than using the weight value from the

previous experiment, as I have seen slightly different sizes (and

colors) of teapills for different patents from the same company.

 

Brian C. Allen

[Guest guest]

Did I miss something? How does this method account for the fillers in the

tea pills? Are we making the assumption that they are completely water

soluble? How are we accounting for volatile oils? Seems like our

conclusion will largely indicate which method creates a weightier exudate.

That information is useful as a theoretical construct, but I wouldn't be too

quick to use it as a basis for dosing.

 

-Tim Sharpe

 

___________________________

<Brian C. Allen wrote:>

 

This experiment may give some interesting results regarding dosing for

decoctions vs. teapills.

 

1. pick a common patent teapill formula, for example, si jun zi tang / wan;

use a good brand such as Min Shan, Plum Flower, Blue Poppy, etc.

2. carefully weigh 24 teapills (a one day dose) to 0.1 g or better accuracy

3. assemble the raw herbs for a 1 day dose of the same formula /

ingredients in the same ratio as the patent 4. carefully weigh the total

herbs to 0.1 g or better accuracy 5. decoct the herbs in water as usual 6.

take the left over herbs and let them air dry until they are dry again, like

before they were decocted --- I would NOT recommend drying them in an oven

because they may become more dry than they were originally, losing the

common moisture weight 7. carefully weight the total used (now dry) herbs

to 0.1 g or better accuracy 8. subtract the results of #7 from #4 and this

should give you an idea of how much herbs were part of the decoction 9.

compare the result of #8 to #2 and draw some kind of conclusion

[Guest guest]

, " Tim Sharpe "

<listserve@d...> wrote:

> Did I miss something? How does this method account for the fillers

in the

> tea pills? Are we making the assumption that they are completely water

> soluble? How are we accounting for volatile oils? Seems like our

> conclusion will largely indicate which method creates a weightier

exudate.

> That information is useful as a theoretical construct, but I

wouldn't be too

> quick to use it as a basis for dosing.

>

> -Tim Sharpe

 

I designed the experiment as a starting point. Let's refine it. I

asked in a separate post how teapills were made, but no one responded,

so I could not account for fillers, if any, in the teapills.

 

The " exudate " is basically what makes up the " meat and potatos " of the

formula, so the experiement seems to be a good starting point for some

more serious discussion. Plus, we will all be better informed on at

least one aspect of this debate.

 

Brian C. Allen