Differences in Water Hardness when preparing Ephedrae Herba Decoctions : Special Focus on a Comparison of Tap Water in Japan and China
10.3937/kampomed.63.313
- VernacularTitle:水質がマオウの煎液に及ぼす影響について
- Author:
Tsukasa FUEKI
;
Takanori MATSUOKA
;
Masashi BEPPU
;
Hidetoshi YAMAGUCHI
;
Hideyuki NAKATA
;
Kenshu RAI
;
Yumi SAKAI
;
Kazuhiko NAGASAKA
;
Toshiaki MAKINO
;
Takao NAMIKI
;
Kenkichi OKADA
;
Yusen IWAI
;
Kazuhiro MAKIZUMI
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
hard water;
Ephedrae Herba;
tap water;
Zizyphi Fructus;
extraction efficiency
- From:Kampo Medicine
2012;63(5):313-321
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
Decoctions of Ephedrae Herba were prepared using tap water sampled in Changping District, Beijing City(China), tap water sampled in Niigata City (Japan) and some mineral water samples sold in markets. Various dissimilarities were found between drug extracts prepared using tap water in Japan and China, and the extraction efficiency of the alkaloids with Beijing tap water was approximately 80% of that with Niigata tap water. It is suggested that these dissimilarities result from concentrations of temporally hard components, such as calcium and magnesium bicarbonate salts, in the water. In addition, when Zizyphi Fructus and Ephedrae Herba were decocted together in hard water, the state of the decoction, ephedra-alkaloid content included, was found to come close to that of single Ephedrae Herba decoctions prepared using soft water. It was suggested that Ziziphi Fructus might possibly play roles as a softening agent in decoctions prepared using hard water.
