Pills are one of the dosage forms created by the Chinese laborers in their long fight against diseases. China's earliest medical book "Nei Jing" that is, "four Quarry Bone a madder Ru pill" records. Early pills were developed on the basis of soup. Later, successive generations of Chinese medicine in the clinic are widely used, become a variety of exquisite preparation, the theory tends to perfect a large dosage form.
Classical Chinese medical books - "Shennong Ben Cao Jing" preface example pointed out that: "the nature of the drug is suitable for the pill", "Yu Huan Jing" said: "pill medicine, can chase the wind cold, break the accumulation, eliminating all the firm plaque". Su Shen Liang Fang" says: "Pills are required for the most toxic cases". Since the Han and Jin dynasties, it has been proposed that "pills are used to relieve the pain" and "pills are slow". Pills after serving in the gastrointestinal tract disintegrate slowly, gradually release the drug, the effect is long-lasting; on the poisonous, drastic, *** sex drugs can delay the absorption, weaken the toxicity and adverse effects. Therefore, the clinical treatment of chronic diseases or chronic illnesses and weakness, after the disease and the harmonization of qi and blood more pills.
The preparation of pills can accommodate solid, semi-solid drugs, but also can accommodate viscous liquid drugs; and can be used to cover the coating to hide its bad odor. Pill production technology and equipment is relatively simple, but also suitable for primary care units to make their own.
Pills still exist in certain shortcomings, such as taking a large dose, especially for children to take difficult. The production process is long, there are many opportunities for contamination; improper operation affects the disintegration and efficacy; on the other hand, the active ingredient standard for pills of pCms needs to be further studied.
Pills can be divided into the following categories according to their method of preparation, or excipient:
(1) Classified according to the method of preparation
Plastic pills: refers to the fine powder of the drug and the appropriate binder mixed and made into a soft and hard plasticity of the pill, and then divided into pills. Such as honey pills, paste pills, partially concentrated pills, wax pills.
Pan-made pills: refers to the drug powder with the appropriate liquid binder pan made into small spherical pills. Such as water pills, water honey pills, partially concentrated pills, paste pills.
Drops of pills: this method is also known as drop polymerization. Department of the use of a lower melting point of the fatty substrate or water-soluble substrate, the main drug dissolved, suspended, emulsified, using the appropriate device to drop into an immiscible liquid coolant made of pills.
(2) according to the excipient classification
Honey pills: refers to the drug fine powder with honey as a binder made of pills. According to the size and method of preparation, divided into large honey pills, small honey pills and water honey pills prepared by the pan pill method. Generally applicable to chronic diseases or tonic agents to regulate qi and blood.
Water pill: refers to the drug powder with cool water or according to the prescription of wine, vinegar, honey, medicine juice, etc. as a binder made of small spherical pills. Generally applicable to clearing heat, relieving the surface, eliminating the conductive and other agents.
Paste pills: refers to the drug fine powder with starch paste, rice paste as a binder made of pills. Applicable to contain a certain degree of toxicity, acute drugs or *** sex of the medicine. Such as Xihuang Pills, Xiaojin Pills.
Wax pill: refers to the use of beeswax as a binder made of pills. Suitable for containing poisonous or *** strong agents.
Concentrated pills: refers to the drug or part of the drug decoction or extract is concentrated into a paste, with suitable accessories or drugs made of fine powder pills. Small size, easy to take.
Other pills: according to the viewpoint of TCM evidence-based treatment, depending on the needs of clinical treatment, some choose other materials (brown sugar, white sugar, caramel, jujube paste, gum juice, animal organs, milk, etc.) as a binder to make pills.