Rules for drying medicinal raw materials

Drying is one of the main methods of harvesting plant material. It is in the process of releasing the herbal raw materials from moisture with the aim of longer storage. It is considered correct to dry at a temperature of 40-60 º C. In this case, the undesirable action of enzymes is suspended, as well as the development of harmful microorganisms - bacteria and mold fungi. There are 2 ways to dry medicinal plant material: natural and artificial.

Drying with natural heat is the simplest and most affordable way, provided the weather is warm. It is practiced solar-air and air-shadow drying.

Solar-air drying is carried out in the open air in dry hot weather. In the sun it is useful to dry underground organs containing tannins and devoid of coloring substances. Air-solar drying is also used for fruit and berries. Flowers and grass, especially growing in the shade or penumbra, can not be dried in the sun, since chlorophyll( green pigment) and coloring substances are destroyed under direct rays.

For drying, the raw material is laid out in a thin layer on the flooring, covered with natural linen matting, exposed to direct sunlight, from time to time the decomposed parts of the plants are gently mixed. At night or in wet weather, the raw material is covered with tarpaulin or polyethylene film, it is opened only after the dew has dried.

Air-shadow drying does not allow the use of direct sunlight and is carried out on the veranda under a canopy or in a well-ventilated darkened room - shed, in a clean attic under an iron or slate roof, where on hot days the temperature rises to 40-50 ° C.Raw materials can be woven in a soft sun, and then transferred to the shade for final drying.

Artificial heating drying is carried out in special dryers using special heating devices in which dry hot air through the inflow pipes rises from the bottom up, removing moisture from the plants through the exhaust pipes. The advantage of this method is that the medicinal raw material is dried quickly, and the process itself can be carried out at any time of the year. In rainy weather and late autumn, good results are given by the oven, the electric or Russian( if any) oven.

During drying, plants lose a lot of water, which leads to their wrinkling. Do not place poisonous plants next to non-toxic, and do not have a smell - next to those that have a characteristic strong odor.