Hypertensive Patients Should Avoid Medicinal Wine
The use of medicinal wine in traditional Chinese medicine for healthcare has a long history. Even in the *Huangdi Neijing* (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), examples of using medicinal wine to treat illness were recorded. From simple alcohol to medicinal wine, this evolution reflects the transition from dietary culture to medical practice. Medicinal wine fully exploits unique advantages such as “alcohol carries the power of medicine” and “alcohol enhances medicinal potency.” Modern medical research confirms that many active components in Chinese herbs—such as alkaloids and their salts, glycosides, tannins, organic acids, and essential oils—are easily soluble in alcohol. Some herbs release their effective components more readily when soaked in alcohol, thereby enhancing therapeutic effects.
For example, commonly used tonics like Rehmannia glutinosa, Cornus officinalis, and Ligustrum lucidum become milder in sour-astringent taste after alcohol soaking, developing a richer flavor and enhanced ability to tonify the liver and kidneys. Thus, many herbs used to tonify the liver and kidneys can be processed into medicinal wine. Additionally, herbs like Bungarus multicinctus and Angelica sinensis, when soaked in alcohol, enhance their ability to promote blood circulation, relieve qi stagnation, expel wind, and alleviate pain, while also neutralizing the fishy odor of Bungarus multicinctus, making them easier to take and store. In summary, medicinal wines used to treat arthritis, such as Tiger Bone Wine, or those treating stroke-induced hemiplegia, male erectile dysfunction, and female infertility due to uterine cold, exemplify the extensive application of alcohol in traditional Chinese medicine.
However, preparing medicinal wine involves some subtle techniques. Dense herbs such as metals, stones, shells, and bivalves require longer soaking times. In contrast, fruit-based herbs like Goji berries need shorter soaking periods. To speed up preparation, chop the herbs finely or slice them into thin pieces, which allows faster extraction of active components and reduces soaking time.
Notably, individuals with liver disease, hypertension, nephritis, tuberculosis, or certain heart conditions should use medicinal wine cautiously or avoid it altogether.