Granulated Herbal Medicine: Simplifying Dosage and Excipients

At Herbprime, one of the most common questions is:
“How do I convert dried herbal dosages into granulated herbal dosages?”

It’s not as simple as you might think! Factors like extraction methods, herbal preparation types, and excipients play a major role. In this guide, we’ll break it all down step-by-step, so you can feel confident prescribing granulated herbal medicine.

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Anthony O'Connor Reveals Expert Guidelines on Dosage

Anthony O’Connor, an expert Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, shared valuable insights on herbal dosage at Herbprime. With years of clinical experience, he highlighted:

• The importance of understanding extraction ratios to calculate effective doses.
• Why different herbs require unique granule formulations to maximize safety and potency.
• Practical tips for balancing dry herb-to-granule conversions.

Anthony’s expertise gave practitioners a deeper understanding of granulated herbal medicine, empowering them to make confident, informed decisions for their patients.

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What Are Extraction and Concentration Ratios?

To get started, let’s look at two important terms in granulated herbal medicine:

Term	What It Means
Extraction Ratio	Amount of dried herb needed to make 1 gram of granules (e.g., 3:1 or 7:1).
Concentration Ratio	Relationship between final granule dosage and original dried herb dosage.

👉 Higher extraction ratios (e.g., 7:1) don’t always mean stronger herbs. The efficiency of processing matters too.

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Different Types of Granulated Herbal Medicine

Herbal granules are inspired by traditional preparation methods and are designed for safety, effectiveness, and ease of use.

Granule Type	Key Features
Decoction with inert excipient	Contains herbal concentrate + corn starch.
Decoction with active excipient	Herbal concentrate + raw or cooked herbal powder (higher potency).
Pure herb powder (San)	Ground herbs without decoction (best for fat-soluble compounds).

Each type is chosen to suit the unique properties of different herbs.

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What Are Excipients? Why Are They Important?

Excipients are extra ingredients added to granules for stability and effectiveness.

At Herbprime, our partner Sun Ten uses non-GMO corn starch as an excipient because:

1. It preserves volatile compounds during preparation.
2. It prevents clumping, especially for sticky herbs like Sheng Di Huang.

⚠️ Some companies use maltodextrin, but it can raise blood sugar and affect gut health.

Active excipients (e.g., raw or cooked herbal powders) are used when needed to balance fat- and water-soluble compounds, maximizing effectiveness.

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Simplifying Dosage

Here are three easy ways to determine granule dosages:

1. Follow Sun Ten’s Recommended Dosages
   Every herb comes with specific dosage instructions based on clinical studies.

2. Convert Dried Herb Dosages
   Use the concentration ratio to calculate the correct granule dosage.

3. Reverse Dosaging

   • Start with the total daily dose (e.g., 4g or 18g).
   • Divide this dose proportionally based on the herb ratios in your formula.

This flexibility allows practitioners to create accurate and effective prescriptions.

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Why Testing and Quality Matter

Not all granules are equal. Sun Ten ensures:

• High-quality herbs through rigorous testing.
• Consistent safety and potency by measuring active compounds.

For example, Bai Shao (White Peony):

• Sun Ten ensures its Bai Shao contains >3% Paeoniflorin, well above the pharmacopoeia requirement of 1.6%.
• Market samples often fall short due to improper processing, sometimes even containing harmful compounds.

Sun Ten’s testing protocols ensure that practitioners can trust the safety and effectiveness of their products.

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Benefits of Granulated Herbal Medicine

✅ Convenient: Easy to measure, store, and prepare.
✅ Safe: Backed by rigorous quality control.
✅ Effective: Modern methods preserve the potency of traditional herbs.

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Conclusion: A Modern Approach to Ancient Medicine

Granulated herbal medicine is the perfect blend of tradition and convenience. With trusted brands like Sun Ten, Herbprime ensures you get safe, reliable, and effective herbal products.

Thanks to expert insights from practitioners like Anthony O’Connor and Sun Ten’s 70+ years of innovation, granulated herbs are making TCM safer, more accessible, and more sustainable than ever before.

Are you ready to explore the benefits of granulated herbal medicine?