Tablet

Also tablet preparation. A medicinal preparation made by mixing a powder of ground medicinal materials with a formative medicinal and compressing them into a mold. Tablets are convenient to carry and use. They easily absorb dampness, so should be kept in a dry place.

Method: Tablets may be hand or machine made. To make tablets by hand, the constituents are ground to a fine powder, blended with flour and water paste or viscous rice water, pressed in a mold, and either oven-dried or left to dry in the shade. Less commonly, some of the constituents are boiled, and after straining off the dregs, the decoction is reduced to a paste, which is then mixed with the dry medicinals. See medicinal preparation.