Water processing

Any of various methods of treating medicinal materials with clean water to remove impurities, foreign bodies, and unwanted elements (such as sand, earth, salt, unpleasant odors), to increase suppleness to facilitate cutting, to refine minerals, and to reduce toxicity. Methods must be carefully chosen to prevent the loss of active constituents. See washing; steeping; long rinsing; covered moistening; water-grinding. See processing of medicinals.