Roasted malt is a traditional Chinese medicinal material produced by dry-roasting mature barley grains after they have been germinated and dried. After roasting, it has a warm nature and a fragrant aroma. It is effective at promoting qi circulation, aiding digestion, stopping lactation, and relieving bloating, and is commonly used to treat conditions such as undigested food stagnation and weaning in women.
Roasted Barley Malt
Roasted malt is a traditional Chinese medicinal material produced by dry-roasting mature barley grains after they have been germinated and dried. After roasting, it has a warm nature and a fragrant aroma. It is effective at promoting qi circulation, aiding digestion, stopping lactation, and relieving bloating, and is commonly used to treat conditions such as undigested food stagnation and weaning in women.
Chinese Name : 炒麦芽
Authentic Producing Area : Produced in most regions of the country
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : It has a sweet taste and a slightly warm nature, and enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Roasted barley malt has the effects of promoting qi circulation, aiding digestion, and reducing lactation and bloating.
Indications
Roasted barley malt is primarily used to treat undigested food stagnation and to wean women.
Usage and Dosage
Clinically, the most common method of using roasted barley malt is to decoct it into a herbal decoction; the standard dosage is 10–15 g, while 60 g is used for weaning. It can also be incorporated into formulations such as pills and powders. It is important to note that due to differences in each patient’s condition and constitution, the specific dosage of roasted barley malt may vary from person to person; patients should strictly adhere to the dosage prescribed by their physician.
Precautions
1. Before using roasted malt, a TCM physician must conduct a pattern differentiation to avoid blind use without proper diagnosis. During treatment, the principle of “discontinuing treatment once the condition is resolved” should be followed. If symptoms improve, patients should promptly return for a follow-up visit so that the physician can assess the situation and adjust the dosage or discontinue the medication to ensure treatment safety and efficacy. 2. During treatment, patients should primarily consume light, easily digestible foods and avoid foods that are difficult to digest, such as glutinous rice products.
Applications
Medicinal Identification
Roasted barley malt must be distinguished from raw barley malt and charred barley malt.
Raw barley malt, roasted barley malt, and charred barley malt are all processed forms of barley malt; due to differences in processing methods, their therapeutic effects vary in emphasis. Raw barley malt has a sweet taste and neutral nature; it is effective at aiding digestion and harmonizing the stomach, and can also soothe the liver and promote lactation. It is commonly used for spleen deficiency with poor appetite, stagnant breast milk, mastalgia, and conditions involving liver qi stagnation or disharmony between the liver and stomach; it is particularly suitable for cases where food stagnation has transformed into heat.Roasted barley malt has a slightly warm nature and a fragrant aroma; it excels at regulating qi, aiding digestion, weaning, and relieving distension. It is commonly used for undigested food stagnation and weaning in women. Charred barley malt has a sweet and slightly astringent taste with a slightly warm nature; it is particularly effective at aiding digestion and resolving food stagnation, and can also stop diarrhea. It is frequently used for food stagnation or diarrhea caused by spleen deficiency.
Related Medicines
Zhishi Xiaopi Pills, Feier Pills.
Related Prescriptions
Enhanced Pingwei Powder (*Yizong Jinjian*), MuXiang Da’an Pills (*Douzhen Shiyi Xinfang*), QuNie ZhiShu Pills (*Zhunsheng: Lei Fang*), and Weilu Siwu Decoction (*Yangyi Daquan*).
Medicinal Diet Therapy
1. Malt Decoction
(1) Ingredients: 50 grams each of raw malt and roasted malt.
(2) Preparation: Place the raw malt and roasted malt together in a pot and simmer; strain and drink the liquid.
(3) Efficacy: Suppresses lactation.
2. Hawthorn and Malt Decoction
(1) Ingredients: 10 grams each of raw hawthorn and roasted malt.
(2) Preparation: Wash the raw hawthorn berries, slice them thinly, and place them in a cup with the roasted malt. Pour boiling water over the mixture, cover the cup, and let steep for 30 minutes.
(3) Benefits: Aids digestion and relieves food stagnation; suitable for conditions such as undigested food stagnation, indigestion, and milk accumulation in children.
Notes
Patients requiring treatment with Chinese herbal medicine should first consult a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional pattern differentiation and prescribe an herbal formula.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Soak the wheat grains in water, maintain appropriate temperature and humidity, and once the sprouts have grown to about 5 mm, sun-dry or dry them at a low temperature.
Processing Methods
Place the clean malt in a preheated roasting pan, heat over low heat while stirring constantly, and roast until the surface turns brownish-yellow, the grains puff up, and a fragrant aroma is released. Remove, allow to cool, and sift out any ash or debris.
Storage Methods
Store in a well-ventilated, dry place to prevent insect infestation.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
Spindle-shaped, 8–12 mm long, 3–4 mm in diameter. The surface is pale yellow; the dorsal side is surrounded by the outer glume and has five veins; the ventral side is surrounded by the inner glume. After removing the inner and outer glumes, a single longitudinal groove is visible on the ventral side; at the base, near the radicle, a young shoot and fibrous roots emerge. The young shoot is long, lanceolate, and strip-shaped, approximately 5 mm long. There are several fibrous roots, which are slender and curved.Hard in texture; the fracture surface is white and powdery. It has a faint odor and a slightly sweet taste.
Properties of Processed Slices
Spindle-shaped, with a brownish-yellow surface and occasional scorched spots. It has a fragrant aroma and a slightly bitter taste.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Barley (Hordeum vulgare), a plant of the genus Hordeum in the family Poaceae.
Morphological Characteristics
Barley, an annual or biennial herb, grows to a height of 50–100 cm. The culms are stout, erect, and smooth, without hairs. The leaf sheaths are glabrous, with curved, hook-like auricles on both sides of the apex; the ligule is small, 1–2 mm long, and membranous; the leaf blade is flat, oblong-lanceolate, 8–18 cm long and 6–18 mm wide, rough on the upper surface and relatively smooth on the lower surface.The spike is erect, 3–8 cm long, bearing three fertile spikelets per node; the glumes are linear, veinless, 8–14 mm long, with the apex extending into an awn 8–14 mm long; the outer glume is glabrous, with five veins, and the awn is rough, 8–13 cm long; upon maturity, the caryopsis adheres to the glume and is difficult to thresh off, with hairs at the apex.Flowering occurs from March to April; fruiting occurs from April to May.
Distribution Area
Distributed throughout most regions of China.