Chapter 281: The Most Potent Flower Tea in History

"It should... still be possible to find some fresh ones." Dai Wei's gaze skimmed the page, pausing on the growth cycle column.

"The flowering season is nearly over, but every year at this time a batch of dried reserves is purchased; some that haven't been processed in time remain in stock."

The two arrived at the clinic's pharmacy and, amidst a pile of plants still bearing soil, selected the one called "Purple Bell."

The flower's color made it stand out among all the herbs, easy to find without much effort. Besides the purple variety shown in the picture book, there were pale yellow and reddish varieties; what they shared was the appearance of a string of bells and the fuzzy texture upon handling.

They had been out of the soil for some time; when lifted, they hung down shriveled like pickles.

Even so, in Kraft's eyes, this was a string of pickles full of charm.

"Bring a jar, not the lead one."

Much like the method for making pickles, after weighing, they were directly cut into segments and minced, then tossed into a medicinal pot with water to boil. As for how long to boil, that was unclear; Kraft left this task to Dr. Dai Wei, letting him rely on his experience.

The latter skillfully controlled the furnace temperature, simmering the liquid over medium heat until it boiled, then withdrew some charcoal, switching to low heat to keep the water body at a rolling but not violently boiling state.

Uniform bubbles constantly rose from the bottom of the jar, churning up colorful plant fragments that swirled in the center of the increasingly deep orange broth before scattering and falling like snowflakes.

When the color of the solid matter noticeably lightened and the broth's appearance began to resemble certain beverages, Dai Wei removed the jar and poured its contents into the glass container Kraft had brought.

By appearance, this was a cup of flower tea: overall bright and transparent, floating with specks of colorful fragments; the presentation was quite good.

Leaning close to smell it, one could detect a faint fragrance of grass and plants, like the product of unknown wildflowers and green grass mixed and heated after a summer shower; it was far better than the previous lead-boiled hodgepodge.

If it appeared on the dining table, most people would not object to drinking such a beverage.

"What next?" Dai Wei placed the steaming glass container on a coaster. "Taste a sip?"

His love for pharmacy had prepared him; yes, there was toxicity, but true cases of poisoning were rarely seen; perhaps the toxicity wasn't that strong?

"Taste a sip, but not like this." Kraft poured half of the medicinal broth into a second identical container, added an equal amount of water to mix, then poured half of the diluted liquid into another glass container.

After four times, he obtained a drug with a concentration of only one-sixteenth. Considering the limitations of conditions, the actual value might deviate somewhat, but not by much.

The final portion of the liquid was nearly completely colorless, so clean it was hard not to trust.

Kraft refused Dai Wei's request to help test the medicine. Although he was ninety percent sure there would be no major problem, this was not a matter of probability; it was an ethical issue.

He lifted the last glass container, brought it to his lips, hesitated, and took a small sip, letting the cooled liquid glide over his tongue.

That amount didn't even reach his stomach; it vanished in the esophagus, moistening his dry mouth.

Nothing happened; breathing was steady, and the rhythmic heartbeat was contained within the chest. Kraft realized he was overthinking; perhaps boiling itself was not a good method for extracting active ingredients, and after dilution, it was already quite safe.

He lifted the glass container again and drank a large mouthful; the liquid level dropped by a quarter. Under Dai Wei's curious and concerned gaze, he pressed his left radial artery to estimate his heart rate.

【About sixty beats per minute】

Completely within the normal range. The excellent body produced locally had a clockwork heart rate, normally maintained at the lower limit of the normal range, around sixty beats per minute.

Feeling slightly reassured, the professor picked up the third-diluted medicinal liquid, drank a sip, and closed his eyes to feel for changes in his body.

【Still over sixty beats】

Was it really just a psychological effect?

Kraft simply drank half the liquid in the cup, calmed his mind, and began counting again.

After more than half a day of screening, medicine-making, and several emotional ups and downs, he felt he should already be somewhat weary, yet when he closed his eyes, sleepiness did not arrive as promised; his brain subconsciously counted, conjuring various images from the shifting light spots on the back of his eyelids.

The nervous system remained slightly excited; after closing his eyes, some sensations became clearer: the tactile pulse at his fingertips, and feelings that only appeared during slight movement or intense emotion. Something seemed to be throbbing on both sides of his skull, gradually developing into mild pain; that was a sign of arterial fullness and rising blood pressure.

He performed another count.

【Less than sixty beats】

Probably around fifty-four to fifty-six beats, slightly low; for someone who exercises regularly, a heart with stronger pumping function needs a lower heart rate to maintain supply.

But this was a sign.

Kraft swirled the liquid in the cup. He could have used safer but more troublesome methods, but those took too long; the idea of immediately witnessing the birth of a famous drug from later generations overrode any possible slight risk.

One-third of the medicinal liquid disappeared into his mouth, sliding cold down his esophagus into the digestive tract.

【Fifty beats】

A few minutes later, Kraft finally detected a noticeable slowing of the heart rate.

Dai Wei spoke up to remind him: "Professor, your face is turning a bit red."

In fact, no reminder was needed; he could feel that effects significant enough to be described as "warm" were being produced within his body. The heart muscle operated more slowly and powerfully, like arms lifting heavy weights, pumping out large amounts of blood.

Cardiac output improved; reflected in heart failure patients, this would manifest as improved physical strength, as if the body had been nourished and regained its former vitality.

But Kraft preferred to call it "inhibition of the sodium-potassium pump." The drug regulated myocardial contractility by interfering with cardiac electrophysiology; it could improve symptoms, but held little significance for improving prognosis or extending lifespan.

If intake continued until reaching a toxic dose, completely opposite effects would appear—the heart rate would instead begin to accelerate, leading to rapid ventricular arrhythmia; at that point, antagonistic drugs would be needed.

As for where the antagonistic drugs were? Sorry, there truly were none now; they were not things that could be produced by boiling.

So it was time to stop.

In memory, a whole category of heart-strengthening drugs, the legendary plant source mentioned in the margins of textbooks and lesson plans, had arrived before his eyes at the moment of greatest need.

It might be the oldest anti-heart-failure drug; its use for treating edema was discovered long ago, while its specific pharmacological mechanism was only clarified in modern times.

Kraft raised the glass container, feeling a slight headache akin to drunkenness, unable to distinguish whether it was the drug's effect or emotional excitement. "May I rename it?"

"Uh, theoretically, as the discoverer of its clear pharmacological effect, you can name the derivative drug..."

"Let's call it Digitalis."

"What does that mean? I thought you would use a family surname or your own name." Dai Wei still hadn't figured out exactly what had happened; he only knew that an effect had indeed been produced, but he instinctively resisted the act of adding a completely new term and increasing the difficulty of exams.

"Don't ask; this name is familiar!" Having confirmed the plant's identity, a flood of ideas sprang forth one after another, from quantified dosing to diagnosing indications under limited conditions, quickly filling his brain's processing threads.

These were things to be used on patients, not something comparable to a mere taste on oneself; they required greater caution and more time.

But it seemed there was something nearby that had a close relationship with human tissue yet was completely not human, perfectly suited to satisfy his exploratory needs.