Extraction methods for herbal remedies
Let me begin by making it clear: you don’t need to be an herbalist or to be studying herbalism to make herbal remedies. In fact, if you’re interested in herbal medicine, it’s encouraged that you experiment with preparing your own herbal remedies. This helps you to become more familiar with the plants. Lots of extraction methods are good, but the method matters - different solvents extract different plant constituents. It irritates me when a vinegar extraction or a glycerite is marketed as a replacement for an alcohol tincture. This often happens because vinegar and glycerin sell better to a wider audience, since they’re appropriate for those who don’t drink any alcohol, or for people who want to have something safe for kids. But ultimately, the end product is not the same, and one is not a replacement for the other. When I see this, I see it as an indication that the producer, while probably well-intentioned, isn’t well-educated on what they are making.
This is easily remedied though: a quick search can provide you with information from thousands of herbalists that are happy to recommend how to best work with various plants. You’ll probably find discrepancies in the information: some herbalists blend their herbs first, or dehydrate them; others just shove them in the jar whole and fresh. Certain plants do better with short hot infusions, others do better in cold long ones. Through experimentation, they have found what works best for them, and in time, you will find what works best for you. As April Graham of Wild Wood Apothecary often says: you are smart enough to do this.
Some general rules: A water extraction is usually appropriate for internal use, but for preservation and topical use, other methods are better. Tinctures are excellent, they are small and concentrated and allow you to get a lot of medicine out of a smaller amount of plant matter. They are also the most portable, so they’re great for travel and sharing. I personally always carry my little bottle of uva ursi in my bag when I’m out of the house.
Here’s a rundown of most herbal solvents and what they’re appropriate for:
Alcohol: This is one of my favorite extraction methods; not only is it highly effective at extracting the maximum amount possible, it’s also great for creating culinary extracts and bitters. Orange peel tincture is medicinal, but it's also a great way to jazz up a cocktail or a citrus cake. The same goes for many other herbs: mint, lemon balm, basil, oregano, rosemary, lavender, etc. Alcohol does a good job of extracting most things besides minerals. It’s a more powerful solvent than vinegar and can extract a broader range of constituents. Alcohol can extract constituents that are not water soluble, like resins, bitters, and volatile oils. Within this category, different plants benefit from being extracted in different alcohol percentages. Some do ok in wine, and other more resinous plants like cottonwood need a higher percentage. For my own purposes, I mostly use 80 proof vodka to extract, but if I were selling them, I would adjust the alcohol percentage accordingly to make the best possible product.
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