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Page 74
| As tinctures are stronger than infusions or decoctions, the dosage to be taken is much smaller, depending on the herb. Tinctures may be used in a variety of ways. They can be taken straight, mixed with water or they can be added to a cup of hot water. If this is done, the alcohol will largely evaporate, leaving most of the extract in the water, possibly making the water cloudy, as resins and other constituents not soluble in water will precipitate. Some drops of the tincture can be added to a bath or footbath, used in a compress or mixed with oil and wax to make an ointment. |
| Another form of alcohol-based medicine are the liquid or fluid extracts. They are much more concentrated than tinctures with one part by volume of the fluid extract being equivalent to one part by weight of the herb. |
| Another way of making a kind of alcohol infusion is to infuse herbs in wine. Even though wine-based preparations do not have the shelf life of tinctures and are not as concentrated, they can be both pleasant to take and effective. |
| Glycerin-based tinctures. Tinctures based on glycerin have the advantage of being milder on the digestive tract and are best for children or for those sensitive to alcohol. However, they have the disadvantage of not dissolving resinous or oily materials very well. As a solvent glycerin is generally better than water but not as good as alcohol. |
| To make a glycerin tincture, make up 1 pint of a mixture consisting of 1 part glycerin and 1 part water, add 4 ounces of the dried ground herb and leave it in a well-stoppered container for 2 weeks, shaking it daily. After 2 weeks, strain and press or wring the residue as with alcoholic tinctures. For fresh herbs, due to their greater water content, put 8 oz. of herbs into a mixture of 75 percent glycerin/25 percent water. |
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