Discussion on Extraction

[Lavender]

No, we're not talking about pulling teeth here. :D By extraction, I'm refering to methods used to bring out the herb's qualities into a form that we can use. Varous methods of extractions includes tincture, decoctions, infusions, essential oils. I thought we could talk about the different forms of such extractions and the menstrua used.

Water is one of the more common menstruum used in herbal extraction. We have infusion and decoction. Usually these are made up as needed and consumed within the same day.

Infusion - If you've ever made tea, you've made an infusion. An infusion is usually made with 1 tsp of dried herbs steeped in 1 cup of boiled water for 10-15 minutes. Herbs are usually strained out before drinking.

Decoction - is used when there are roots and bark involved. Roots and bark are tougher than the leafy herbs so it takes a bit more to extract the goodness out of them. Generally, the water is brought to boiling, reduce to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. If the remedy includes a mix of leafy herbs and roots and bark, the roots and bark are simmered for the prescribed time, removed from heat and the leafy herbs are added to steep.

Tinctures are extractions that are more concentrated. Generally, tincture are made with alcohol but glyercin and apple cider vinegar can be used also. The general ratio of herbs to solvent is usually 1:5. Although, depending on the herbs, I have gone as high as 1:3 for some tinctures. Measure the amount of herbs needed into a jar with a screw top lid. Fill with your liquid of choice. Keep the tincture tightly covered. I like to put a piece of plastic wrap over the top before screwing on the lid. This helps to ensure the lid won't leak. Keep the jar in a warm place & shake it twice a day for two weeks. Strain the mixture using cheese cloth or coffee filters. Store in airtight bottles.

Alcohol - is a very stable solvent to use for tinctures. This is the most popular form. As well, alcohol acts as a preservative to increase the shelf life of the tincture. Alcohol can be combined with water for a greater extraction of materials. Some plant chemicals are solvent in water and others in alcohol. The water/alcohol combination is perfect to extract both types of materials. To maximize this, you will need to study more indepth as to what water/alcohol percentages would work for each herb. But in general, I use a 25 percent alcohol volume if I was using an alcohol/water mix.

Glycerin - chemically, glycerin is considered an alcohol. Although, it tastes sweet, it is not a carbohydrate and contains no sugar. Glycerin is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream so it doesn't cause any great changes in your blood sugar levels. If anyone has any concerns with diabetes, I would recomend they check this out with their doctor before using any glycerin tinctures. Glycerin is an excellent alternative to alcohol in its solvent properties and can be combined with water as well. A good one to use if you're concern about using alcohol for children. Glycerin is an excellent menstruum for herbs containing high amounts of tannins.

*ack! I didn't realize how late it is now! I'm going to have to finish this tomorrow. Sorry about the mid posting. :)*

[Yvonne Belisle]

This is so good that you posted this there is often confusion over these terms

[Lavender]

Vinegar Tinctures - the vinegar is usually apple cider vinegar. This can be used for cooking as well as medicinal herbs. Another good alternative to alcohol. Vinegar tinctures are made using the same proportions and method as alcohol.

Oils - In oils, I'm referring to fixed oils as opposed to essential oils. Fixed oils are from vegetable and/or animal fats. Oil infusions aren't usually considered tinctures.

Traditional Method - Grind the dried herbs as fine as you can. Place the herbs in a clean jar with a screw top lid. Add the fixed oil of choice, enough to completely wet the herbs. Stir & let the herbs settle for a few minutes. Add enough oil to cover the herbs with an extra 1/4 inch. Screw the lid on tightly & place in the sun for about 2 weeks. Shake the jar a couple of times a day. Strain out the herbs and store the oil in airtight containers.

Hot Infusion Method - Follow the same as above except you use a hot water bath instead of sunlight. Leave the lid off for this method. Bring the water to a boil in a double boiler (or bain marie) and lower to simmer. Simmer the oil mxture for 3-4 hours. Strain the herbs & let it cool down completely before pouring it into the storage bottles.

In choosing an oil, think of the properties of the herbs you're infusing. Look at the different properties of the fixed oil & find one that would compliment your herbs. Here are a few of the more common oils.

Olive oil is excellent for dry skin and hair. But most people find the odor a bit strong. Good for strong scented herb like rosemary, basil, thyme, etc.

Apricot Kernel oil contains high amounts of vitamin A. Good facial oil for softening the skin. Good for delicate or mature skin.

Avacado oil is good for dry or mature skin, high in vitamins A, D, & e. Contains lots of protein, carbohydrates, amino acids, etc. Avacado oil penetrates deeply into the skin making it excellent for skin healing herbs. But it does go rancid quickly.

Grapeseed oil is a nice light oil, excellent for sensitive skin and acne skin. It is rich in proteins & vitamins & minerals. Grapeseed oil is quickly absorbed into the skin also. The one drawback to grapeseed is that it tends to go rancid rather quickly. If you're using this oil, add about 1 ml of vitamine E to about 1 cup of oil used.

Jojoba oil is one of my favourite oils. It's actually a liquid wax, solid in cold temperatures and liquid at room temperature. Jojoba has wax esters that are very similar to those your skin contains. Great for hair and skin, good for all skin types. Jojoba has antioxidant properties that when added to other oils, will prolong the shelf life of the other oils. I love using this oil because I can stack up the individually wrapped "cakes" of infused jojoba in my refrigerator for easy storage.

Wheat Germ oil is an excellent antioxidant oil that is high in vitamin E. Great for dry skin & skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. A good oil to use in skin treatments to reduce scarring or stretch marks. It can be added to other oils to prolong their shelf life. Funny enough, it extends the life of other oils but left by itself, it tends to go rancid quickly.

*wow! I really rambled on a bit here, didn't I? :)*

[Faery-Wings]

Ramble away my dear. :) Thanks for posting all that. I always seem to get the terms all mixed up in my head.

...printing.....


Chris

[Old Witch]

I really learned a lot from your "ramblings"............Thanks......

[Lavender]

It's getting to that time of year again where our gardens are just bursting with natural goodness! Just thought I would bump this thread up...what a great way to preserve some of that summer sunshine for those dreary winter days. :)

[Faery-Wings]

I tried the crock pot method of infusuing some olive oil with dried calendula and dried chamomile flowers. Both came out smelling slightly burnt. I'd heard good results with doing this so I was surprised that mine didn't have get that. I had it on low for two hours, turned it off, let it sit and cool, then strained. The first hour I smelled "tea" and then after that, more like burnt tea.

I was bummed.

[Lavender]

It's hard to gauge the temperature in a crock pot. It can be done but it takes a bit of experimentation first in determining the right temp. I've let mine stay on low and monitored the temperature every 15 mins. Once you get the right length of time, the rest is easy.

[Faery-Wings]

Is it better to leave the lid off? I left the lid on since I am used to that for cooking, but now I am thinking lid off would have been better.

[Lavender]

I left the lid of mine just so the pot wouldn't get too hot.

[BellaWild]

This is a great thread!

[IvyCeltress]

Thanks for the info, especially about grapeseed oil, I just found a bottle cheaply at a lebanese grocery and was going to use some if for my body/massage oil.

[Lavender]

It might be ok..take a sniff. You can really tell if it's off. :sick:

[labgoddess]

Hiya :smile:
I just wanted to say thank you so much for posting this thread! :fpraise: I know how to do extractions in the lab, but was kind of nervous as to doing them with out all my aparatus and testing equipment and on such a smaller scale. Plus, most extractions I've done have been with organic solvents, which you don't want too much exposure to. :sick: So, again, thanks for enlightening me!
:ringaroun

[IvyCeltress]

Not to worry, I haven't opened the bottle yet, but be sure I'll add some vitamin e when I do.

[~*Ginger*~]

Oils - In oils, I'm referring to fixed oils as opposed to essential oils. Fixed oils are from vegetable and/or animal fats. Oil infusions aren't usually considered tinctures.

Traditional Method - Grind the dried herbs as fine as you can. Place the herbs in a clean jar with a screw top lid. Add the fixed oil of choice, enough to completely wet the herbs. Stir & let the herbs settle for a few minutes. Add enough oil to cover the herbs with an extra 1/4 inch. Screw the lid on tightly & place in the sun for about 2 weeks. Shake the jar a couple of times a day. Strain out the herbs and store the oil in airtight containers.

This is what i came looking for, only i have a question... (don't I always) ;)

At the moment the only type oil i have on hand is corn oil and vegetable oil, would those work for making up a small batch?

[Lavender]

Either one would work. What kind of vegetable oil do you have?

[Drisel]

I've also heard about essences; what are those exactly?

[~*Ginger*~]

Either one would work. What kind of vegetable oil do you have?
It says soy-bean oil. I'll have to look and see what that might correspond with...
*my grandfather made his living by growing soy-beans, cattle & hay* so unless this has really bad vibes, then it corrsepondes with me. :D

[cag]

keep on rambling, i love it. you have taught me a lot.

[Lavender]

I've also heard about essences; what are those exactly?

The most famous of essenses are the Bach Remedies. In a nutshell, the floral vibrations (or essense) from varous plants are infused in pure water, diluted with alcohol. Using the spiritual part of the plant to treat physical symptoms.

[Drisel]

thank you

[WandererInGray]

Thanks Lavender, great thread!! *smiles*

Do you have an notes on the use of Sesame seed oil as well?

I've found Bach's Rescue Remedy to be some of the best money I've ever spent. Works on humans and animals too.

[Lavender]

If you bought the sessame oil in a healthfood store, it's probably cold pressed. Cold pressing is preferable as it leaves a lot of the vitamins and nutrients intact. The process is a bit more expensive than the hot method but much more worth it. Sesame oil is pressed from the sesame seeds. It has a very delicious nutty odor but that's the same reason why a lot of people don't like using it for anything other than cooking. Sesame oil is really high in vitamin E. Good for dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. It also has a bit of SPF (about 4). It's really a beautiful oil to use in soapmaking as well. I find it blends well with other oils like palm and coconut and it very stable - doesn't go rancid like some other oils of similar compositions.

[MoonIsis]

I've tried a few methods...I first tried the method of putting the herb and oil in a dark colored jar and leaving it in a dark place for about 2 months. Out of hte herbs I tried, cloves and mint worked the best.

I then tried actually heating oil up in a small pan and simmering the herbs in the oil very very slowly. This didn't work so well, and yes, smelled just like oil..when the herbs were cooking however, the smell was wonderful..hmmm

I was thinking of trying the windowsill method next. I am trying to see how you can get a really really strong smell...that's what i'm aiming for.