by Raynie Andrewsen

Created on: May 26, 2009

Herbal tinctures are used in alternative medicine and as nutritional supplements. Tinctures are a highly concentrated form of either a single herb or an herbal combination in a potent liquid form. Alcohol is the most common base used but a tincture may also be made using vinegar, or a combination of alcohol and glycerin. Tinctures are considered safe because they are the best way to extract and deliver nutrients in a stable, soluble form. They are easily absorbed and used by the body, and retain their active ingredients which can be lost in other extraction methods. They are also economical in that they have a long shelf life and a typical dose is but a few drops. This convenience makes them very popular today. Almost any herb can be made into a tincture using fresh or dried plant material. As a Master Herbalist, I can show you step by step how easy it is to make an herbal tincture.

The first thing you will need to do is gather your ingredients and a few simple kitchen items. You will need a large clean sterile jar with a lid, a clean sterile glass measuring cup with a pour spout, unbleached muslin cloth, rubber bands or twine, a label and marker, fresh or dried herbs, sterile tincture bottles with dropper caps, and 80 proof vodka. This process will show you how to make an herbal tincture using alcohol as the extraction method. We use 80 proof vodka because it is easy to obtain and approximately 40% alcohol which is adequate for making and preserving a tincture. It is preferable to use 100 to 190 proof alcohols, but it is harder to find. Some herbs that are commonly made into tinctures include: Dandelion, Echinacea, Ginger, Goldenseal, Peppermint, and St. John's wort to name a few. To find some common herbs, fresh or dried, you may look no further than your local grocery store. If you seek something a little more exotic, you may need to check with a local herbalist, an herb shop, natural food or nutrition store, or if you have a China Town district in your neighborhood you can find herbs there. If those methods fail to produce the herb you seek, try looking online.

Once you have decided which herb you will use and gathered your other items, follow these easy steps: first, take 7 ounces of dried herb material and place it in your clean sterile jar. Next, pour 35 ounces of 80 proof Vodka over the herbs. This is called weight to volume and is important to know for the purposes of determining how much of the tincture you will take as a dose.

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