Tea or tisane: 1 tsp. of dry herb to 1 cup of boiling water, steep for 5 to 10 minutes. The best way to brew the herb is in a teapot or covered kettle, leave the herb loose, pour the boiling water over the top, and strain the tea when putting it into a cup. Tea balls or spoons can be used also, although the water is not able to circulate around the leaves as well. Convenience is the determiner. Tea bags, that you prepare yourself or commercially filled, are another way to make herb tea. Always put a cover over your tea brewing container, otherwise you can loose the essential oils into the air with the steam.
Infusion: 1 pint of boiling water poured over up to 1 ounce of dry leaves or flowers, steep for up to several hours. Always use a covered container, preferably of ceramic, glass, stainless steel or enameled other metal; never aluminum or iron. If you are drinking the infusion on a frequent basis you may want to make a large quantity and then refrigerate the extra to drink as desired. You can make enough for about three days.
Decoction: Simmer up to 1 ounce root, seed or bark in l pint of water for 15 minutes to an hour. Then let the kettle sit off the heat for an hour or more. Strain to drink. This preparation can also be made into quantity and the extra refrigerated.
- Note: There are some roots and seeds that should be infused instead of decocted. These are the fragrant ones, which would loose their essential oil while boiling. The essential oils are an important medicinal part of the remedy. Examples are anise, fennel and fenugreek seeds and valerian and elecampane roots.
Cold infusion: Cold water can be used if the volatile compounds of the herbs are such that they may be lost in the steam or for the mucilaginous slippery elm bark. A sun tea is a cold infusion that is allowed to set in the sunshine to infuse, usually in a glass jar.
Elixer or Syrup:
- 1 cup honey or sugar
- 2 cups herbal infusion or decoction
- ¼ cup ethanol alcohol or 1 cup vegatable gycerine
The alcohol or glycerine is supposed to preserve the preparation, but this should still be kept in the refrigerator to maintain freshness. This makes a cough syrup or just a tasty elixer, on the principle that a “little bit of sugar makes the medicine go down.”
Tincture: Alcohol: Conforming to the standards recommended by the International Protocol as adopted at Brussels, 1902.
- Dried toxic/intense botanical, 1:10 w/v (1 ounce herb to 10 ounces alcohol.
- Dried non-toxic botanical, 1:5 w/v (1 ounce herb to 5 ounces alcohol).
- Fresh botanical, 1:2 w/v (1 ounce herb to 2 ounces alcohol).
The prefered alcohol used for tincturing is 190 proof grain alcohol, which is in turn diluted with distilled water to the correct percentage of alcohol. If you are in a state in which you cannot buy this strong of alcohol, you may have to resort to vodka.
The best method to determine the alcohol content to use is to look it up in an old pharmacopia, printed before 1920 or so (really difficult to find). Here is a list of percentages of alcohol that will disolve the chemical constituants. I was given this list many years ago in a class and have worked with it ever since. These are not absolutes, but can be a help if you are in doubt.
- Tannins and glycosides 25%
- Alkaloids 45%
- Volatile Oils 60%
- Gum resins 90%
Macerate (soak) the finely chopped herbs in the alcohol for 14 days, shake daily. Strain and press all alcohol from herbs. Bottle this and you have your own tincure.
Vinegar: Pour full strength vinegar over finely chopped dry herbs, at a ratio of 1:5, or 1:2 for fresh herbs. Macerate for 14 days, shaking daily. Strain and press all vinegar from the herbs.
Vinegars are facinating to use. The information for preparation above is intended for medincial use, but vinegars are very versatile and useful. Depending on the herbs used you can have a medicine, a salad dressing or a cosmetic preparation. They can be used straight for cooking in any way that you would use a plain vinegar. The cosmetic vinegar is best diluted in half with water before use on your skin or one tablespoon to a cup of water for a hair rinse.
Oil: This is a basic oil preparation, used for massage, bruise, cosmetic and medicinal oils and lip balms, salves and ointments. The choice of oil used depends upon the final product. If it is going to be for healing, such as a salve or ointment, my preference is a good quality olive oil. If it is to be used for massage or cosmetic purposes, I like almond oil. Use a good quality, preferably cold pressed vegatable oil.
- Preserving the oils: Cold press oils can become rancid fairly quickly, depending upon the oil, and should be refrigerated. Another aid in maintaining freshness is to add 1/4 teaspoon of benzoin tincture to one cup of oil or 500 I.U. of vitamin E to one cup of oil.
No-cook method- All herbs should be ground or chopped finely.
- Put the herbs in a clear glass jar.
- Just cover the herbs with good quality vegetable oil (olive, almond safflower, avocado, etc.) Make sure that the herbs are completely submerged in oil, or mold may occur.
- Let the jar sit in a warm, sunny place for 10 to 14 days.
- Filter and press using muslin or some type of filter. Refilter if necessary. Discard herbs.
Cooked method
- Put herbs and oils into a heavy pot.
- Heat at a low heat until herbs are crispy. Watch carefully and stir often.
- Carefully filter and press oil.
Crock Pot
- Put herbs and oils into a crock pot.
- Heat for 2 or 4 hours.
- Carefully filter and press oil.
Salve: Reheat the basic oil gently and add the beeswax and any other additives. 1 ½ cup oil to 1 ounce beeswax.
Lip balm: Same as for salve, only use 1 cup oil to 1 ounce beeswax.
Poultice:
- Apply the fresh, crushed herb to the part due treatment or bandage.
- Prepare standard decoction or infusion and add to slippery elm bark until a thin paste is obtained and bandage.
- Dip a clean cloth into a strong infusion or decoction and wring it almost dry. Apply this to the afflicted area.
Bolus: A suppository for rectum or vagina, made by adding powdered herbs to cocoa butter until it forms a thick, firm pie-dough consistency. Roll into strips about three-quarter of an inch thick and cut into segments one inch long. Place in refrigerator to harden.
Capsules: Caps can be purchased at most herb or health food stores and filled by hand or with a small cap machine. Always drink at least a full glass of water with capsules. These do not work well for the very young, old or digestion-impaired.