How to Make Herbal Preparations by water01 ..... Natural Healing & Herbal Solutions w/Unyquity
Date: 6/10/2010 12:37:32 AM ( 14 y ago)
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How to make Herbal Preparations
Dr. Schulze
I wrote the following information on how to make herbal preparations over 20 years ago and used it for teaching students. This is the first time it has ever been available to the public. I have updated it and simplified it for the lay person.
If I could give you one word of advice it would be not to be afraid
to make some herbal preparations. Whether you make every herbal
preparation you need, or a few, or just play with it as a hobby it doesn't matter. You will probably find that even your mistakes are better than what is commercially available. And if, God forbid, the day ever arises that you can't get what you need, this information could save your life.
The vast majority of what you need to know is covered on the video tapes; this is just to clarify a few points and give you some specific measurements and formulae.
Herbal Snuffs for Nasal Draining
Herbal Snuffs for nasal congestion have been used for hundreds of years. They are, basically, herbs in a finely powdered state which sometimes have an essential oil added. Most of the snuffs I made and used in the clinic over the years were for decongesting and draining of the sinus cavity.
One of my favorites was goldenseal root powder and bayberry bark powder, with a tiny bit of cayenne pepper and garlic added. This snuff disinfects and decongests the sinus cavities.
Take a small jar and put into it seven tablespoons of finely powdered goldenseal root and 7 tablespoons of finely powdered bayberry bark. The cayenne and garlic add intensity to the formula and the amounts should be judged by your ability to tolerate it. The amounts I added in the clinic were one tablespoon of 150,000 H.U. cayenne powder and one tablespoon of garlic powder. Although this amount may seem a bit extreme, for some it works!
Shake the jar and mix the powder well.
Infusions
When we speak of infusions we mean making a common tea.
Take an amount of herb, pour boiling water over it, and let it steep.
An infusion can be made with cold water, as a sun tea, or by using boiling water.
A basic formula for making an infusion is to use one teaspoonful of dried herb or two teaspoons of fresh herb to the cup of water. Pour the boiling water into a cup with the herbs (a tea ball may be used), cover, and let steep for 15-30 minutes. When making a cold infusion or sun tea, let the herbs remain in the water 1 to 4 hours before straining.
We use infusions with herb parts out of which the medicinal qualities are easy to extract, such as leaves and flowers (example: peppermint leaves or chamomile flowers). If we were to simmer or boil these sensitive parts of herbs, we would have their valuable healing chemicals in the air of our kitchen but not in our cup of tea.
When we want to make a tea out of the harder parts of plants, such as the twigs, branches, barks and roots, then we make a decoction.
Decoctions
A decoction is also an herbal tea, but it is designed for the harder parts of herbs such as the barks, roots, twigs, berries, fruit, nuts, etc.
With these parts of herbs, an infusion may not extract all the medicinal properties; they are locked into the harder parts of the plants.Therefore, we need to apply more heat for a longer period of time.
A basic decoction is made by adding 1/2 to 1 ounce (1 to 4 tablespoons) of dried herb to 1 1/2 pints of cold water (the extra 1/2 pint covers the evaporation in boiling). It is best to let the herbs soak and re-hydrate in the water up to 12 hours, if you have the time, and then slowly bring it up to a boil. Let it simmer between 10 and 30 minutes.
For infusions, decoctions, and any other herbal preparations you make that require water, it is best to use the emptiest water. Your first choice would be distilled water; a very close second would be reverse osmosis, and then filtered. Mineral and spring waters are very saturated (full) with minerals and, therefore, dissolve less plant chemicals than the empty waters.
Fomentations (compresses)
A fomentation is basically an herbal infusion or decoction applied externally using a piece of cloth, gauze, or towel, always using natural fibers such as cotton or wool.
Fomentations can be made with any liquid at any temperature but generally we use a hot herbal tea made with water. Other possibilities are to make the fomentation with various oils (castor oil is one of my favorites), apple cider vinegar, diluted essential oil, or fresh fruit or vegetable juices; use your imagination.
To make an herbal tea fomentation, you first make an infusion or decoction as previously described. Then, dip a piece of cloth in the solution; the size of the cloth should be in proportion to the area of the body you want to cover. Wring out the excess liquid and apply this cloth to the affected area of the body. You may wish to keep the tea hot in order to keep dipping the cloth back in it and reapplying it when the cloth gets cool; this can be done every few minutes. Also, a heavy towel placed over the fomentation will help it retain its heat.
A nice way to increase circulation to an area is to place an ice cold wet cloth or ice pack on the area for 2 to 8 minutes followed with an application of the hot fomentation for 5 to 10 minutes.
You may decide at some point to leave the fomentation on for a longer period of time (like overnight). In this case, you may want to cover it with other towels or even plastic to keep the area warm and wet.
Even a hot water bottle can be applied over the fomentation to keep it warm. Over the years my patients have come up with thousands of ways to keep poultices on all night from ski caps on the head to elastic ace bandages. Use your imagination.
Fomentations are wonderful hydrotherapy and with using different water temperatures you have a wonderful aid for increasing blood flow and circulation. Fomentations can be used for stiff or torn muscles, burns, cuts, bruises, scrapes, broken and cracked bones, internal organs, glandular areas, general pain, etc.
Castor oil fomentations are great eliminative routines. Oil-soaked cloth, usually hot, can be placed over the liver, kidneys, intestines, appendix, lungs, etc., and will assist in elimination.
Using hot water or liquids in a fomentation relaxes tight muscles, draws blood to the surface of the skin, increases circulation in that area, and opens up congestion. Heat is also drawing and aids in pulling impurities from the body. One of my favorites to use is cayenne and ginger with other herbs to really increase the blood flow to an area.
A cold fomentation constricts the blood flow and circulation to the area and drives the blood deep below the surface. It can soothe discomforts caused by too much heat (burns, sunburns, inflammation, etc.) and also increase circulation to reduce unwanted swelling and pain.
Suppositories, Boluses and Pessaries
Suppositories, boluses, and pessaries are basically herbal poultices used internally. They are generally made with a mucilaginous herb base like slippery elm or an oil base like coconut oil or cocoa butter.
They are inserted into body openings (vagina, rectum, nasal opening, ears, mouth, etc.) to distribute their herbal power to internal areas.
In making your bolus, you will want your herbs FINELY powdered so the bolus will be as smooth as possible. You will want to add something to the mixture to give it a slippery consistency.
A soft bolus can be made by adding slippery elm bark powder to your herbal mixture. Slippery elm is very mucilaginous when mixed with water and is a great soothing, healing, and nutritional agent. If you desire a harder bolus, as is sometimes preferred in the rectal and vaginal areas, coconut oil works the best.
Take a jar of coconut oil and place the jar in a bowl of hot water. In a short time the oil will melt; Depending on your air temperature, it may already be in a liquid state.
Mix the melted coconut oil with the finely powdered herbs you choose into a dry pie dough consistency. Shape and form the herb mixture into the size and shape of the suppository you desire. (This can vary greatly depending on the area in which they are to be used and the size of the individual.)
Place the individual boluses on a piece of wax paper, stainless steel, or glass plate and refrigerate them. Refrigeration will make them hard. When you want to use one, take it out of the refrigerator, hold it between your fingers for just a few seconds (the coconut oil will begin to melt) and insert the bolus. Use some olive oil to lubricate the area of insertion first.
When the bolus is inside of the body, the body temperature will cause the coconut oil to melt rapidly and the herbs will be dispersed.
Suppositories are commonly used for rectal cleansing, hemorrhoids, vaginal infections, irritation, inflammation, and problems with the whole reproductive area.
Douches and Enemas
Douches and enemas are liquid injections into the vagina and rectum, usually in the form of infusion or decoction, vegetable, nut and seed oils, or aloe vera gel.
These injections can be used to wash out a bolus, to cleanse the area, and to supply the area with herbal, medicinal, and nutritional properties.
Rectal injections can be extremely important. In some cases, when a person cannot accept liquids, food, and medicinal agents orally, they can be fed through a bowel injection.
Herbal Syrups
A syrup is basically an infusion or a decoction and, sometimes, a tincture to which maple syrup, vegetable glycerine, honey, or sugar has been added. These substances are added mainly to preserve the solution, but also give the liquid a thicker, stickier, and more coating consistency and make it much more palatable to children.
I prefer maple syrup over the others and used it successfully in my clinic for years. If you use glycerin make sure it is vegetable, not animal or petroleum derived.
Usually, adding maple syrup (1/4 to 1/2 of the volume) will work perfectly. I can get most children to swallow any herbal tincture just by adding 1/2 or 50% maple syrup.
You can make a very strong syrup by simmering down your decoction to less than its original amount before adding the syrup. If you "slowly" simmer your decoction down to 1/2 its original amount, you have what used to be referred to as a 3 power decoction. If you simmer your 3 power decoction down to 1/2 this amount you will have a 7 power decoction. By adding maple syrup to this you have 3 & 7 power syrup.
Always try to find organic maple syrup; it must be 100% pure maple syrup.
Herbal Oils
What I will explain here is the extraction of oil from herbs. I prefer to use olive oil; almond works well, too. A common oil extraction is oil of garlic. There are many other types of oil extractions you can make in a similar way. It is most important that your herbs are either dried or that, when fresh, the liquid in the herbs mixes well with oil. Water in your oil will be a sure way to have spoilage and problems.
In making a garlic oil, you peel, cut, and chop many cloves of garlic; then cover the bottom of a bowl with at least 1 inch of cloves. I use glass or Pyrex bowls. Don't use any container the solution can react badly with, like aluminum.
Cover the garlic with your oil and set it in a warm place for 1 to 3 days. Cover with gauze or cheesecloth to keep bugs out. You can place it in a warm oven that is turned off or over a heat register, as long as it doesn't get too hot.
Occasionally, I like to mash the garlic with a potato masher to squeeze out all the "goodness." When you feel the oil is right, strain your mixture through cheesecloth or cotton and bottle. If you refrigerate this, it will keep longer.
Oils can be made from any herb bark, stem, leaf, root, etc.
With some herbs, you will definitely want to heat the oil to a higher temperature for varying amounts of time but never above 120 degrees.
Generally you will want to steep your herbs in your oil for 14 days with the moons, the same way as described in detail in the tincture section.
Oils are great remedies for internal use and wonderful for external applications (wounds, infections, skin problems, massage, etc.).
Making a good oil takes time and practice. When you turn out a good one, your time and patience are rewarded.
Commercial essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, and thousands of others are usually made by steam distillation. It can take hundreds of pounds of herbs to make only a few ounces. For the most part you are better off buying good quality essential oils. They make nice additions to the herbal oils you make. A few drops added to your oils is a nice finishing touch.
Herbal Salves, Ointments and Balms
In the 1970's, the California State Department of Health (and I'm sure this will be followed by the U. S. Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration) decided that the words "salve", "ointment", "unguent", and probably "balm" indicate a medicinal substance and can be used only in a pharmaceutical preparation.
You will notice in the herbal industry ointments and salves generally have odd and creative names such as herbal savvy green goo, and unpetroleum jelly.
Herbal salves, ointments, and balms are the most often used of the herbal preparations. With the oil soluble medicinal properties of the herbs, suspended into the preparations, we have a multi-versatile product.
A general purpose herb salve could be used for cuts, bruises, scrapes, burns, sunburn, insect bites and stings, plant irritations, sore or rough skin, and dry skin. We can also make salves to draw out poisons, vapor salves for the nose, salves for eczema and dermatitis, lip salves — the possibilities are endless! Like tinctures, salves are great for herbal first-aid kits and first-aid applications.
How to make Ointments
Some herbalists prefer the old cast iron pots, others prefer stainless steel double boilers. Some use a crock pot plugged into a light dimmer switch which gives me a variable control on the temperature. Whichever vessel you choose, it is helpful to have a food thermometer that ranges from at least 80 degrees to 160 degrees F. You can get one in almost any grocery store that ranges from 0 degrees to 220 degrees F.
Let's assume that your herbs have been brewing in your oil in a jar for the last two weeks; you started on the new moon and it is now the full moon. Strain your oil through a cotton cloth and a stainless strainer. You may want to do this a few times because usually you don't want a "gritty" salve. At this point you have a decision to make.
Dr. Christopher frequently talks of single power, 3 power and 7 power ointments. To make a 3 power ointment, strain the oil and herb mixture when it's done and then add more dried herb to this solution and let it "brew" all over again. When you strain this solution you have a 3 power ointment which is much stronger medicinally than your regular ointment.
To make a 7 power ointment, repeat the process with your 3 power oil and strain. Now you have a 7 power solution. Whichever you choose to make, always strain your oil well, pressing and squeezing the oil saturated herbs because the rich properties can cling to the herbs.
Next, put the amount of beeswax you are going to use into a separate, small pan and heat until it is melted, being careful not to overheat or burn it. Some beeswax takes up to 140 degrees to melt.
In the meantime, warm the herbal oil that you pressed out to about 120 degrees and then slowly pour in the melted beeswax and stir during this process. Many try to melt the beeswax in the herbal oil. This works but you have to heat the oil way too hot so the 2 pan method works much better.
You definitely want to make a test pouring, which could save you a lot of time and mess. Take a sample of your solution and pour into it a small container or just drip some on the counter top and it will harden quickly. See if it's the consistency that you want. You can always add more beeswax but you can't go the other way.
Putting Ointments into Jars
When you feel your consistency is right, ladle or pour your solution (a glass laboratory pipette works well) into your containers.
A glass turkey baster works just as well. 1/4 oz., 1 oz., 2 oz., or 6 oz. wide mouth jelly jars — use any container that suits your needs. Don't move or mess with your jars after you have poured you ointment or it will crack and puddle. Leave the clean up for later. Leave the tops off until the ointment is hard.
Seal your containers tightly. Dr. Christopher has always suggested that with ointments, tinctures, syrups, or any herbal preparation you want to store for a long time to seal with paraffin wax. You can do this by heating up a vessel of paraffin wax and dipping your sealed jar or bottle upside down into the hot wax. This makes a long lasting air tight seal.
Making an essential oil ointment is very easy. You can either add the essential oils before you add the beeswax or after. That's all. When making your first ointment, an essential oil "Vapor Balm" is a good one to start with.
Herbal Tinctures
Herbal Tinctures are technically fluid extract of herbs. Where we use water to extract in an infusion or decoction, we add alcohol to the water or apple cider vinegar, when making a tincture.
There are many advantages of tinctures over infusions and decoctions. One is that there are many medicinal properties in herbs that are not water soluble. While many of the chemical properties of herbs do dissolve in water, there are also some important properties that do not. In fact, many essential oils, resins, alkaloids, steroids, etc., dissolve better in a water/alcohol base and some don't dissolve in water at all.
Like infusions and decoctions, the medicinal properties in tinctures can be digested and assimilated easier than consuming herbal capsules or the raw herbs, especially if a person's digestion is bad.
The medicinal properties of herbs in a tincture get into the bloodstream the fastest, almost instantly. Unlike infusions and decoctions, tinctures are quick; they are already made up and on hand. This makes them invaluable for first aid kits and emergency applications.
Tinctures are also much more concentrated than teas. As little as 2-3 drops of good tincture can equal and excel the medicinal properties of a whole cup of tea. Tinctures made with an alcohol base are also good antiseptics for open wounds.
The alcohol we use to make tinctures is grain alcohol. This means it is distilled from a fermented grain "mash." Denatured, isopropyl (rubbing alcohol), or methyl (wood alcohol) are never used because they are poisonous.
Although all herbal medicinal chemicals are best extracted in various percentages of alcohol, the standard tincture solvent solution (base) is 50% grain alcohol and 50% water. 50% alcohol is equal to 100 proof (Alcohol % x 2 equals the proof or proof divided by 2 equals the alcohol %.)
Many people have used 80 proof (40%) alcohol solutions successfully throughout the years and for most herbs this will make a great tincture. Dr. Christopher always said to use 90 proof (45%) alcohol or better. When your end cost per ounce will be so little anyway, I suggest using 100 proof vodka which is a 50/50 solution of grain alcohol and water.
For people who have an emotional aversion to consuming alcohol, I will make the following statements...
Grain alcohol dissolves and extracts certain important phytochemicals (plant chemicals) better than just water alone. For example, the diosgenin in discorea villousa is only soluble in alcohol, not in water. Alcohol also preserves tinctures and gives them an almost indefinite shelf life, at least over 5 years.
The actual amount of alcohol per dosage of 30 to 60 drops is so small that there is more in some mouthwashes. This dosage has been tested on people who are alcohol sensitive with no adverse reactions. It is also a safe amount for anyone in a 12 step program or Alcoholics Anonymous.
Vodka, by law, can be nothing more than grain alcohol and water; this is the reason why it is the choice of most herbalists. It is obviously a very safe alcohol also, because it is specifically designed for human consumption.
Other whiskeys may contain the correct amount of alcohol but also contain impurities, colorings, flavorings, preservatives, and toxic substances. Gin is grain alcohol flavored with juniper, but also may contain other additives. Dr. Christopher used to suggest brandy (distilled grape wine). Although it has been used for hundreds of years for tinctures, modern brandies usually contain many additives (colors, preservatives, flavors, etc.).
So, vodka is our best and purest grain alcohol base. Everclear, or pure grain spirits, is available in some areas of the United States. It can range from 150 to 190 proof (75-95% alcohol). It can be used straight or diluted with distilled water to make tinctures.
Some herbal properties, such as gums and resins, will release properties better at this higher alcohol content.
Pure apple cider vinegar (acetic acid) is also a good tincture base for certain herbs, especially lobelia inflata. It is not as strong a solvent as grain alcohol. Tinctures made with vinegar are less drying to the skin; they can be nice for liniments, and are slightly antiseptic.
Always use a health food store brand of pure apple cider vinegar. Naturally aged, unfiltered and raw, organic, and not distilled, if possible.
One main problem I have with apple cider vinegar tinctures, especially my Super Tonic (garlic, cayenne, ginger root, onion and horseradish) is that they taste so delicious that I drink them all and "eat" my profits. Also, the people who buy them from me don't have colds; they just know a good salad dressing when they taste one.
In most cases, the best way to make a tincture is using fresh herbs. This can be simply done by putting fresh herbs in a blender, adding your water/alcohol solution, and then just turning the blender on. By turning your herbs and solution into this herbal appeases, more alcohol solution will reach individual cells of the plant and make a stronger tincture than if you jut dropped a whole root in a jar andcovered it with alcohol.
If you have dried herbs and want to powder them, an inexpensive way to do this is with an electric coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. If you use an electric type of grinder be careful not to "cook" your herbs in the grinding process. You could brake the blades off with hard roots. If you are going to be making many tinctures, you are best off making them all separately. Specifically, you are better off making separate lobelia, valerian root, skullcap, wild lettuce, hops and cayenne tinctures, than putting them all together in one jar. If you make them all together, you have a nice antispasmodic, nervine formula; but, if you make them separately, you could have just a straight emetic formula (lobelia), a stimulant formula (cayenne), a pain formula (wild lettuce and valerian root), an insomnia formula (hops and valerian) or any number of different combinations.
Making the Tincture
The first thing to remember is that making a tincture is fun. You are going to put your love and "good energy" into making this preparation. If you are all "nerved up" and in a bad mood, your tincture will taste like it.
Most proportion rules in the past have been 4 ounces of dried herb to one pint (16 ounces) of alcohol or 8 ounces of herb to a quart (32 ounces). Herbs have many varying weights and densities, which makes this type of formula ridiculous. What I have found to work best over the years is simply my half to full rule. Blend your herbs with your alcohol and then pour the solution into a big glass jar.
I let it settle for a day to see where the herbs end and the liquid
starts. You want the herbs to settle at least halfway up to the top of the jar. If they settle to less, add more herbs.
If you want a stronger tincture, then make sure the herbs settle to 3/4 of the way to the top; a really strong tincture could be all pulp, like applesauce. This rule has worked better for me in my pharmacy over the years than all the rules in every herb book I have read.
You need to use your common sense when putting a tincture together. Eight ounces of mullein or red raspberry leaf may not even fit into a quart jar, so you have to use your best judgment. Follow my 1/2 to full method and you will never fail.
Common, inexpensive tincture jars are one (1) quart canning jars. A clear glass jar lets you observe the tincture as it's "working" and is okay to use as long as you keep it in a dark place, out of sunlight. Do not use plastic, metal, or any other type of container that your base (alcohol) may react with undesirably.
Pour your solvent over the herbs and seal the jar. It should be shaken vigorously for several minutes to make sure there are no clumps of herb that have stuck together.
At this point you can open the jar and usually add more alcohol or herbs. Once your jar is fully packed, it is NOT to be reopened until the tincture is done. From this point on until it is finished, it should be shaken at least three (3) times daily or, as Dr. Christopher said, "every time you walk by it."
The tincture is left in the jar for two weeks. Start the tincture on the new moon and squeeze it out on the full moon (Many tests have been done by Dr. Christopher and myself as to the strength and potency of tinctures in relationship to the time they "brewed" and the phases of the moon; in all cases, those made in accordance with the phases of the moon made the strongest tincture.)
Obviously, most manufacturers of commercial tinctures nowadays, who use a 3 or 4 day "special process" and ignore the moon phases, are making a highly inferior product.
There are many astrological books and almanacs that give the times of the New Moon and Full Moon, although you may have to calibrate these times to your local area.
Most herbalists don't get too critical on the time, but go just by the day of the Full Moon. It is nice to keep a record of your tinctures as well as your other herbal preparations. I record the amounts of herbs, where I got them, the amount of base and % of alcohol, the date, and any other pertinent information. This logging of information could lead you to making fairly consistent tinctures.
The big complaint the A.M.A. and FDA. have of herbal preparations is that they are not standardized.
Even if you make a preparation the same exact way each time, you can't rely on the herbal medicinal properties being in the same quantity from one bunch of herbs to another. How Wonderful!!! This is nature's beautiful way of adjusting not only the chemical properties of herbs from season to season, but also the chemical properties to the local area for the local people.
We are not all living in the same climate, doing the same things, eating the same foods, etc. Personally, I would rather experiment with a dosage of a natural remedy than take any of the poisonous, isolated, synthesized chemicals the pharmaceutical industry has to offer.
You will first want to filter your tincture well through a natural fiber like cotton or through paper coffee filters (brown unbleached ones only.) Laboratory grade filters work well, too. Let's not forget the old
cotton diaper cloth — it works great. If you use a funnel, use a glass one, not plastic or metal.
Bottle your tinctures in amber glass jars with tight lids. Laboratory polyseal are good airtight, leakproof tops. I usually put my tinctures in 16 oz. or 32 oz. amber glass jars and then pour or mix them into 1 or 2 oz. amber bottles with glass droppers as needed. A glass dropper is necessary You don't want a plastic dropper sitting in your tinctures or you will end up with a nice tincture of plastic.
Always label your tincture preparation jar, your tincture storage jars, and your 1 oz. or 2 oz. dosage jars to identify the type of tincture in them. I also include the base used, % of alcohol, and the date of bottling. An unlabeled tincture is dangerous and can be an unpleasant "surprise."
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