Understanding and Using Herbal Medicines, Part 3

The Complete Guide To Herbal Medicines
by Charles W. Fetrow, Pharm.D., Juan R. Avila, Pharm.D.

(Page 3 of 4)

Forms of herbal preparations

Herbs come in various forms, depending on their medicinal purpose and the body system involved. You can buy herbs individually or in mixtures formulated for specific conditions. Herbs may be prepared as tinctures or extracts, capsules or tablets, lozenges, teas, juices, vapor treatments, or bath products. Some herbs are applied topically with a poultice or compress. Others are rubbed into the skin as an oil, an ointment, or a salve.

Tinctures and extracts

An herb placed in alcohol or liquid glycerin is called a tincture or an extract. (Tinctures contain more alcohol than extracts.) Alcohol draws out the herb's active properties, concentrating them and helping to preserve them. Alcohol is cheap, is easily absorbed by the body, and allows the herb's full taste to come through. Alcohol-based tinctures and extracts have an indefinite shelf life.

Liquid glycerin extracts, called glycerites, are an alternative to alcohol extracts and preferred by some people. Most glycerites taste sweet and feel warm on the tongue. They're processed by the body as fat, not sugar — important to diabetics and others who must limit sugar intake.

Glycerin extracts have certain drawbacks. Taking more than 1 ounce (30 milliliters) of glycerin can have a laxative effect. Also, glycerin isn't an efficient solvent for some herbs that contain resins and gums. Such herbs need alcohol for extraction.

Extracts should contain at least 60% glycerin with 40% water to ensure preservation. Glycerin-based extracts have shorter shelf-lives than alcohol-based extracts. An extract that contains citric acid can last for more than 2 years if stored properly.

Tinctures or extracts may be taken as drops in a tea, diluted in spring water, used in a compress, or applied during body massage. If the tincture's alcohol content is a concern — for example, if the remedy is meant for a child — a few drops may be placed in one-quarter cup (60 milliliters) of very hot water and left to stand for 5 minutes. As the tincture stands, most of the alcohol evaporates and the mixture becomes cool enough to drink.

To make an herbal tincture, a glass bottle or jar is filled with herbal parts (cut fresh herbs or crumbled dry herbs), pure spirits, such as vodka, are added, and the container is sealed and placed in a warm area (70° to 80° F [21° to 26.6° C]) for 2 weeks. The mixture should be shaken daily. After 2 weeks, the herbs can be strained out and the residue squeezed out.

Extracts are made with alcohol or water to bring out the herb's essence. (The product label should indicate which base was used.) Extracts have the same advantages and disadvantages as tinctures but are more concentrated and therefore more cost-effective. Because of their strong herbal taste, they're usually diluted in juice or water.

Capsules and tablets

Capsules and tablets contain the ground or powdered form of the raw herb. They are easier to transport and typically are tasteless. The capsule or tablet should be made within 24 hours of milling the herb because herbs degrade quickly.

The best products use fresh herbs, which should be indicated on the label. Capsules can be a hard gel or soft gel made of animal or vegetable gelatin. Most people find capsules easier to swallow than tablets.

Both capsules and tablets may contain a large amount of filler, such as soy or millet powder. Filler makes the herb hard to identify in the powdered form, and an herb of poorer quality may be substituted without your knowledge. Tablets also may contain a binder, such as magnesium stearate or dicalcium. phosphate, which in turn may contain lead. Binders help the herb absorb water and break down more readily for easy absorption in the body.

Capsules or tablets can be swallowed whole, as indicated, or can be mixed with a spoonful of cream-style cereal or applesauce. They also may be dissolved in sweet fruit juice.

Lozenges

Herbal lozenges are nutrient-rich, naturally sweetened preparations that dissolve in the mouth. They come in various formulas, such as cough suppressant, decongestant, or cold-fighting. Most lozenges are boosted with natural vitamin C. The horehound lozenge, one type that has become popular, is used to relieve coughs and minor throat irritation.

Lozenges should be taken as directed by a health care practitioner or herbalist. For self-treatment, follow the directions on the package.

Teas

Herbal teas can be made from most herbs. Teas are used for a wide range of purposes, with formulations aimed at specific conditions or desired effects.

Usually, you prepare the tea by infusion or decoction. Decoction is preferred for denser plant materials, such as roots or bark. To prepare an infusion, let the dried herb steep in hot water for 3 to 5 minutes. To make a decoction, put the herb in a rolling boil of water for 15 to 20 minutes. You may steep teas in a muslin or conventional tea bag or tea ball or use them in their loose form for their fragrant, aromatic flavor.

Some teas taste bitter because they contain alkaloids (for example, goldenseal root) or highly astringent tannins (for example, oak bark). You may want to add honey to sweeten the tea, but don't give honey to a child younger than 18 months because of the risk of infant botulism.

For an infant, you may mix the tea with breast milk or formula and then put it into a bottle, an eyedropper, or an empty syringe (without a needle) and gently squirt the tea into the infant's mouth. Caution: If you're breast-feeding and taking an adult dose of an herbal remedy, keep in mind that the herb may pass through your breast milk to your child. Also remember that, as with any drug, you must use care when deciding whether to give these medicines to an infant or a child.

The Chinese teach that the heat of the water and the taste of the herb enhance its effectiveness. Steeping an herb in hot water draws out its therapeutic essence. With dried herbs, you'll probably want to use 2 heaping tablespoons of herb for every cup of tea, unless the product label directs otherwise. Place the dried herbs in a china or glass teapot or cup (plastic or metal containers aren't suitable for steeping). Immerse in 8 ounces (237 milliliters) of freshly boiled water for each cup and cover.

When using leaf or flower herbs, steep for 5 to 10 minutes. With roots or bark, simmer or boil for 10 minutes, and then steep for 5 minutes longer. After steeping, strain the tea and let it cool to a comfortable temperature before drinking. If you're going to place a tincture or extract in the tea, let the cup of hot water sit for 5 minutes so the alcohol will evaporate. You can drink herbal teas hot, cold, or iced, depending on the purpose and instructions.

When using fresh herbs, remember that three parts of a fresh herb generally equal one part of a dried herb. Bark, root, seeds, and resins must be powdered (to break down the cell walls) before they're added to water. Seeds should be slightly bruised to release the volatile oils. You may infuse an aromatic herb in a pot with a tight lid to reduce the loss of volatile oil through evaporation. Because roots, wood, bark, nuts, and certain seeds are tough, they should be boiled in water to release their properties.

Juices

Juices are made by washing fresh herbs under cold running water, cutting them with scissors into suitable pieces, and running them through a juice extractor until they turn into a liquid. Usually, herbal juices are taken by placing a few drops in tea or spring water. They also may be applied externally by dabbing them on the affected body part.

Ideally, you should drink fresh juices immediately after extraction. However, you also may store them in a small glass bottle, corked tightly, and refrigerate for several days to minimize breakdown of ingredients.

Copyright © 2000 by Springhouse Corporation

About the Author

Charles W. Fetrow, Pharm.D., is coordinator of pharmacokinetics, outpatient anticoagulation, and drug evaluation services at St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh. Dr. Fetrow teaches pharmacology topics at St. Francis and at Duquesne University.

Juan R. Avila, Pharm.D., Formerly an assistant professor at Shenandoah University and Duquesne University and a clinical pharmacy specialist at St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, is now medical therapeutics liaison for Sanofi-Synthelabo Pharmaceuticals in New York.