How to Make an Herbal Tincture

Tinctures are a popular way to use medicinal herbs.  I make a variety of tinctures for myself, family and friends.  I love the sense of self-sufficiency that comes out of making my own medicinals.  There are a variety of opinions and methods for making tinctures, I’m going to share what I do.

The basic idea of a tincture is that the herb material is soaked in some type of alcohol for a few weeks.  The medicinal parts of plants are drawn out by both water and alcohol. By using an 80 or 100 proof alcohol, you actually have a liquid that is part water and part alcohol-perfect for drawing out the medicinal constituents of the herb.

Your work is to locate good quality, organic herbs, get a quart glass jar, buy some 80 or 100 proof alcohol (vodka is a standard), and commit to shaking the bottle of herbs and alcohol once or twice a day while the tincture is soaking. Once the tincture is ready, you just strain it, saving the liquid, and store it in a glass jar.

Here we go, step by step:

I am making a tincture of the herb Astragalus, also known as “Huang Qi”  in Chinese.  The part of the plant that is used is the root. I purchased my organic Astragalus root from the Crane Herb Company.

Here is the dried, cut astragalus:

Step 1. Put the dried herb into a glass jar

Step 2. Pour alcohol into the jar:

Step 3. Cover and label with herb and date

Step 4. Shake your mixture once or a twice a day.  Store this mixture in a dark cool place.

How long do you let the mixture soak? Generally, for roots and barks, I give the tincture 6 weeks to soak and mix. For twigs and leaves, 4 weeks. The concept is that heavier parts of the plant need a longer time than the lighter parts.  These times are my times, other herbalists will recommend longer or shorter times.

Step 5. Strain off the plant material- SAVE THE LIQUID- this is the medicinal product that will used later.

Step 6. Put the liquid tincture back into a clean glass jar and label it with the name of the herb and the date.

Tinctures can be poured off into smaller bottles for easier use and transport.  I put tinctures into 2oz. dropper bottles.  The usual dose of a tincture is measured by drops.  25-30 drops is an average dose for many types of herbs.  In order to know how much of an herb to use and what to use it for, consult a qualified herbalist, and take some training yourself.

References:

The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook, by James Green is an excellent text for making all types of herbal products.

Introduction to Alternative Medicine- my online course that includes “Getting Started with Herbs”.

Tags: astragalus, huang qi, tincutre