Making Herbal Tinctures- Lesson 1: The Basics

Greetings, and welcome to lesson 1 of the Making Herbal Tinctures series. This lesson plan was developed to help you gain a better understanding of how herbal tinctures work, their uses, and how you can make your own herbal tincture medicine chest.

Before beginning your journey into herbal tincture making, you should first understand the basics of this age-old practice, which we will begin discussing right now.

What is an herbal tincture?

A tincture is a liquid extract created from herbs whose active constituents have been extracted into alcohol. These extracts are taken orally, and are safe to use by individuals of all ages.

Tinctures are generally taken under the tongue, where they are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Many herbal tinctures will have immediate effects, such as those created to relieve headaches. A nutritive tincture builds in nature and is designed to be used over a long-term period.

Do tinctures always contain alcohol?

Many individuals are concerned with the amount of alcohol used in a tincture. They do not want to give their children a medication containing this particular ingredient. However, the amount of alcohol you will receive from taking an herbal tincture is the same amount that can be found in an overly ripe banana. It will not harm anyone.

Adding a dose of an herbal tincture to half a cup of water, and then letting it sit for 30 minutes, will allow the alcohol to evaporate, leaving behind only the active herbal properties. For individuals with a severe intolerance to alcohol, this is a popular method of still being able to utilize this effective form of treatment.

Many liquid herbal products do not contain alcohol, and use vegetable glycerin or apple cider vinegar in its place. This is not a true tincture; it is an extract. The active constituents of many herbs need a potent solvent in order to be properly extracted, and alcohol is the only way to do this.

Isn't Alcohol Harmful?

The alcohol used in tinctures is not harmful. When I make reference to the term alcohol in regards to an oral herbal preparation, I am referring to grain alcohol used for drinking, not to isopropyl alcohol, which is normally found in your bathroom medicine cabinet.

What is the shelf-life of an herbal tincture?

Generally speaking, any herbal tincture has a shelf life of 5 years if stored properly. Tinctures should be stored in dark glass bottles, away from heat and light.

What is the dosage amount for herbal tinctures?

Dosage amounts for herbal tinctures depends on the age of the person taking them. However, the following are a few basic guidelines.

Dosage Amounts for Children
All dosages should be taken 3 times per day, unless otherwise specified.
Younger than 3 months: 2 drops
3 to 6 months: 3 drops
6 to 9 months: 4 drops
9 to 12 months: 5 drops
12 to 18 months: 7 drops
18 to 24 months: 8 drops
2 to 3 years: 10 drops
3 to 4 years: 12 drops
4 to 6 years: 15 drops
6 to 9 years: 24 drops
9 to 12 years: 30 drops

Dosage Amount for Adults
60 drops

Are herbal tinctures safe for pregnant or nursing women?

Most definitely. Earlier, I stated that the alcohol content in an herbal tincture dose is extremely low. Herbal tinctures have been proven to be safe for pregnant and nursing women time and time again. However, this only holds true if they are made from herbs that are not contraindicated during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Which herbs are harmful when used during pregnancy? We will discuss all of those later.

How are tinctures made?

Tinctures are generally made by soaking plant material in a solvent to extract the volatile oils. Depending on the type of herb used the extraction time will vary, as will the amount of herbs and solvent used. Later, you will learn all about making tinctures.

What can tinctures treat?

A tincture can be made to treat any known ailment. If there is an herb in existence that can treat an ailment, it can be made into a tincture.

Hopefully this has helped you to gain a better understanding of herbal tinctures. They are a wonderful healing modality, and should be a staple of any natural healer's medicine chest.

Coming up in Lesson 2- how to make your own herbal tincture.