METHODS OF HERBAL PREPARATION:
by Anna Korn
I am thankful to the authors Michael Moore, Rosemary Gladstar, Susun Weed, and to local
teaching herbalists Adam Seller (Bay Area) and Prudence Smith (Massachusetts) for teaching
me. Also to Edward Bach, Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz for flower essence information.
WATER PREPARATIONS:
Herbs (and nearly all patent medicines as well) work quickest in fluid-filled spaces of the body:
hence they are not as effective for bone or cartilidge ailments. Water is, in general, a very good
solvent for many of the herb’s properties, but water will not dissolve resins or oils.
Solar Infusions: Put fresh (or dried) herb in a jar with cool water, place in sun for 1-2 days
Compared with hot infusions, solar infusions seem more alive and pleasant, with subtle non-
acidic flavors, more plant spirit. Adam Seller calls it “Grace in a jar.” I make them all summer.
Lunar Infusions are similar: These enter the realm of lunar magickal influences.and Moon signs.
Suspended Cold Infusions: A density-based convection cell is set up--good for leaves, flowers,
slimy or mucilaginous roots and barks. This method preserves volatiles & mucopolysaccharides:
(Ex.: Althea, Comfrey, Echinacea, slippery Elm bark) Mucopolysaccharides are soothing to
mucosa, stimulate Tcell multiplication, are used in poultices, good for sore throat, UTIs, upset
stomach: 1/2 to 1 oz. herbs to quart jar.
Hot Infusions: Use glass, enamel, stainless steel, or ceramic containers. Boil water, turn off
heat, Infuse herbs in covered container.
1 tsp/cup dried herb (or 2 TBL/cup fresh herb) from 5 min.- 10 min for chamomile, mint, or
beverage teas (tisanes)
1/2 oz to 1 oz. in 1 pt. to 1 qt. water from 30 mins to overnight for medicinal strength teas.
(Ex: Valerian root, Mint, Pau d’Arco; For fennel and chamomile: a few teaspoons are OK.; no long
infusions for chamomile or it turns bitter.) It is sensible to make a day’s supply at one time;
usually about a quart.
*Susun Weed:’s tisanes are 1 tsp./cup; infusions are medicinal strength at the following
concentrations: roots and barks: 1 oz/pint/8 hours; leaves, hips/haws: 1 oz/qt/4hours;
seeds/flowers: 1 oz/qt/ 30 min to 2 hours-- except chamomile, which gets bitter after 30 min.
Dosage: 2 cup/day-over 125 lbs.; 1 cup/day--65-75 lbs, 1/2 c/day--30-40 lbs,
1/4 c/day-- 15-20 lbs.
Decoctions: Use for Roots, Barks, or Seeds unless they are aromatic. (If aromatic, such as
fennel, an infusion is better. Goldenseal and valerian, although roots, are high in volatiles, and
are best as infusions., but both taste awful, so you may prefer pills or tinctures.) Put herb in
cool water, cover, simmer for 20 minutes (minimum) to 1 hour, let sit covered for one hour to
overnight. You can decoct the same batch of herbs several times, adding a little fresh herb
mixture each time to maintain the strength. You can decoct, turn the heat off, and then add
herbs to be infused to a tightly covered container, if you have a mixture that needs both
decoction and infusion techniques.
*Susun Weed’s method is unusual: She begins her decoctions with strained infusions, and
reduces them by 1/2 for a single or simple decoction, (4x as strong as an infusion); reduced to
1/4 for a double decotion (16x as strong as an infusion). Dosage: single: 1/4 c. adult, 1 TBL
infant; double: 1TBL/day adult, 1/2 tsp/day, infant.
Inhalations: Boil water. Take kettle off heat. Pour hot water over herbs in a ceramic or glass
bowl, and when cool enough to do so, inhale the herbal steam with a towel covering your head,
forming a tent over the bowl. One can put a paper bag over the bowl with a hole to inhale
through. Facial steams are great for the complexion, sinusitis, upper respiratory complaints and
allergies. These are heating therapies which speed up the heart rate, stimulate flushing and
sweat, etc.--They should be used only by those who have some reserves of strength.
(Ex: Euclaytus, Sage:-mild antiinflamatory, decongestant, antiviral)
Adam Seller has made a “Card Table Sweat Lodge” by covering a card table with plastic or
blankets, and placing an electric hot plate with a boiling kettle inside-- but be careful !!
Poultice: mashed, usually warm, herbs on skin.
Fomentation: a compress made of a cloth dipped in a strong tea.
Herbal Baths: Many 19th century water cures and spas had ties with the feminist lecture
circuit. (Read Donnegan’s Hydropathic Highways To Health: many promoted natural attitudes
toward sex and nudity, as well as hygeine and public sanitation.) Baths have physiologic &
psychologic effects. Bathe with a giant “teabag” to avoid clogging drain with loose herbs.
Combine herbs: for example, a warm lavender bath with a cool rosemary washcloth on forehead.
Foot, Hand, or Sitz Baths: Chamomile , rosemary and ginger for tired feet: end with foot
massage. Also: soaks, enemas, douches, eyewashes are possible. Boil any substance which is
entering a body orifice other than the mouth, let cool to body temperature. Important safety
note to avoid amebic keratoconjunctivitis: If making eyewash, always use freshly-boiled water
for each dose! Discard any excess and make new eyewash from scratch for each dose.
HERBAL EXTRACTIONS: (Tinctures, liniments, vinegars, essences, glycerates)
Alcoholic tinctures preserve virtues of the herb for a long time, are easy to carry, are excellent
for herbs which go bad or lose their potency easily, and are best for rare plants--Due to better
medicinal extraction, they are more concentrated, with less waste. Shelf life is 1 year to a few
centuries. The alcohol can be vaporized with hot water if the person taking the tincture does not
want to ingest alcohol. Vinegar or Glycerin extracts are not as strong, are more difficult to
make, don’t work as well in extracting medicinal properties, don’t work at all for resins, and
herbal vinegars last longer refrigerated.
Menstruum Proportions:
To each oz. by weight of plant material, 2 ozs. of alcohol by volume.
Ex: 1oz wt plant: 2ozs EtOH vol. / 20gms plant: 40ml alcohol
(*Susun Weed recommends 1 oz dried herb to 5 oz spirit, or 1 oz fresh herb to 1 oz spirit)
Use 195 proof (97.05%) EVERCLEAR (Grana de Puro) if available. (see below for additional
comments if not)
Maceration: Herbs sitting in Alcohol 10d.--> 1yr. OK to use whole plants, but more surface
area if crushed or cut. If crushed, may also leach insolublessuch as plant waxes, into tincture --
won’t hurt anything, but clouds the tincture. (Ex: Yerba Santa) Good to keep in a warm place --
on top of refrigerator is good. Shake daily for two weeks. The leftover strained mash is called
“marc.” (*Susun Weed suggests average of six weeks’ maceration time: put up at new moon, and
decant at second full moon.)
Some plants require FRESH tinctures (Ex: Avena, Lamiaceae) and some require dried or aged
herbs (Ex: Cascara Sagrada.) Consult reputable herbalists or their books for guidance.
If using weaker alcohol than EVERCLEAR: (Ex: 100 proof vodka):
Blend Alcohol and herb together in a blender, then shake each day for two weeks.
Dry Plant Tinctures:
One can buy or make special percolation glasses, which will speed up the extraction: instead of
two weeks, the percolators will result in tinctures finished in 1/2 to 2 days. So far, I have no
experience with these.
1 oz herb, freshly powdered in blender --best NOT prepowdered too long in advance, as they dry
out too fast. A quart Mason Jar fits the Osterizer blender, which is the herbalist’s favorite!
Proportion: 1 part by weight to 5 parts by volume (except Cayenne: 1 part to 10 parts alcohol)
Shake each day for two weeks, or blend it for FIVE minutes. BE SURE TO LABEL AND DATE IT!!
(For one class, we each made one quart of a tincture, and when it was completed, we divided it
into 1 oz. dropper bottles to share. This way we each made just one tincture, but we each got a
collection of tinctures in dropper-bottles to take home.)
For more dilute alcohol:(100 proof = 50% EtOH)
Some plants do better extractions with less than 100% EtOH, for example:
skullcap: 50%; goldenseal, osha, black cohosh: 65-70%
but 100% for cayenne, myrrh.
Tinctures made with rubbing alcohol are LINIMENTS. EXTERNAL USE ONLY. Liniments can be
made with edible alcohol, and then can be used internally or externally. (Ex: Arnica)
Flower Essences:
A magical remedy, like the dew--flower essences work on energetic and psychic levels. Pick
flowers without touching the petals with your hands--you can use the plant’s own leaves. Some
people prefer crystal bowls for the solar infusion, and cut the flowers with magical knives or
crystals. The Solar Infusion, preserved with brandy, gives a “Mother Tincture.” Use four drops
of Mother Tincture or several Mother Tinctures, to make a treatment bottle, then fill bottle
most of the way with spring water, then preserve with brandy. You can use flavored brandies if
you like! You can ingest drops, apply topically, bathe in it, or sprinkle it on your Senator’s
doorstep. Usually flower essences are taken at least four times a day plus as needed to deal
with psychological and spiritual issues, often while reciting affirmations focussing on the issue.
Used in this way, they do help to re-train the subconscious mind and communicate with the
animal-self or unihipili.
Glycerates: equal parts glycerin and water, or 60% glycerin: 40% water. Use to extract herbs;
but won’t extract resins very well. Vegetable glycerins are best for vegetarian use; animal
glycerins will warm the skin if you rub it on and then blow on it; Rosemary Gladstar claims that
animal glycerin is for cosmetic, not internal use. People sometimes prefer glycerates for
children and alcoholics.
Herbal vinegars are also a way to extract plants. Chop the herb finely, and pour warmed apple
cider vinegar over it to cover it, plus a few inches more, to allow for herb swelling. Macerate for
4-6 weeks. Shake extracts daily. Strain and press extract, and rebottle. They should be
refrigerated between uses since they can mold--the acidity of the vingar has been decreased by
plant fluids released into the vinegar.
Plant Oils: 2 ozs. herb: 1 cup oil
The wetter and juicier the plants, the more danger of rancidity. Can be placed in the sun, or in
sandboxes heated by the sun. You can also extract herbs into oil in a double boiler, crock pot,
or in mason jars in a water bath in the oven at very low heat for several (2-4) hours. LOW HEAT
is best!! Rosemary Gladstar relates that an “electric oven roaster” can macerate an herbal oil
for 2-4 weeks, giving a dark green herbal oil.
Olive, almond, or jojoba oils are the usual solvents--(Ex: rose and lavender oil, mugwort oil, St.
John’s oil, Mullein oil, comfrey & calendula oil.) Steep the plant (usually fresh but wilted to
decrease water content) in oil--jar must be full--no air and little moisture, or it will go rancid.
Some herbalists recommend wiping the jar’s headroom with a cloth or tissue each day, and
topping off with oil. Remove any water that collects below the oil with a turkey baster or siphon.
Do not mix oils that are pressed or expressed with those that are simply strained without
pressing. The pressed oils will be more likely to spoil, as they will have more water, microbes, and
sediment. Pressed oil portions should be used up quickly, and it is wise to store them
refrigerated.
VERSION 1: Tap jar each day and top off with more oil if needed. Let the oil sit--water will sink to
the bottom. Use a turkey baster to withdraw top oil temporarily, then discard water & oil near
the bottom. Let sit 2-3 weeks, then strain out herbs--DO NOT squeeze!
VERSION 2: powder herb and moisten with pure grain alcohol as an ”Intermediary solvent
extraction”. Let sit, covered, 20 min to 1 hour, then blend in blender: 1 oz Herb/EtOH/ 6 oz. oil
Blend until mixture becomes warm, then blend a little more. Strain through cloth.
To get rid of alcohol: put in jellyroll pan, and put in oven with pilot light on, or on radiator (less
than 150 degrees), or place fans blowing over jellyroll pan for 4-8 hours.
Can restrain to get particles out, or use turkey baster when particles have settled.
Some add vitamin E or tincture of benzoin (1 tsp tincture of benzoin per qt. oil) against
rancidity. Store excess in refrigerator.
SALVE: PER 1 CUP OIL, ADD 2 OZ. BY VOLUME OF BEESWAX, or: 1 part wax: 4 parts oil.
(*Susun Weed suggests 1 TBL beeswax per 1 oz (2 TBL)oil, or 1 part wax: 2 parts oil.) The wax is
a stiffener, and some people prefer softer salves. (Recipe example: yarrow, chickweed, dock,
plantain, calendula, comfrey, St. John’s wort oil, vit. E, essential oil like thuja or tea tree, myrrh
or usnea tinctures.) Olive oil and herbs in double boiler; simmer 30 min to one hour (also gets
rid of water) strain, add wax. Spoon test: dip spoon in hot salve, cool in refrigerator or freezer
to test texture. You can use a turkey baster to pour into small tins.
Adam Seller starts with a ready-made green oil too: blend oil with wilted comfrey leaves until
green, strain, use this as your starting oil. Makes a rich green salve.
PILLS: Powdered herbs can be moistened with water & honey or maple syrup to form a sticky
paste. Add a drop of essential oil (orange, peppermint, wintergreen) and mix in well, but too
much essential oil can ruin the mixture. Thicken with slippery elm powder, and knead until it
becomes the texture of bread dough. Roll into small balls. They can be dusted with carob or
slippery elm powder, if desired. Place on a cookie sheet and dry in a very low oven or the sun.
CAPSULES: If you don’t have an encapsulating machine, this method works well for small
numbers of pills. Since powdered herbs dry out quickly and lose their virtues, you should probably
make small batches anyway. Powder the herbs, and place in a bowl or shallow plate. Fill
separated caps by “grinding” the open halves gently into a pile of powdered herbs. Place the two
ends of the capsule together. Two “00” caps are a standard adult dose, and the “00” size is
used in most encapsulating machines. One oz. of powdered herb fills about 30 capsules..
SYRUPS: Syrups sweeten bitter herbs, preserve the mixture from spoiling, and soothe a sore
throat. Ex: COUGH SYRUP:
Decoct the 2-4 ozs of the following herbs with a quart of water, reduce by one-half: to one pint.
mullein, horehound, pleurisy root, wild cherry bark, orange peel. Strain out herbs, add yerba
santa tincture, and lobelia tincture. Then dissolve in 1 pint honey or simple syrup (preserves,
sweetens, soothes throat.) When cooled, add peppermint, wintergreen, orange, or eucalyptus
essential oils. Some people like to add brandy (3-4TBL /cup) or a fruit concentrate. Best to
store refrigerated. *Susun Weed: To one cup fluid, use 8 oz sugar or 4oz honey; OPT: 15 ml or 1
TBL Brandy. Dose: 1 tsp up to eight times per day for adults; 1/2 tsp up to 8 times/day, kids
60-75 lbs., 1/4 tsp. up to 8 times/day, for infants less than 30 lbs. (Safety warning: do not
give infants honey--they can get botulism from bacterial spores in the honey.)
