What is herbal extract?
Herbal extract is a liquid preparation of herbs by solvent to release active compounds from plant material. Extracts made of alcohol are referred to as tinctures, while extraction produced with glycerin is glycerites. It is believed that herbal extract is often more effective than pills or capsules containing the same herbs. Fresh or dried herbal material is macerated, placed in a solvent for a certain period of time and filtered to form an extract containing the active ingredient of the herb. Medicinal fungi are also used to produce extracts. More herbs with properties that benefit specific conditions are sometimes combined in the same extraction process to create tincture. A more stunning method is to extract individual herbs and then combine extracts in exact proportions. Commercial herbal extract will have the ratio of the solvent to the herbs on the label. Standard extraction methods use one to Four solvent ratio to dried herbs and one to one solvent one to one solventto fresh herbs.
Several advantages of tinctures over capsules are ease of absorption and assimilation and longer life, as alcohol acts to maintain the medicinal components. One disadvantage for some people is to use alcohol as an extraction agent. Those who are sensitive to alcohol or want to avoid alcohol, may prefer glycerites, extracts that use vegetable glycerin and water rather than alcohol. These extracts are often used for pets and children, but have a shorter life.
Herbal extract can be produced at home according to easily available instructions. Many herbalists use vodka as an extraction agent because it contains both water and alcohol, which ensures that the plant is released from a wide range of compounds. Some of the medicinal components of herbs are soluble in water, while others are soluble alcohol. An alternative choice for tincture production is 100 % grain. Pure alcohol does not needIt is so effective and often mixed with a specific amount of water depending on the herb.
Herbal spirits are produced by distillation of steam rather than solvents. They are created in conjunction with the production of essential oil. Essential oil is separated from the water and is removed and leaves behind a fragrant herbal distillate that contains diluted essential oil. It is also called floral water or essential water, spirits are used for skin care and aromatherapy.
Medicinal herbs are the main part of alternative medicinal practices. Their term of use in prehistoric times and continued as one of the primary methods of treatment of diseases until the beginning of the 20th century. The growing number of people use herbal products to maintain overall well -being and solve specific health problems. Herbal extracts are easily found together with herbal powders of capsules and are categorized as food supplements.