Diet Plans  
 
Appendix 1 - Herbal Preparations






Appendices
Appendix 1 - Herbal Preparations

Appendix 2 - Calcium Rich Foods

Appendix 3 - Iron Rich Foods

Allergy Testing
Applied Kinesiology

Allergy Thirst Test

Cocoa Pulse Test

  Herbal Preparations

This appendix briefly reviews the basic methods of herbal preparation. Many of the old herbals and herb texts have methods which vary slightly. Working directly with herbs is the first and best way of developing effective preparation methods.

Herbs are medicinal plants and the preparations made from herbs can be taken internally or used externally. In the case of internal application, the choice of delivery method includes infusions, decoctions, macerations, juices, tinctures, extracts, powders, etc. External use can involve poultices, lotions, compresses, dressings, eyebaths, gargles, enemas and boluses.

An alphabetical list of preparations follows:

Capsules are easy to make. Simply take ground herbs and insert them into soluble hard gelatin capsules. Capsules come in various sizes — “000” to “5” — to permit easy swallowing. The “5” is the smallest size while “000” is the largest. Why do we encapsulate herbs? One reason is to improve palatability (since some herbs taste indescribably bad). A second reason is convenience, since less water and no special equipment is needed. A final reason is compliance. Keep in mind that people vary widely in their ability to swallow capsules or tablets. Some prefer capsules to a tea. Others require a liquid because of an individual problem swallowing capsules.

Concentrate is a fluid extract strengthened through evaporation of fluid. Alcohol concentrates are produced by allowing the alcohol to evaporate without in any way decreasing the strength of the herb. Water concentrates are usually made by slowly simmering the herbs until the volume of the extractive agent is reduced.

Decoction is a water solution of plant extracts. They are prepared at a boiling temperature. Decoctions differ from infusions in that coarse and brittle plant structures (the roots, bark and chips) are the base. Because of their volatile nature, decoctions are intended for immediate use, and should typically be put to use within twenty-four hours. Some authorities state that they should not be kept longer then six hours before application. The longevity of decoctions may be increased by the use of certain preserving agents, such as glycerin, or refrigeration. A standard decoction consists of fifty grams of closely ground plant material in 1000 cc of cold water. The procedure of preparation is as follows:
The ground plant (approximately 50 gms) should be placed into a vessel which has a lid. Never use aluminum or iron cookware. Stainless steel, porcelain or Pyrex® cookware is suitable. One quart (1000 cc) of cold water should be added. Mix and then place the vessel over heat and bring to a boil and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to about body temperature. Then pour the decoction into a jar through a suitable strainer. Since some of the fluid will have evaporated during boiling, you will end up with less than one quart of fluid.

Enema is the introduction of a large amount (three to eight cups) of liquid into the bowel via an enema tube. An enema is carried out to disencumber an obstructed bowel, to cleanse it, or to serve as a means of introducing nutrition into the body when an individual is unable to take nourishment otherwise. A good cleansing enema consists of warm (not hot) water and nothing else, although herbs (like coffee) can be used for special purposes.
Extract is a solution of the essential constituents of a herbal agent. It is prepared by boiling the plant material in water and then evaporating the strained decoction to a desired concentration. Extracts harbour the more active principles of the medicinal plants, allowing the less active principles to be removed as a dross. Various solvents may be used including alcohol, water and glycerin. Extracts should always be prepared at the lowest temperature possible that is compatible with good extraction of the healing principles. If care is not taken, some of the lighter and more volatile oils and other important ingredients may be lost. In addition, the vessel in which the extract is prepared should always be tightly covered until such time as the extract has reached a sufficiently cool temperature (i.e., body temperature).

Fluid Extract is an alcohol or glycerin preparation of herbal extract containing the active constituents in a definite ratio of plant material to solvent. There are several types of fluid extracts.

Heated extracts are prepared by boiling (but preferably simmering) a herbal agent in water and then evaporating the strained decoction to a desired concentration — this yields a more concentrated herbal remedy.
Fluid extract is made by evaporating an already prepared fluid (such as an infusion or decoction) to the desired concentration.

Cold extract is similar to an infusion. It is prepared by taking twice as much herb as is desired for an infusion and then letting it sit in an enamel or non-metallic pot for eight to twelve hours. It is then strained and taken as one would take an infusion.

Glycerin is often used as a preserving agent in extracts. Glycerin can be derived from a vegetable or petroleum base. Preferably, use only the glycerin which has come from a vegetable base.


Fomentation is a herbal preparation used to draw out poison, allay irritation, reduce inflammation or relieve pain. To make a fomentation, prepare the herb as a tea (as either an infusion or decoction), strain and then absorb it into a piece of muslin, cotton wool, towel, flannel or gauze (natural fiber material). Wring out the cloth sufficiently so that it is not dripping and then place it on the affected area. Fomentations are usually applied as hot as can be tolerated and then reapplied as they cool or dry. The fomented area is often covered with a sheet of plastic and then a towel to keep it moist and hot. A hot apple cider vinegar fomentation is excellent for arthritis, rheumatism and other types of aches.

Infusion is prepared by steeping a herbal agent in liquid, usually water. Domestic teas are usually prepared this way — herbs are submerged in hot or boiling water and allowed to steep for a certain length of time. Cold infusions are made in a similar manner, the only difference being that cold water is used, often dripping the water slowly over the herb. Generally, infusions are made from the more delicate parts of the plant, such as the buds, leaves, or flowers (you will recall that decoctions are prepared from the coarser parts, such as the roots, bark or chips).

Juice, also called an “express”, is prepared by juicing a fresh herb, with great emphasis on the word “fresh”. The juicing can be done with either an electric juicer, or hand juicer, or a press. Juices are typically the best embodiment of the active ingredients of a herb. Juices may also be extracted by placing the herbs, wrapped in muslin cloth, in a mortar and then crushing them with a pestle.

Liniment is a liquid or semi-liquid preparation of a herb. Liniments are applied to relieve skin irritation and muscle pain and include herbal oils, tinctures or liquids. They are intended for application to the skin by gentle friction or massage. Liniments are thinner than ointments and have application primarily as anodynes (pain relievers) or counterirritants.

Maceration is a term synonymous with cold infusion. The herb (approximately 50 gms) is placed in a 1000 cc menstruum (usually alcohol but potentially water).

Oils are prepared by taking a specified amount of herbs and mixing them, crushed or whole (depending on the herbs), with a botanical oil. The amount of oil used depends on the herb and the desired strength of the final preparation, but two parts of oil for each part of herb is regarded as an ideal ratio. Some oils, such as Balm of Gilead, are best heated (but not boiled) for a given length of time (e.g. 20 minutes), while others, such as garlic oil, are best steeped for several days, and then strained. Always use an oil of high quality, such as a cold-pressed olive or almond oil. Essential oils differ from oil preparations as these are the volatile oils present in the herb (e.g. clove oil, cinnamon oil.)

Ointment, sometimes called salve, is a soft, semi-solid herbal preparation, prepared as follows:
A herbal preparation (i.e. an infusion or decoction) is placed in an oil and the water is evaporated. The result is then mixed with heated lanolin or lard. Melted beeswax is subsequently mixed in until the desired consistency is obtained. And there is your ointment! A little gum benzoin or a drop of tincture of benzoin is a helpful preservative. In hotter climates, more beeswax is necessary to maintain stiffness. In general, salves tend to have less beeswax than ointments.

Poultice is a soft, usually heated, semi-liquid herbal mass which is spread on a cloth and then applied to an area of the body. A bruised herb is mixed with water, heated, applied to a cloth and placed on the appropriate area. The poultice is easily applied if heaped onto a cloth and then wrapped or placed on the desired area. The cloth should be moistened frequently to keep it wet and heated. Non-irritating herbs come in direct contact with the skin. While most poultices can be left in contact with skin for a long time, those that can act as irritants should be applied for short periods only (a mustard plaster or this type of poultice needs a layer of wax paper between the poultice and skin). After removing the poultice, it is advisable to wash the treated area, using water or a herbal tea (such as chamomile or mugwort). Covering the area with plastic will keep the water from evaporating and permit its absorption into the skin. The area may also be covered with a towel to keep the heat in.

Syrup is a thick, sticky, liquid-like preparation. A herbal syrup is made by taking a herbal agent and boiling, simmering, or heating it in honey and/or glycerin, and then straining it through cheese cloth. Often a tea is made first, strained, concentrated, and then the syrup or glycerin or honey is added. Syrups are especially useful for administering medicines to children or fussy adults. Some syrups are made in a vegetable base.

Tincture is, technically, a fluid extract but in this case the medicinal virtues are withdrawn into an alcohol, glycerin, or vinegar solution (acid tincture) since water alone, for some herbs, will not retrieve some of the medicinal principles. The menstruum (the alcohol, glycerin, etc.) also acts as a preservative. A typical tincture is prepared by steeping one part herb in two parts of alcohol for ten to fourteen days (maceration.) The resulting mixture is then strained, poured into a sealed jar, stored in a dark place, and shaken twice daily. A herb prepared in tincture form will last virtually forever.


There are several other “high tech” ways to make botanical preparations. Hypercritical carbon dioxide is used as a pure “solvent” for very expensive volatile oil extraction. This technique is further discussed in the Textbook of Advanced Herbology. Freeze drying is also used to get active ingredients out of plants and preserve them. The technique is used in the coffee industry as well as for herbs. Fresh plant extracts are becoming commercially popular. In these cases, fresh plants are used to make the tincture rather than dried material. Sometimes this results in a more potent preparation, other times less potent. The properties of a fresh plant extract will also vary from dried plant extracts, both positively and negatively.