home Consultations What is the difference between a liqueur and a tincture? Infusion, decoction and other dosage forms Extract infusion or decoction from

What is the difference between a liqueur and a tincture? Infusion, decoction and other dosage forms Extract infusion or decoction from

Calendula tincture is a very effective homeopathic remedy, the healing effect of which extends to many human tissues and organs. Perhaps this is one of the most effective drugs used for gargling for sore throats, inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity and colds.

1 Calendula - a flower with a thousand beneficial properties

Calendula (also known as Marigold) is a beautiful flower with yellow-orange petals. It blooms throughout the summer, from June to September. If we consider the plant as a medicinal raw material, then its value is very high. Just listing the beneficial microelements it contains will take more than one printed page. For example, calendula contains a lot of carotene, which is responsible for the synthesis of vitamin A, which in turn is a powerful antioxidant. Lycopene, found in the flower, serves as an excellent preventive measure for heart disease. Also, organic acids, tannins, proteins, essential oils and much more are extracted from the bright inflorescences.

The medicinal plant is effectively used as an antiseptic, wound healing agent and anti-inflammatory drug. Its tinctures, prepared in water and alcohol, are taken internally and applied externally. The properties of medicines based on calendula are manifested in a calming and sedative effect, lowering blood pressure. Just like, it strengthens the immune system.

The pharmacological industry produces a number of medicines based on marigolds. Carophilene ointment is an excellent treatment for dermatitis and ulcers; caleflon is successfully used for ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and toxic hepatitis. Rokotan is recommended for stomatitis, gastritis and colitis. In folk medicine, tinctures, infusions, decoctions and ointments are made from calendula.

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2 What is the difference between infusion, decoction and tincture?

Since ancient times, many peoples have made decoctions and infusions from medicinal herbs, which helped with many diseases. With the advent of alcohol-containing liquids, tinctures began to be made based on them. How do these methods differ from each other and which is better?

Decoctions are the most extreme way of extracting nutrients from plants. It is mainly applicable to those parts of herbs, fruits, berries, shrubs and trees from which these elements are difficult to pass into water. That is why boiling water is used in decoctions. It makes sense to prepare such preparations from rhizomes, bark, hard and thick leaves, nuts and cones.

Infusion is a more gentle method of making medicines. Infusions are prepared cold and hot, but never use water brought to a boil. In a similar way, you can prepare medicine from thin leaves, flowers, stems, which easily release trace elements from their tissues. A tincture is an alcoholic extract made from plants. It allows you to obtain medicine from almost all their parts.

It is impossible to say for sure which is better, a decoction, an infusion or a tincture. Each specific plant has its own method of extracting healing elements.

Remember that the shelf life of decoctions and infusions is several days, and alcohol tinctures can be used for 1-2 years.

3 How to prepare calendula tincture

If you have a collection of fresh calendula flowers, then it is easy to prepare a tincture from it for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. To do this you need:

2 tbsp. flowers
0.5 cups of vodka or 40% alcohol

Place the calendula in a glass container and fill it with half a glass of vodka or 40% alcohol. Close the vessel with a lid and leave for seven days in a dark place at room temperature. Then strain the tincture. That's all, the medicine is ready.

Calendula tincture used for gargling should be diluted with water at the rate of half a glass of water per tablespoon of the drug.

You need to gargle 4-5 times during the day.

The herbal medicine will relieve inflammation, speed up the healing of small wounds and ulcers, and destroy microbes. The tincture is often used in conjunction with a course of antibiotics to obtain a faster and more lasting effect. Gives a similar effect

And a few more tips on how to gargle correctly. Firstly, it is necessary to prepare the tincture solution so that it has a temperature that is comfortable for the throat. Secondly, before the procedure, first rinse your throat and mouth with warm water. Thirdly, even if you feel that the disease is going away, do not stop the course of treatment. For diseases such as tonsillitis, it should be at least 5 days.

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There are many recipes for preparing medicinal plants in folk and official medicine, however, they are all prepared in several specific ways. The most common dosage forms are:

How to properly prepare infusion and decoction of medicinal plants

Infusion is the result of infusing crushed plant material in water. It is usually prepared from the soft parts of the plant. During the infusion process, beneficial substances from the plant enter the water. There are three ways to prepare the infusion:

cold;
hot;
in a water bath.

During cold infusion, plant materials are poured with pre-cooled boiled water and infused under a lid for several hours, usually from 2 to 12. The resulting infusion is filtered through several layers of gauze.

In the process of hot infusion, the crushed raw materials are poured with boiling water or hot water (depending on the plant) and allowed to brew under the lid for a certain time from 10-15 minutes to 2 or more hours, and then filtered.

Infusion in a water bath is a slightly more complex method: the plant is poured with hot water or boiling water and briefly simmered under a lid in a water bath over low heat, usually no more than 15 minutes. The finished infusion is cooled for 50-60 minutes, then filtered and brought to the original volume with boiled water.
One form of medicinal infusion is herbal tea.
From the hard parts of a plant - roots, bark, stems, hard leaves, etc. - decoctions are usually prepared. Such raw materials require longer heat treatment. To prepare a decoction, the raw materials are first thoroughly crushed to a powdery state, and then poured with water and simmered over low heat, usually for half an hour, unless otherwise indicated in the recipe.

A decoction for internal use is usually prepared in a ratio of 10:1 (10 parts water to 1 part plant material), and for external use: 5:1. The finished broth is cooled, filtered and topped up with boiled water to the original volume.
The half-evaporated decoction is called an extract. The extract is also prepared under the lid. Take it drop by drop, as it is more concentrated than a regular decoction or infusion.
It is believed that the most useful decoctions are obtained over an open fire, but if this is not possible, then it is recommended to prefer an electric stove to a gas stove.
Water for preparing infusions and decoctions should be taken clean, filtered or melted.

Both infusions and decoctions can be consumed either cooled to room temperature or warm or hot.

As a rule, this information is specified in each specific recipe. For example, for fever and heat, it is recommended to use a hot decoction or infusion.

Dishes for infusions and decoctions

Infusions and decoctions cannot be prepared in aluminum or plastic containers! It is optimal to use:

pottery;
stainless steel dishes;
enamel dishes without cracks or chips;
glassware.

Herbal infusions can also be prepared in ceramic and porcelain cups.
A good solution would be to use the selected specific container only for preparing infusions and decoctions and not use it for other needs.

Decoctions and infusions are taken orally and used externally in the form of lotions, compresses and rinses.
You can store prepared infusions and decoctions for no more than two to three days in the refrigerator. They should be shaken before use. If you notice mold or smell a sour smell from the infusion or decoction, then you should not take it - you need to prepare a fresh one. Many products are best used within 24 hours after preparation.

Juice, powder and other forms of preparation of medicinal herbs

Consider other forms of preparing homemade medicines:

We asked the famous Siberian herbalist Stepan Yegorych Ermolaev to tell us how to properly prepare a healthy decoction or infusion.

It has become fashionable to be treated with herbs,” Yegorych began his reasoning, “all newspapers and magazines publish recipes for decoctions and infusions. Does everyone know how to cook them correctly? Here I see how one summer resident picked linden flowers and let’s pour boiling water over them. I ask: “What are you doing, dear?” And she: “I want to make an infusion for myself from these flowers.”

“No,” I tell her, “the infusion won’t work like that.” In this way you can prepare aromatic tea and that’s it. For an infusion or decoction, the flowers, like the herb, must be well dried in the shade and in a ventilated area, preferably in the attic. Once the grass dries, it needs to be crushed so that there are no particles larger than half a centimeter in it. And if you are dealing with bark or roots, then the particles should be half as large.

Next, if we talk about herbs, you need to take one tablespoon of crushed dry herbs per glass of water. This is the usual proportion for decoctions and infusions. But you can use it if you don’t have any poisonous or potent plants in your collection. For such plants, the proportions are special in each case, and I will not talk about them now.

A decoction of ordinary herbs is prepared as follows: take an enamel bowl, put the herb in it, add water - one tablespoon of herb per glass of water, two spoons per two glasses of water, etc. You can pour cold water over the weed, or you can add boiling water. After that, put your dishes on the fire and wait until it boils. Once it boils, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for half an hour. Once the time has passed, remove from the heat, cover the dish with a warm blanket and let it sit for at least fifteen minutes. And once the broth has brewed, strain it through three or four layers of gauze. Only here you need to remember that when boiling, some useful substances are destroyed. For example, rosehip, if you boil its fruits, then you shouldn’t rely on vitamin C. It will either not be in the broth at all, or if anything remains, it will be cat tears.

In order not to lose the beneficial properties of the herb, you need to prepare an infusion rather than a decoction. Now, how to prepare the infusion: pour boiling water over the herb, but do not boil, wrap the dishes in a warm blanket and infuse for half an hour. Then strain, discard the plants, and use the liquid. It’s even better to make the infusion in a thermos, because the thermos retains heat longer, and therefore more useful substances from the plants have time to pass into the water. But you can prepare the infusion without boiling water at all. To do this, you need to fill the dried herb with lukewarm water, close the container with a lid and leave for twelve hours. Then strain and then drink.

However, healers believe that you won’t get a healing infusion anyway. In order for the herb to give all its beneficial substances to the water without leaving a trace, healers try to prepare them in a special way: pour hot water over the herb and put it in the oven to simmer for eight, or even twelve, hours. Here, however, special skill is needed - maintain the temperature in the oven so that the infusion is hot, but does not boil.

So I like the preparation and use of infusions more than decoctions. Let's take the berries of the same rose hips. In fact, they contain ten times more vitamins than the vaunted oranges and lemons. In addition, everyone complains about cholesterol, it terribly clogs the blood vessels, and that is why heart attacks and strokes occur. However, know that rosehip infusion, if you drink it regularly, will not allow any cholesterol plaques in your blood vessels. Rose hips are full of various microelements. There is cobalt, and copper, and manganese, and iron - all this is absolutely necessary for our body. Therefore, if anyone suffers from anemia or vascular sclerosis, drinking rosehip infusion is a good thing. Rose hips are also good for liver diseases, for chronic hepatitis, for example, and for diseases of the gallbladder, rose hips are indispensable.

Both decoctions and infusions are medicines that quickly deteriorate. Therefore, there is no need to make them in liters. It’s better not to keep it even in the refrigerator for more than two days. Therefore, stock up not on ready-made infusions and decoctions, but on dry herbs; they will not lose their beneficial properties until next year.

It is also useful to know that there is no need to overuse infusions and decoctions. Usually there is no need to take more than a glass of one infusion or decoction per day. If you have prepared an invigorating infusion, then it is useful to drink a glass in the morning. And in the evening, if you want to sleep well, drink a glass of soothing infusion or decoction.

Note something else: you shouldn’t drink an infusion or decoction of the same herb for a long time. The body gets used to it and stops reacting. Therefore, I highly recommend changing the herbs at least once every two months.

Stepan Egorovich's advice was written down by Andrey Martemyanov

Definitions

Tincture– liquid dosage form, alcoholic or aqueous-alcoholic extract from plant or animal raw materials without heat treatment. It was introduced into medical practice in the 14th century. The word is derived from the Latin tingere, which means “to dye, to soak.” The drink is prepared using medical purified alcohol with a strength of 30 to 95 degrees. The raw materials can be both fresh and dried plants. They are filled with alcohol and left for 7-10 days. Next, the hood is cleaned, after which the finished product is poured into containers and packaged.

Tincture

The “potion” prepared according to all the rules must be absolutely transparent, regardless of color. The drink is consumed in a minimum dosage and mainly in its pure form, but if necessary it can be diluted with water. Pharmacy bitters are often a cheaper alternative to vodka. Therefore, they are widely popular among the lower strata of the population prone to alcohol addiction.

Extract– highly concentrated extract from medicinal plant or animal raw materials. The word is derived from the Latin extraho, which means “to draw out.” Extracts are presented as mobile or viscous liquids and dry masses. The minimum moisture level in them can be only 5%. Depending on the solvent, the product can be aqueous, alcoholic, oily, hydrocarbon, etc. In medicine, the term refers to a dosage form obtained by extraction (squeezing/infusion/evaporation). However, this product is used not only for medicinal purposes. Its use is determined by its consistency and natural base. Thus, oil extracts of plants and medicinal herbs are most often used in cosmetology and medicine, alcohol extracts are an excellent antiseptic, and dry extracts are in great demand in cooking and industry.

Extract

Comparison

First, let's compare the manufacturing technology of the products. Each of them is produced on the basis of plant or animal raw materials. To prepare tinctures, it is filled with alcohol and aged for a certain time. No heat treatment is required. It is quite obvious that the finished product is liquid. The strength of tinctures can reach up to 95 degrees. As for extracts, they are not always alcoholic. Essential oils, water, CO2, etc. are also often used as a solvent. The product can be obtained by various methods, be it infusion, pressing, drying or evaporation. In the latter cases, the mixture is subjected to heat treatment. The finished product has a different consistency: liquid, viscous, dry.

Another difference between a tincture and an extract is the concentration of medicinal substances. In the case of the first product, it is not too high. When using ordinary raw materials, tinctures are prepared in a ratio of 1:5, while when using potent ones - 1:10. There are also intermediate options. The concentration of extracts is an order of magnitude higher. If we are talking about a liquid product, then it is 1:2, if we are talking about a viscous or dry product - 1:1.

To summarize, what is the difference between a tincture and an extract.

Hello, dear friends!

Treatment with folk remedies and medicinal herbs, first of all, consists of decoctions, infusions and tinctures.

Sometimes the question is asked: “Which is better: a decoction or an infusion?” And one is no better than the other. Here you just need to know in what cases a decoction is prepared, in which an infusion, and in which a tincture, and how the technology for making them differs.

So let's figure this out. I will tell you the general rules and technology for making infusions, decoctions and tinctures, about the preparation of raw materials for them, the standards and features of production.

First, let's find out how infusions differ from decoctions and what tinctures are.

What is the difference between infusions and decoctions

Infusions and decoctions are so-called aqueous extracts from medicinal plants. They differ in that when preparing infusions, the raw materials are poured with hot boiled water, left to infuse for a certain time, then filtered and drunk.

When making decoctions, the raw materials are poured with hot or cold water and boiled over a fire or water bath for 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of plant.

Infusions are usually prepared from the soft parts of plants: leaves, flowers, stems, fruits, which easily release their active principles.

Parts of plants that have a rough structure: roots, bark, tubers, thick leaves, do not release the active principle well and require longer heat treatment, so it is preferable to make a decoction.

Vodka tinctures are also prepared from all parts of medicinal plants.

It is believed that tinctures are more effective for treatment, and they are stored for years, unlike infusions and decoctions, which need to be prepared fresh every day. But in some cases, when tinctures are contraindicated and for other reasons, infusions and decoctions are prepared.

General rules

General rules state that before making infusions, decoctions or tinctures, medicinal raw materials must be crushed so that the active substances are extracted from them faster.

Usually pharmacies sell already prepared crushed raw materials, but not always.

Plants collected with your own hands must first be washed and dried on a towel or napkin. We often prepare and dry herbs that we store in crushed form; in this case, there is no need to wash them.

We cut the grass, stems, leaves, flowers with scissors into small pieces no larger than 5 mm in size.

Coarse roots, bark can be cut with a knife, the size of the pieces is no more than 3 mm.

The seeds and fruits are either crushed in a mortar or left whole.

Most often, to prepare decoctions and infusions, take one heaped tablespoon (20 grams) of prepared crushed raw materials and a glass of water (200 ml.) But this is the average norm, you should also take into account age, disease, and characteristics of the medicinal plant. So you should always carefully read the instructions for preparing a decoction and infusion from a particular type of plant and listen to your doctor’s advice.

To make decoctions and infusions, it is permissible to use only enamel, or glass, or porcelain and ceramic dishes. Aluminum cookware should not be used to avoid reaction with the metal.

The pan should always be tightly closed with a lid.

The prepared infusion or decoction is filtered and squeezed through several layers of gauze.

It often happens that it loses its original volume, so after straining, boiled water is added to it.

Manufacturing technology

Now let's take a closer look at how to prepare infusions, decoctions and tinctures.

Infusions

To prepare an infusion, place a tablespoon or teaspoon (see the recommendations for a specific plant) of chopped herbs or fruits in a container (I pour it into a glass or a glass), pour a glass of hot water that has just boiled with a white spring. Cover with a lid and let stand for 20 minutes.

Then, as I already wrote, the infusion needs to be filtered and topped up with water to the original volume.

The infusions are usually taken in tablespoons or half a glass, warm, 15-20 minutes before meals.

For a richer infusion, it is convenient to prepare it in a thermos.

Pour two tablespoons of raw material into a thermos with two glasses of boiling water in the evening, and in the morning you can drink the prepared infusion.

Decoctions

The raw materials for the decoction are poured into a saucepan, poured with cold or hot water, stirred and put to boil on the fire, simmer for 15 minutes or more. Often the decoction is made in a water bath: when a small saucepan with raw materials filled with water is placed in a larger saucepan filled with water. The water in a large pan will boil, but the raw materials in a small one will only simmer.

The prepared broth must be cooled slightly, 10-15 minutes is enough, strain, squeeze, add water.

Decoctions from bearberry leaves, oak bark and other plants containing tannins are filtered immediately, without allowing to cool.

Infusions and decoctions can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day, but be sure to reheat before use. Every day you have to prepare a fresh decoction or infusion.

It is more convenient to use tinctures in this regard.

Tinctures

To prepare tinctures, take 40-proof alcohol; in other words, vodka will do at home. If you have 70% alcohol, you need to dilute it with water so as not to burn the beneficial properties of the medicinal plant.

Sometimes they make tinctures with wine, but this is an exception to the rule. Nevertheless. We have an amazing recipe.

It is convenient to make tinctures in glass containers, in a jar, for example.

It is usually advised to use dark glass, but you can get around this: wrap the jar in a cloth and place it in a dark place - in a closet.

The prepared crushed raw materials (50 grams) are poured with a liter of vodka, the jar is closed with a lid and sent to the cupboard to infuse. This takes from 7 days to a month. The raw materials in the jar need to be shaken periodically.

Then the alcohol tincture is filtered and the remains of the plant are squeezed out well.

They drink tinctures in drops, 10-30 drops each, in some cases they are added to a small (50 ml) amount of water and drunk.

I have already adapted and know that 30 drops is almost a teaspoon, almost filled to the brim.

The tinctures are stored in the refrigerator, and when used, you can leave them on the table at room temperature for several days.

With the technology and general rules for making infusions, decoctions and tinctures, we figured out what to prepare from them; you decide in each specific case.

For example, I prefer to prepare tinctures; I always make cinquefoil tincture; I have to drink it in monthly courses. I also make a tincture from it. It is better to make a decoction from oak bark. But, which can be taken for no more than 7 days in a row, it is more convenient to prepare it as an infusion.