Question about tinctures

[bluegrassmom]

I had always heard that tinctures have an alcohol base. I just found a recipe for making a tincture with a cidar vinegar base. Do you think this will work just as well?

[westbrook]

pickled herbs? probably but what an awful taste!

[Mother]

Westy, What do you call dill pickles? If it weren't for the pickled herbs they would be ......well,,,,,only plain pickles

 

Sorry, okay, seriously: You can technically use alcohol, glycerin, vinegar, or water for extracting specific properties from herbs. Each has it's own unique ability and useage. Alcohol is most often used when you want to extract those properties that are and remain alcohol soluable, with is usually a large number in most cases. An alcohol tincture stores well for a long period of time and several different tinctures can be combined easily. Glycerin is a close second in action and storage, vinegar next and water last. Oil is actually another medium often used.

 

The science behind which to use with which herb is still debateable. I use all three for different reasons. Alcohol tinctures can be given in small doses like medicines. Glycerine based ones tend to work well for soothing and I will often use it in a throat or cough remedy but can b used much like alcohol also. I don't find vinegar as effective for extracting certain properties and usually more of it is needed. It is acidic which is often counter to what I'm trying to achieve but I love it for making hair conditioners and 'washes' for the skin. It aslo works well in cooking and for salad dressings. Oil extractions has many usages for skin and hair and also for food use.

 

I prefer to use teas or capsules for treating illnesses, depending on the circumstances of course. Tinctures will only extract certain properties and I believe that herbs come with their own unique, synergistic, properties that all work together to make that herb more effective. Science has determined that only this or that property is what is effective but Mother Earth has already figured out what works the best in most cases. It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature. I try to use whole herbs whenever possible.

 

This is not, by any means, a complete intro to the uses of tinctures of course but if you do some research on the specific herb or herbs you are wanting to make into a tincture you will most likely find which specific medium might work best with that herb. All are fine. All have their usage.

 

[bluegrassmom]

Thanks Mother. I've been researching this because with his liver condition, my husband cannot have any alcohol even in small amounts.

[MamaTiger]

I personally use glycerin most of the time when I make tinctures. But I keep herbs on hand for making teas as well.