Tinctures are used for many different medicinal purposes. You can find tinctures for congestion, coughs, cold & flu, arthritis and so much more. It really comes down to the herbs and medicinal plants you’re using and what their healing properties consist of. Before I begin the how-to portion of this article, I’d like to share some basic yet useful information with you.
Tinctures 101
A tincture is a concentrated liquid herbal extract. It is made using consumable alcohol and medicinal herbs, roots, flowers, bark or berries. You don’thaveto use consumable alcohol if you don’t want to, there are also the options of apple cider vinegar (ACV), white vinegar and/or vegetable glycerin.
However, if you don’t use consumable alcohol and go with one of the other options, the medicine is no longer called a tincture. It is simply called an extract.
Purpose Of Alcohol In Tinctures
酒精是一种防腐剂，可以延长药物的保质期，从几个月到几年不等。只要酒精含量在80度以上，你可以使用任何你想要的酒。
Rum and vodka are the most commonly used when making a tincture. Everclear, which is a grain alcohol, is also used due to the fact that it is 190 proof. Some tinctures are believed to be able to last indefinitely due to the alcohol. Although, there is some controversy about whether the tincture remains potent as time goes on.
Some say it remains potent while others disagree and believe it loses potency as time goes on. In my own opinion, I believe some will remain potent while others will not depending on the herbs used.
Commonly Used Herbs And Plants
- Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceous):Somestudies说明狮子的鬃毛含有神经营养成分。神经营养是一个用来描述与神经组织生长有关的特性的术语。这只是健康益处之一。这种酊剂通常用于帮助放松和平静焦虑和紧张。
- Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea):Echinacea is an incredibleimmune booster. It’s the perfect tincture for helping to reduce symptoms related to the flu and fighting off a cough and cold.
- Usnea (Usnea barbata & Usnea hirta):Both of these lichen species make awesome antibiotic tinctures.Usnea不仅含有抗生素性质，但它也产生免疫刺激，抗炎和抗肿瘤的性质。
5 Tips On Alcohol & Plant Combinations
某些醇与每种植物类型和所用植物的不同部位的协同作用不同。
- 190度的谷物酒精用于溶解树脂和树胶。它也可以用来提取精油和芳香烃。
- 90度的伏特加最适合制作用干药草制成的酊剂。只要不是太潮湿，新鲜的香草也可以使用。
- Using a ½ and ½ combo of 80-proof vodka and 190-proof grain alcohol is great for extracting volatile aromatics.
- 当使用新鲜的食材时，最好是剁碎、磨碎或压碎它们，因为这有助于释放药用汁液和油。最好使用含有高水分的草本植物，浆果和芳香的根。
- The higher the percentage and proof of alcohol the better it is for drawing out the medicinal properties found in the juices and plant matter.
The Preparation
All makers of medicine do things in their own way. For instance, some of us will keep the leaves and flowers whole in the jars to add a visual beauty and others prefer to crush them.
No matter what you prefer, here are some helpful tips to make your own tinctures at home.
Measurements
Tinctures are best prepared using glass jars with lids and stored in dark-colored, glass dropper bottles.
The amount of plant matter and materials you will use will vary in measurement. Here’s a quick breakdown of the measurements and proportions according to the plant materials you choose to use:
- Dried Flowers & Leaves:Fill jar ½ – ¾ of the way full.
- Fresh Flowers & Leaves:Fill jar ⅔ -¾ of the way full.
- Dried Berries/Bark/Roots:填满1 / 4——填满的三分之一干燥的浆果，树皮和根可以扩大到1.5大小，当他们被重组。这就是为什么很少使用的原因!
- Fresh Berries/Barks/Roots:Fill jar ⅓ – ½ of the way full.
So, no matter the size of the jar you use to make your tincture, these are the basic measurements used according to the plant parts being used.
How To Make Tinctures
Supplies Needed
- Pint or Quart-Sized Jars
- Consumable Alcohol
- Herbs & Plants
- Cheesecloth
- Remember: You can use vegetable glycerin, ACV and white vinegar to make medicine as well.
Directions
- Wash and dry your jars and lids.
- Loosely fill your jar with the plants and herbs according to the measurements above.
- Pour your choice of consumable alcohol so that the jar is almost full.
- Stir.
- Cover with a lid and leave it in a dark cool place for six to eight weeks being sure to shake the contents lightly at least once a day. This helps the medicinal properties escape, and it also helps keep the plants submerged.
- 六到八周后，用粗棉布过滤，将植物物质从酊剂中分离出来。将植物丢弃到堆肥中。
- Pour and store your tincture into a dark-colored dropper bottle.
There are several other processes that can be used to make a tincture. I typically use the one I just explained.
你也可以用一块粗棉布做一束药草/植物。简单地把选择的植物物质塞进棉布里，扎紧，让它浸泡在可消耗的酒精中6到8周。这个过程消除了任何紧张和分离，当它的瓶子。
Extra Strength Double Extractions
You can make extra strength medicines by following the first set of instructions. After you strain off the plant matter and herbs you simply add a fresh batch of herbs and allow it to sit for another three weeks.
Labeling
Any time you make medicine it is wise to label your products. Your labels will include simple details similar to the ones you might find on over-the-counter medicines.
包括:
- The plant’s common and Latin name.
- 所使用的零件。
- Fresh or dried.
- The date it was made and bottled.
- The dosages.
- Alcohol type, proof and percentage.
Basic Dosage Info
When you are crafting any form of medicine from plants and nature it is always wise to check the minimum and maximum dosage amounts for the ingredients you intend to use. There is some really amazingmaterialout there pertaining to the dosage of natural medicines.
Making your own homemade medicinal tinctures is pretty easy. Always do your research when it comes to wildcrafting your own medicines. I personally find that knowing the ways of the old medicines, the natural medicines, is a blessing. I hope you’ve enjoyed this informative how-to article on tinctures.
今天的宅地故事由伊莱娜·加西亚为您带来。治疗和健康是生活的重要组成部分。伊莱娜已经实践了近15年的自然治疗，发现野生医学是极其重要的，特别是在家园。
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