Herbal Extraction Methods

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Each manufacturer has its own method of extracting plant medicine, which is then used to make salves and tinctures that are sold nationwide. While the method may not make a difference to consumers, it should, each manufacturer says—with all due respect for the others.

Different extraction methods illustrate the contrasting philosophies pulling at the ends of contemporary herbal medicine.

Extraction refers to the process of obtaining an herb’s medicinal constituents by using an appropriate solvent, such as grain alcohol or glycerine, to get them out of the plant. Extraction is an age-old process and easy to do yourself—it can be as simple as making an infusion. Most of us, though, will trust someone else to do it for us. If you’re curious about the extraction methods your supplier uses, check the product label or ask for product literature. This should help you make informed decisions when you’re ready to buy an herbal supplement.

Here’s a description of the extraction methods commonly used in herbal medicine:

Infusion: The simplest extraction method; it’s similar to making a tea, but ...
... more precisely defined. Infusions are most appropriate when extracting constituents from leaves, flowers and green stems. General guidelines suggest one part dried herb or three ounces fresh herb to twenty parts water steeped five to ten minutes.

Decoction: Similar to an infusion but used when the plant material is hard and woody, such as roots, rhizomes, seeds, or bark. Simmer one part herb to twenty parts water for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Maceration: The most common or popular way to tincture an herb, this process usually calls for ethanol, or grain alcohol, which is a better solvent than water because it extracts most of the ingredients from the herb and also acts as a preservative. Occasionally vegetable glycerine or vinegar is used—-vinegar behaves similarly to alcohol, and glycerine is easier on the stomach—but neither of them dissolves plant constituents as well as alcohol. Vinegar and glycerine are appropriate for children or people with alcohol sensitivities. Herbs are placed into a container and alcohol is added; a common ratio is one part herb to five parts solvent.

Digestion: Similar to maceration, but with the addition of gentle heat.

Expression: Forcibly separating liquid from the plant by using a press.

Percolation: One method for extracting dried, finely powdered herbs. The powder is placed into a vial, a paper filter is set on top, and solvent is poured onto the filter. The solvent works its way through the powder for twenty-four hours (more solvent is added as needed) and drips slowly out of a valve on the bottom of the vial—carrying the extracted medicinal constituents with it.

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