What is a tincture?
A herbal tincture is a solution containing the ingredients of plant substances. It uses either alcohol or glycerine as a solvent. The plant is immersed in the solvent and left for a period of time, after which is it is pressed and strained to yield the tincture. The preparation of a herbal tincture depends largely on the pharmacopoeia that is used. In South Africa, the British and German pharmacopoeias are primarily utilised for manufacturing herbal tinctures.
Why a tincture?
Tinctures are preferred compared to other liquid herbal preparations for a number of reasons. Firstly the alcohol or glycerine serves as a preservative. Secondly, these solvents allow for certain plant ingredients to be readily extracted into the final solution. Herbal tinctures are a concentrated form of the plant used as a raw material since it contains several key substances from the plant without the solid material. This means a smaller quantity can be used. Furthermore the dosage can be controlled much more easily, often by counting the number of drops per dose.
Tincture vs Tea
A herbal tea is known as an infusion. The plant, usually chopped up into smaller pieces, is soaked in hot water and left to brew for a period of time. The solid material is then strained and the remaining liquid is consumed. Herbal teas are still popular in Western, Eastern and African herbal medicine. However, the dried herbs used to make the tea can become contaminated or decompose.
Furthermore, many of the constituents of the plant that are extracted in an alcohol or glycerine (oil) solution may not be extracted in a tea, since it is not water soluble. Precipitation may occur in an infusion and the components dissolved in the water may then collect at the bottom as a sediment. Similarly precipitation can occur with alcohol or glycerine tinctures but this is less common than with a tea.
Alcohol Tinctures
The concentration of alcohol used to make a tincture can vary from 30% to 60%. Less commonly, alcohol concentrations as high as 90% may be used. Although these concentrations seem high, the tincture is usually diluted in a quantity of water before consumption thereby making it more palatable and less corrosive on the inner lining of the mouth. The amount of water in which the alcohol tincture is diluted can vary, provided that the entire water-tincture mixture is consumed at the same time. Contrary to popular belief, a tincture used as directed in water cannot cause intoxication.
