Short manual on herbal preparations

The preparation process is required to extract and use the active principles contained in medicinal plants. It is thanks to these that a plant has a salutary effect.
To release its active principles, every plant must be used in a specific manner.

Herbal teas (tisanes): this is the simplest medicinal form and derives its action through the extractive power of hot water. Herbal teas are a mixture of plants which liberate their hydrosoluble active principles when placed in water. The tisane is obtained through two procedures: decoction and infusion.
Decoction: the plants are placed in cold water in a closed container. The water is brought to the boil and left to boil for the time necessary for all the active principles to be extracted.
This method is generally recommended for hard vegetal parts, such as bark, roots and seed.
Infusion: this is prepared by pouring boiling water onto plant parts, leaving them to soak for 5-10 minutes, then filtering and drinking. The container must be ceramic or terracotta, which are the most suitable materials for the extraction of the active principles. Honey or unrefined sugar can be used for sweetening.
Maceration: this preparation requires longer to extract the active principles. Steeping of the plants is always performed cold in solvents like wine, vinegar or oil, which, by preventing the penetration of air, prevent fermentation. At the end, the plant is macerated in a mill and the liquid obtained is left to settle before being carefully filtered. Classic examples of domestic macerated alcohols are fruit- or plant-flavoured liqueurs.
A traditional product made from macerated oil is hypericum oil.

The above methods of preparation are still used and easily performed, thus they can be done at home. The products obtained (decoctions, infusions or macerations) are drunk or used in other simple therapy practices. In the past they were used by our grandparents to treat simple ailments. Here are a few.

Medicinal bath: total or partial immersion of the body in water to which an infusion or decoction of plants has been added. This method was very much used for newborn babies, who would be immersed in a bath infused with oats or mallow to purify the skin and encourage sleep.
Poultice: preparation obtained from decoctions of plants or flour made from seeds, bark or roots that is applied to a part of the body. It helps form scar tissue or softens and desensitises inflamed skin. A well-known poultice is made from linseed flour applied to the chest to cure colds or bronchitis.
Fomentation: a local treatment generally practised with gauze soaked in liquid herbal preparations. Camomile fomentations used to treat inflammation of the eyes are a classic example.
Fumigation: aromatic plants are placed in a bowl of boiling water and the patient breathes in the vapours given off. This is more effective if a towel or covering is placed over the head to concentrate the vapours and prolong the effect. Inhalations based on thyme and equisetum (horsetail) were used to cure inflammation of the throat and airways. Enclosed spaces can be disinfected in this manner: the plants used were thyme, eucalyptus, rosemary and camphor among others.
Mouthwash: mouthwashes are the products of an infusion or decoction used to heal the mouth and throat, generally by means of disinfection or decongestion. In cases of inflammation of the mouth, mouthwashes using mint, sage and eucalyptus were popular. Yet more common was the anti-inflammatory action of a mallow decoction on the gums.
Syrup: a syrup is created by the slow cooking of a decoction, infusion or maceration over a small flame with the addition of sugar or honey to prevent fermentation. The result is a thick fluid. A very useful syrup to treat a cough is made from grindelia and propolis.
Herbal wine: medicinal wine is made by macerating the woody parts of plants (roots or seeds) in wine. Cinnamon, gentian and absinth wine are prepared in this manner, the latter of which is excellent for digestion problems or stomach pains.

The preparation of other herbal forms requires the skills of an expert, whether a herbalist or pharmacist. And it is wise to get a doctor's opinion on their use.

Tinctures: tinctures are obtained by letting fresh or dried plants macerate slowly in a solution of alcohol and water.
This procedure ensures that the tincture has a high concentration of active principles owing to the extractive properties of the alcohol.
Usually one kilogram of drug is extracted using ten litres of hydroalcoholic mixture; for roots and seeds the extraction time is longer than for leaves and buds.
The hydroalcoholic element of a tincture offers a faster action on the organism, for example, passionflower tincture brings sleep very quickly.
Extracts: an extract is a liquid product obtained by immersing a dried plant in a solvent, such as water or alcohol, which dissolves its active principles. The resulting solution is then evaporated until the desired concentration is achieved, which can extend to complete evaporation (dry extract).
Compresses: a solid, single-dose preparation formed by mechanical compression of powders in moulds. They are rich in active principles and are taken orally.
Capsules: a modern, single-dose, pharmaceutical treatment consisting in gelatinous capsules filled with a herbal preparation, such as an oil or dry extract, and taken orally.
Ointments: ointments are paste-like herbal preparations containing an alcoholic extract and an oil. They are used externally and locally. A well-known example is nettle ointment, which was rubbed onto aching parts of the body.
Essential oils: essential oils were extracted using a variety of procedures, the most widely used being distillation in steam.
The essence, which is very rich in active principles, is often found in flowers and leaves (or other parts of the plant), and is typical of aromatic plants such as those used in cooking (rosemary, sage, basil, etc.) or the perfume industry (lavender, sandalwood, vervain, etc.).
Essential oils are widely used in massages, in compresses and other cosmetic preparations.

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