The different ways of using plants in herbal medicine

Infusion is the best known method of using dried plants. It consists of pour simmering water, i.e. just boiling, at a temperature of 80-90°C over the plant to be infused. The infusion is particularly suitable for fragile parts of plants, such as flowers or leaves, as well as plants rich in volatile and aromatic substances (our famous essential oils), which, remember, degrade at too high a temperature. This is why it is advisable to always cover your infusion: to preserve all the active ingredients.

The infusion time generally varies from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the plants:

• 5 minutes will be sufficient for aromatics for example, which risk releasing bitter compounds beyond that, or flowers, which are rather fragile.
• 10 minutes will be needed for other plant parts such as certain leaves.

The infusion time also depends on individual tastes, depending on whether you prefer a strong or mild herbal tea. Final advice: when filtering, do not forget to squeeze the plant well, in order to recover all the active ingredients.

For purists, there is another form of preparation to make a good infusion. The principle remains the same, but here it is about put the plants in cold water, then heat gently and stop the heat before boiling. This form allows you to gently rehydrate the plant without harming it, as you would do by pouring hot water directly on it.

The decoction is the method of preparation to be favored for the more rigid and fibrous parts of the plant such as the roots, certain seeds or even the bark. The principle changes slightly compared to infusion: this consists of place the plants in a saucepan of cold water, heat gently until boiling, let boil for the indicated time, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse covered. Finally, filter while pressing the grounds, then drink.

The decoction time will depend on the part of the plant used:

• for stems, fruits or tough leaves: 2 to 3 minutes will be necessary
• for tougher parts such as roots, rhizomes and bark: 5 minutes are necessary

Cold maceration is also called cold infusion. The principle is simple, it consists of leave the plants in contact with cold water for 10 hours to 12 hours, covered, then filter by pressing the grounds. Be careful, water being a very poor preservative, you should not let the plants macerate for more than 10 hours otherwise there is a risk of fermentation, and consume the liquid within 24 hours to avoid any risk of microbial development.

Cold maceration can be done on the majority of plants, but is particularly suitable for plants rich in mucilage, such as Marshmallow, Gentian, Licorice or even Mallow, as well asto plants containing heat-labile compounds, sensitive to heat.
Maceration can also be carried out in vegetable oil, often olive or sunflower, to obtain the famous oily macerates. These can be declined endlessly, by varying the maceration oil used. The best is still to favor a stable maceration oil to keep it as long as possible. The principle remains essentially the same, but the plants are left to macerate for several weeks this time, in the sun. The oil is then filtered, and the plants pressed to recover all the active ingredients.

Medicinal plants lend themselves perfectly to the pleasure of a good digestive after a meal, and even before to anticipate. Indeed, they can be macerated in a wine or strong alcohol to make a wine or a medicinal alcohol. These are mainly used for their digestive properties. We know today that our digestive system is our “second brain”, with its 200 million neurons and billions of bacteria that make up the intestinal flora. A direct link is made between certain diseases and our intestinal microbiota. Digestive problems are common these days, and alongside a healthy and balanced diet, wines and medicinal alcohols can be of good support.

To make a medicinal wine or an elixir, the principle is relatively simple, it involves nothing less than maceration in alcohol:

• weigh the plant to be macerated and put it in a large jar
• cover with white, red wine or strong alcohol (rum, vodka, etc.). Make sure the plant is well covered with alcohol. Uncovered plant parts may oxidize. It is possible to create a natural ballast using a stone for example to keep them at the bottom of the jar.
• close the jar and leave to macerate for between 1 and 4 weeks depending on the plant, stirring the jar every day
• filter, squeeze the marc then transfer into previously sterilized bottles.
• it is possible to add a sweetening substance (unrefined) according to taste, but this remains optional.

If quality water is necessary to make a good herbal tea, the same is true for the wine used in medicinal wines. Indeed, for optimal extraction of plant compounds, it is necessary favor a high level of alcohol. The average alcohol content of a wine is 12%. So, the trick is to add strong alcohol to the macerating mixture to promote a better extraction rate. The choice of wine is therefore important: it must be of good quality of course, it must please the taste, but also it must contain a high level of alcohol, and if possible it must not have too much tannins, which could cause undesirable effects such as drying the mouth, modifying intestinal absorption or interacting with certain plant compounds.

Concerning the doses, this can vary between a tablespoon and a small glass of liqueur, as an aperitif or digestive, and of course, always in moderation ! Medicinal wines can be kept refrigerated for up to 6 months, and elixirs for several years.

The mother tinctures are obtained by maceration of fresh plants in alcohol, or a mixture of alcohol and water, allowing the extraction of the active ingredients. We also speak of hydro-alcoholic extract or alcoholature. The maceration of dry plants in alcohol, less common, is by misnomer often considered as a mother tincture as well, but purists will rather speak of an officinal tincture.

The principle remains the same between the two types of dyes: it involves macerate a certain quantity of plant in alcohol. This must be as pure as possible, preferably between 60 and 90°, but as it is difficult to obtain such alcohols today, it is preferable to use a strong alcohol with a strength of 45-50°.

For a perfect creation of an alcoholic treatment, it is necessary to know the humidity level of fresh plants. Indeed, the humidity level will impact the quality of the mother tincture since the water contained in the plant will be extracted by the alcohol and change the alcoholic strength. In the laboratory, the humidity level is thus evaluated by weighing the plant before and after dehydration. According to the French pharmacopoeia, the alcohol content is 1/10th of the dry weight of the plant used. Thus, 10 parts of alcohol will be necessary for one part of plant. For dry plants, the medicinal tincture is prepared at 1/5th of the weight of the dry plant.

The duration of maceration depends on the plant, it can be from a few days to a few weeks. For good maceration, it is necessary:

• use an airtight jar, store away from light.
• cut the plant (fresh or dry), or even reduce it to powder to promote a larger contact surface between the alcohol and the plant.
• completely cover the plant to avoid any oxidation phenomenon.
• weigh down the plant using a smaller jar or a clean stone and keep it at the bottom.
• stir the jar regularly to promote the good diffusion of the active ingredients.
• when the maceration is finished, filter the mixture and press the plant to recover all the active ingredients.

The mother tinctures can be kept for several years, in an amber dropper bottle and always tightly closed. Please note, as mother tinctures are composed of alcohol, they are not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, in cases of liver disease or digestive sensitivity.

Fluid extracts, unlike mother tinctures, are obtained by maceration of fresh plants, or crushed parts of fresh plants, in a solvent other than alcohol. The extraction of active substances from plants is generally done in a solvent based onwater or glycerin.

We frequently find the fluid extracts (liquids) on the market but there are also soft extracts (semi-solid) or dry extracts (solids). These last two forms come from the first: once the fluid extract is obtained, the solvent is then partially or entirely eliminated. Different methods are used to remove this liquid: freeze-drying or nebulization.

Unlike the mother tincture and the fluid extract, the juice does not come from maceration of the plant. It is not diluted in a solvent and contains only the juice of the plant. 

To extract it, the freshly harvested plant is pounded or pressed then filtered. For certain plants, it is sometimes necessary to cook them before being able to extract the juice. Depending on the plant chosen, the juice can be consumed internally or externally.

Coming directly from the plant, preserving the bag is relatively delicate. It is because it is difficult to keep fresh that it can be difficult to find this type of preparation commercially.

Plant powders are particularly suitable for very fibrous plants to facilitate their infusion, but also for plants rich in minerals such as Nettle. The powder form has a double advantage: on the one hand it allows better digestion and on the other hand better absorption in the digestive mucosa.

Spraying plants is mainly used to prepare capsules or tablets, but powders can also simply be mixed with cold or hot water, or included in food.

The two major disadvantages of pulverization are the risk of deterioration of the active ingredients during grinding, and the risks of oxidation, particularly for aromatic plants. Powders are therefore more sensitive and less stable over time than whole plants. Therefore, it is advisable to spray the plant just before using it, or to prepare small quantities to avoid having to store them.

Compresses and poultices are particularly suitable for skin problems, sprains, fractures or muscle and joint pain. They are single use and should not be reused.

The compress : here we use the infusion or decoction of the plant to soak a compress or a clean cloth, to apply to the skin. Maintain the compress using a bandage, and leave it in place for around twenty minutes, repeating it after a few hours.

The poultice : the plant is here directly applied to the skin if it is sufficiently fine (the leaves or flowers for example). Otherwise, it is possible to heat them in water to soften them and gently crush them to extract the active ingredients. Just like compresses, you must leave it in place for around twenty minutes, and renew it after a few hours.

Lotions are made from infusion, decoction or sometimes mother tincture diluted in water. These preparations can be used as a lotion cutaneously, by friction directly on the skin of the body or face. The lotion is used to relieve skin disorders or joint or muscle pain.

Lotions made from an infusion or decoction can serve as eye drops or eye baths. To do this, the preparation must be properly filtered using a coffee filter to remove all impurities and thus avoid irritating the eye. This method of use will be useful for relieving irritated eyes or conjunctivitis thanks to the use of plants such as Camomile, Rose or even Sweet Woodruff.

Mouthwash and gargling are two very similar methods that help relieve oral and throat pain.. Favored plants have astringent or antiseptic properties, to tighten tissues while disinfecting them.

Mouthwash helps relieve oral problems by absorbing, without swallowing, a sip of cooled infusion or decoction. The preparation is stirred inside the mouth so that it is in contact with all the mucous membranes. We then spit out the mouthwash before repeating if necessary.

Gargling will target the throat and not the inside of the mouth. To do this, simply scrape the back of the throat with a little infusion or decoction, the famous “grrrrr”, for as long as possible before spitting. This operation should be carried out for 5 to 10 minutes.

Baths help relieve many problems, whether skin, circulatory, muscular, joint or even nervous.

The aromatic bath : here we use an infusion or decoction of the plant in 1 or even 2 liters of water, to be allowed to cool or cool. This preparation will then be added to the bath water. Another fun way is to hang a fabric bag containing the dried plants under the hot water tap. The infusion will be made during the bath. It is possible to squeeze the sachet regularly to facilitate the extraction of active ingredients. Generally, we stay in the bath for at least ten minutes.

The sitz bath : for this type of bath we make an infusion or decoction of the plant also in 1 or 2 liters of water. It is often necessary to add water to the preparation to obtain sufficient volume. It is possible to let the water in the sitz bath cool down or cool down. It can in fact be practiced hot or cold. You can use a hot or cold sitz bath, often preferred in cases of hemorrhoids. It is recommended to stay in the sitz bath for approximately 5 to 15 minutes and to repeat the operation 1 to 2 times a day if necessary.

Inhaling plants is ideal and effective for clear the airways in case of congestion or to relieve respiratory conditions. To do this, we generally use expectorant and mucolytic plants such as Eucalyptus.

To do an inhalation, you must make 1 liter of hot infusion or decoction which is placed in an inhalation bowl or salad bowl. Then simply place yourself above the container, covering your head with a towel and inhale the rising vapors. Be careful not to burn your airways! It may sometimes be necessary to wait a few minutes for the water temperature to decrease. The nose may tend to run, so don't hesitate to blow your nose.

The inhalation lasts as long as the preparation is hot, approximately 10 minutes. It is of course possible to repeat the operation if necessary.