Tincture is called an alcoholic extract of plants, which is stored for a long time without losing its healing qualities. Tinctures are widely used not only by folk, but also by official medicine for the treatment and prevention of various diseases.
Benefits of making a tincture
Decoctions and infusions are often prepared from plants, which must be used in a short time. In contrast to them, the tincture retains the beneficial qualities of plant components for 2-3 years.
Despite the presence of alcohol, the tincture can be used in the treatment of children, diluting the drug with warm boiled water. It is possible to prepare a tincture for future use, using plant materials during the period of the highest concentration of medicinal ingredients.
Herbal tincture is also used not only as a medicine, but also to ennoble the taste of alcoholic and other beverages.
How to make herbal tincture
The quality of the tincture is significantly influenced by the strength of the alcohol. Alcohol of weak concentration increases the infusion time of the drug. Therefore, the optimal alcohol strength is not less than 40-60 degrees. Vodka is often used to make tinctures. It is advisable to check its quality in advance by reviewing the certificate.
All plant components must be crushed so that alcohol can "pull" more useful components from the raw materials.
The leaves, grass and flowers of the plant are crushed to 5 mm. Roots, stems and bark - up to about 3 mm, seeds and fruits of plants are best ground in a coffee grinder.
The tincture is being prepared in a tightly closed container made of dark material. The required amount of raw materials is placed in the container and poured with alcohol. The most commonly used volume ratio is 1: 1 or 1: 5 by weight. That is, the weight of herbs should be 5 times less than the weight of alcohol.
Maintain the tincture at room temperature in an unlit place for at least 7-10 days. It is recommended to shake the container periodically. The finished product is filtered and poured into small dark glass bottles with tight-fitting lids. You can store the tincture in the refrigerator for several years.
Bottles should be provided with labels indicating the preparation time of the tincture and its composition. Apply the agent in the form of drops, local lotions and rubbing.
For internal use, it is recommended to drink 10-30 drops of alcohol tincture. However, the dose of the drug depends on the disease and the composition of the drug. In any case, you should consult your doctor before taking the tincture. Any preparations made from plant materials have contraindications that must be taken into account when treating the disease.
