Preparation of Medicinal Plants

Preparation of Medicinal Plants

Given the medicinal plant parts that are used to obtain curative substances that we need -flowers, leaves, fruits, roots, fruit peels, seeds -there are several methods such as infusion,decoction, maceration, essence, tincture, syrup ,ointment, etc.Regardless of the plant, procedures for obtaining curative substances from medicinal plants are similar, the only indication is that some active substances can be obtained only through hot extraction, and others only through cold extraction. Let us review them each.

1. Infusion, or tea scalding
2. Decoction or broth

3. Macerate, or cold lump
4. Essences or tinctures
5. Medicinal oils
6. Ointments
7. Medicinal syrups
8. Medicinal wine

9. Bath addition
10. Plant extracts, steamed
11. Herbal porridge
12. Cushion plants
13. Full baths
14. Sitz baths
15. Herbal steam compress
16. Swedish Herbal Compresses
17. Fresh juices from plants

Infusion, scalding or tea are, perhaps, the most common forms of use of medicinal plants, for extraction of active substances contained therein. Generally in a cup of boiling water, meaning about 250 ml, water put one tipped teaspoon of flowers, stems, or leaves from the plant, finely chopped, cover and leave to infuse, or the active substances to pass from the plant in the boiling water, for half a minute and up to five minutes. After the passage of the dedicated time, the infusion needs to be strained and drank, preferably unsweetened, in small sips. Infusions can be used as compresses and poultices.

Decoction or broth represents the process of obtaining curative substances from the medicinal herbs, that recommends putting the plant in cold water and then boiling it. Normally you use one, two teaspoons of chopped herb over which you pour 250-350 ml of cold water. For leaves, flowers and stems, boiling time is about 10 minutes and for peel and roots it is about 30 minutes. Due to the fact that during boiling a part of the water evaporates, after straining the decoction we fill a cup of 250 ml with boiled water, separately. Decoction is used less frequently than infusion and when it is used, it's only for peels and roots. Apart from the method of obtaining a decoction mentioned above, there are others. For example, to obtain a decoction made from thistle seeds, crush the seeds, then put a teaspoon full of crushed seeds in 250 ml of boiling water, then simmer for ten minutes. Strain and drink on two occasions. The same applies in the case of buckthorn bark decoction, with the only difference that boiling time is 20 minutes and the amount of buckthorn bark is one spoon.

Macerate or cold lump, is practiced in cases where infusion or decoction therapy fail to extract the therapeutic power of the plants. For example one, two teaspoons of comfrey root, calamus, or chopped mistletoe leaves are put into a cup of cold water and let sit to macerate for 10-12 hours. After this time the active substances from the plants have passed into the water in which they were places, the macerate is heated a little bit, then strained and consumed as tea, usually unsweetened.

Essences or tinctures are obtained by introducing parts of freshly picked herbs in refined alcohol of 38-40 degrees. Usually leaves, flowers, or fruits of such plants are used. The glass in which the plants and alcohol have been introduced are kept for about two weeks in a bright and warm room, then the tincture can be used in small doses of 4-15 drops daily, taken either on sugar or dropped in your tea.

Medicinal oils are prepared exactly like essences, only that alcohol is replaced with sunflower oil. Flowers or leaves of the plant from which we want to prepare a medicinal oil, are cut finely, placed in a bottle, oil is poured to cover them, then allow to stand for two to three weeks in a bright and warm room. Medicinal oils are used for external applications.

Ointments they can be easily prepared too. Clean pork lard is used, about 200-250 grams, which is heated in a bowl and sprinkled over with one, two finely chopped handfuls of plant, or plants, flowers, leaves, stems. When the lard begins to foam, remove the bowl from heat, cover and allow to stand until the next day, when the mixture is heated a bit, just until it becomes fluid. Then, strain very well through a clean cloth, taking care to squeeze out the remains of plants. The ointment thus obtained is kept in the small tightly closed boxes. Ointments are destined for external use and have a wide use in the treatment of many diseases.

Medicinal syrups are aqueous solutions made from sweetened plant extract. Usually the first step is making an infusion, a decoction or macerate from the plant from which we are interested to make our syrup, after which we dissolve the sugar in the aqueous solution, about 600 grams to 350 ml. Dissolving sugar can be either cold or hot. The syrup has to be strained while it's still hot, after which it is poured into small bottles. This would be the current way we can prepare syrups, but there are other methods, such as obtaining coltsfoot syrup. Take a clay pot and fill it with successive layers of coltsfoot leaves and flowers and sugar. Seal the pot with cellophane, then it must be put in a hole made ​​in a corner of the garden. After 40-50 days, dig up the pot and the coltsfoot syrup has to boil, then allow to cool, strain and place in small bottles, and in need take one teaspoon of syrup.

Medicinal wine can be obtained by leaving 40-50 grams of chopped herbs in one liter of white wine for 8-10 days, then filter and, if desired, it can be sweetened. A recipe for a medicinal wine especially good for treating cardiac patients is based on parsley. Take one liter of white wine, two tablespoons of wine vinegar, or apple vinegar, heat a little and add 10 to 12 parsley stems. Cook for ten minutes until it begins to foam, but not yet boil. Strain, then add 300 grams of honey. Keep in small bottles and taken as treatment two to three tablespoons a day.

Bath addition, is prepared from freshly picked plants, in this case, by using 4-5 handfuls of plant or dried plant, in which case use 100 grams of plant for five liters of water. After the plants are left to soak in cold water for 10-12 hours, the macerate is heated, then strained and added to the water bath. To be efficient, a plant bath needs to last at least 20 minutes, after which it is advisable to lie down in bed about an hour, to make a strong sweat.

Plant extracts, steamed are generally used as compresses, meaning you take a handful of plants, place a metal sieve and place over a pot in which water is boiling. After the steam has heated and softened the plant, place it on a piece of clean cloth, which will then be applied as a compress on the area of the body that we intend to treat.

Herbal porridge is used mainly applied directly to areas of the body that have suffered severe trauma such as hitting, injuries, or wounds. Freshly picked leaves, such as plantain leaves for example, or common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), are rinsed well, then crushed with a wooden paddle on a board and then apply on affected area.

Cushion plants are commonly used in treating rheumatic disease, or sciatica. In a flax or cotton pillow case, by no means a material that also contains synthetic fibers, freshly picked plants are introduced: pedicle, thyme, or fern, then sew pillow, and after that apply on the painful area.

Full baths, with herbal extract are similar in principle with bath additives the only difference is that for full baths the quantities differ, as follows: for a full bath you need a bucket with a capacity of 6-8 liters filled with fresh herbs, or 200 grams of dried plants. Leave the plants to soak in cold water for 10-12 hours, then heat up the macerate, strain and add the resulting extract to your water bath. A full bath with herbal extract should last 20 minutes. After the bath do not dry yourself, put on a bathrobe, or a large bath towel and get in bed where you need to stay for one hour to sweat plenty, thus eliminating toxins from the body. A special warning: water from the tub will not include the heart area.

Sitz baths, require the use of only half the quantity of plants used for a full bath and the water in the tub must always reach up over the patient's kidneys. Both the full bath and the sitz bath which use plant extracts, can be reheated and used again twice.

Herbal steam compresses are obtained by keeping the plants fresh or dry in a sieve over a pot of boiling water. Steam heated and dipped plants are put in a rare canvas fabric, after which is applied to the sore area. Over the steam pack place a towel or another piece of warm fabric, after which everything must be tightly wrapped so that the treated area never comes in contact with cold air. Generally, herbal steam packs take effect after two hours, but, in some cases they can be let to work on the sore area even all night.

Swedish herbal compresses are actually based on some Swedish bitter. The area you intend to treat with Swedish herbal compresses will firstly be well greased with pork lard or marigold ointment, then take a piece of wool, the size of the sore area, moisten it with Swedish bitters, then apply over the painful area. You can cover it with a plastic sheet and then bind. Generally, this type of compress is allowed to work for 2-4 hours, depending on the disease and the patient's ability to support it. After the compress is removed, powder the skin and if itching occurs, it is indicated to treat the area again with marigold ointment.

Fresh juices from plants can be used both for internal use, as well as external use. For internal use they are usually consumed as drops, and for external use they are used to dab the affected area. Plant juices can be obtained very easily by using an electric juicer, or in its absence, you can finely chop the plants, after which you will squeeze them with a gauze. It is recommended that the juice be fresh, prepared daily, but if you store it in hermetically sealed bottles, in the refrigerator, you can use it safely for several months.

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