Herbals: Extracts, Tinctures, Salves & Oils

[Nightshade]

For the discussion of creating these things; resources and tips we can offer each other.

I have been researching the making of Extracts and Tinctures (using food-grade alcohol or distilled water), and other Herbal remedies such as Infused Oils. SO many options exist, I'm barely scratching the surface with my own exploration. This isn't only about "medicine" but also the simple, healthful benefits of dietary supplements:

Medicinal tinctures - to mix with tea/beverage or use topically on skin.

Rubbing tinctures - made with Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA), topical use only.

Infused Oils - used internally and externally, depending on the herb and the reason.

Salves - herbs, oils, waxes, emollients - and how to heat/mix them for a smooth result.

Flavored butters - for cooking pleasures!!

Any and all relevant ideas will be entertained. This list is far from complete. Please add more!!

Basic TINCTURE instructions: Fill a large jar 1/4 way full of dried herb (1/2 way full of fresh snipped herb), cover it with vodka, make sure all the herb is saturated, then add more vodka until the jar is full but can still be shaken/agitated. .....It takes weeks for the tincture to be ready to use (time varies with each herb); Agitate jar several times a week, loosen jar lid occasionally to release gases, then reseal... When tincture is finally ready, strain liquid, press out excess from soaked herb (using cheesecloth or a press), bottle in dark glass and make sure to label it!

Share recipes and links - on what ever info you find. I am ever-inquisitive!

[Robin S]

{{mergefrom|ginger extract}}

[Nightshade]

Mmmm! Ginger is good. I didn't see that thread (I did go looking before starting this one) - thanks for pointing it out.

I found this recipe for Dandelion Syrup ...Not what I originally went looking for online, but when I start exploring, I find all kinds of crazy things!

[Nightshade]

I'm going to keep sharing things I find:

Mmmmmm.... Basil Liqueur......

I might have to double-post (or more) if no one else shows interest in this topic.

[Girl™]

Oh, this is cool! My mom is big into alternative medicine, and does this kind of thing sometimes. She's made salves by macerating herbs in coconut oil, which turned out interesting. Coconut oil solidifies at room temperature and soaks into skin quickly, so a salve made this way doesn't need any additives. It does tend to melt in hot weather, though. :\

I make my own lip balm out of coconut oil, cocoa butter, and a bit of beeswax. I think you could use this for salves as well. I just melt everything on the stove and pour it into little tins. I'm still tinkering with this, though; right now, it melts when it gets too warm, and the beeswax separates.

Basil vodka sounds tasty... That would be great to add to vodka sauce. I'm thinking of making wisteria-flavored liqueur this spring. Not healthful, but delicious.

[Nightshade]

Awesomeness... now I know what oil to buy. When I get to that stage in my experimentation, I'm going to try that!

Today I snipped up a bunch of fresh rosemary (from my garden) and mixed it with IPA (isopropyl alcohol) to later add to unscented hand lotion, etc. This new, small batch I'm working with is already somewhat steeped -- I've been using it in small quantities as a room spray/mist (lovely!). This new batch, much smaller than the first, is being steeped in the IPA from what was already steeped, making it double-strength. Well, I can't really brag about that; the first one was a weak batch - on purpose - for room spray, etc.

It's a lovely smell. I don't think I could ever get tired of rosemary (under normal conditions).

Something else I absolutely love is ginger. A couple days ago I shaved about a pound of fresh ginger root to make extract (in a glass jar with about 2 cups vodka).

While doing that, I made myself some ginger tea by adding boiling water to a Tbsp of grated ginger in a cup - I added about 2 tsp sugar. It was delicious! I'm going to start keeping fresh ginger around just for tea!! Ginger is good for digestion, and sipping the aromatic tea can help clear up sinus congestion.

[Kendo_Bunny]

For a terrific remedy for cuts-

Boil 1/2 cup oatmeal in 1 cup milk. Add 2 tablespoons honey, a few drops of vitamin E oil, and stir until it forms a thick paste. Cover cut with the mixture as soon as it's cool enough to touch, and leave covered for 20 minutes or more.

I made this as a hand softener, but it completely closed up a really nasty cut on my finger, and I barely scarred at all. I also gave this remedy to a friend of mine who has a badly infected toe. After a 45-minute treatment, the swelling had gone down considerably, the color had gone from purplish to a lightish red, and he said two days later, he was able to get a lot of the dead skin off- that his toe looks and feels almost normal now. This is quite a thing, because he hurt his toe over a year ago.

[Nightshade]

That's really good to know. Some of the best remedies are discovered on accident.

How would you preserve left-over mixture for later use? In a marked, sealed container in the refrigerator? -- Wouldn't it be funny if somebody ate it, thinking it was "just leftovers"... wouldn't hurt them, would it? LOL

I love this info!! Keep it coming!!

(My son-in-law recently had two surgeries after a motorcycle accident. His shoulder and his knee both bear large incisions - from less than a month ago. I am going to make some of this and take it over to him.)

[Nyarlathotep]

This isn't something to do, but rather a request...

We have a rather voracious lavender plant outside, and I'd like to know things to do with it, particularly the leaves. Flowers are dandy, but they're rather difficult to harvest and take a long time to get 'em all.

[Nightshade]

I've never used lavender, in anything - I live in the Sonoran desert. My mom had it as a kid, in the Midwest, but I don't think she cooked with it. I wish I could offer first-hand experience. I googled 'lavender leaves' and found some rather interesting stuff - like:
Page with herbal info http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Lava_ang.html
Quote (from here) "Lavender leaves and flowers add a special flavor to vinegars and salads."
And the following recipe http://www.lavenderfieldsfarm.com/ (click 'cooking with herbs')

Lavender Lemonade

Makes 5 servings

4 cups water, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh lavender leaves or 1 tbs dried flower buds
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
Lavender stems (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil. In a medium bowl, combine the boiling water and lavender leaves, cover and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the lavender mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl; discard lavender leaves.

2. In a saucepan, combine remaining 3 cups water and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved.

3. In a pitcher, combine lavender water, sugar syrup and lemon juice. Cover and chill. Server over ice. Garnish with lavender stems.

<>@<>
My new favorite Herb resource: http://www.herbs2000.com/index.htm
On Lavender: http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_lavender.htm

[Nyarlathotep]

Thanks a bunch, Seven

I have made the lemonade before, using the flowers, it is DAMN delicious but definitively a summer thing. Amazing on hot summer days, though (and I live in Washington DC, which while culturally pretty northern, has the weather of the south when it's summertime).

Hm. Also come summer I may attempt lavender ice cream, but I'm not quite sure how I'd get the flavor infused in the ice cream properly. I wonder if I could steep the flowers in the cream...? hmmm. or cook it when I make the custard.

[Nightshade]

Ohh! I saw this here!

Lavender Ice Cream

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half & half
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 Teaspoons Lavender flowers

Combine all ingredients in Cream Canister. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Freeze as directed.

Yield 1 ½ quarts.

[Nyarlathotep]

Huh, you'd have little flowers in your ice cream then

But again, summer that will be for, and I'll once again have to spend a day hand-harvesting the damn things while avoiding the bumblebees. XD ahhh, well. I could do worse things with my time

[Nightshade]

I don't think the flowers would be a bad thing. Like bits of anything else in ice cream.

Warm Compress Rice-pack:

What I did today -- made a microwaveable dry rice "sachet" to provide comfort heat like a hot compress. After using it once, I thought, "wouldn't it be nice to have a fragrant spice added so it smells good while I'm using it?" I chose dry Basil flakes. I opened the sachet, mixed some basil with the rice and re-tied the cloth. I warmed it in the microwave again. A very subtle, pleasing aroma greeted me.

I think one could do this with any appropriate spice. Oh! The possibilities!!!

The sachet I used today was just the right size to press against my temple. I took a hand-kerchief-sized piece of cloth; T-shirt material works well. I poured approx 1/2 cup dry rice into the center, gathered the corners/edges and secured with a rubber band (do NOT use a metal twist-tie).

Don't bundle too tightly; allow room for the rice to move around inside. Warm lightly in the microwave, roll between hands to distribute heat, test warmth, apply carefully to affected area.

You can make a rice compress of any size. Put desired amount of rice into a clean sock and knot it shut if you must. Very simple.

Use with caution the first time - test the warmth several times while heating. For my little 1/2 cup rice, 30 seconds is enough in a large microwave. Use caution to avoid burns.

[Nightshade]

Home-made Basil/Oregano Mouthwash

I made some awesome mouthwash out of Basil tincture, with a lesser amount of Oregano tincture. Oregano is a great antiseptic, but it is a very strong herb, so I had to go light on that. Here is my formula:

3 oz vodka Basil tincture
1 oz vodka Oregano tincture
4 oz plain vodka (40%)
8 oz filtered water

I combined all this in an empty 16-oz Karo bottle and shook it up. It is an amazingly refreshing - and MEDICINAL tasting mouthwash! (Rinse and spit.) It's not as strong - not as much alcohol as Listerine; I almost always water that stuff down anyway (too much alcohol burns!). I like this so much better!

(had a tooth pulled today the mouthwash is nice )

[edit: the mouthwash was ok, it tasted nice and worked nice.... but it discolors teeth, so I stopped using it.]

[Girl™]

That sounds neat! I wouldn't have thought of making mouthwash. Incidentally, oregano is excellent for fighting yeast and mold infections, so maybe that would help prevent thrush.

My violet liqueur is tinted nicely now, but it still tastes really harsh. I don't know if the vodka I used (100 proof Smirnoff) was just way too strong, or if it needs more sugar or violet flavor, or just needs to be aged. It's most saddening.

[Nightshade]

I think any "drinking liqueur" needs sugar to be palatable. The link I posted earlier (for basil liqueur) gives someone else's formula - she dissolved sugar in filtered water and boiled it down to a syrup, let it cool, then mixed it with the liqueur. She said hers was really sweet. You can choose your own ratio, though. (Me, I take mine less sweet - but palatable).

I'll be very curious to know how yours turns out.

<>@<>

I must tell you about my favorite discoveries so far:

Rosemary/Mint Body Spray:
1 oz Rosemary tincture (in 91% IPA)
1 oz Peppermint tincture (also in 91% IPA)
4 drops glycerin
Mixed in a 2 oz spray-bottle. The scent stays on my skin for hours!!

Rosemary/Mint scented Hand Lotion
5ml (one teaspoon) Rosemary Tincture
5ml (one teaspoon) Peppermint Tincture
2 oz fragrance-free hand lotion
Shaken up in a 2 oz lotion bottle. Aromatherapy for me - I love how it smells!

[Nightshade]

I made ginger candy and ginger syrup. (It's hot and spicy!!!)

I sliced about 1/2 pound fresh ginger root (using a hand-held slicer). I rinsed & drained the slices a few times with warm water, to get flakes and impurities out (it's easier to rinse the slices than it is to peel the root).

I put 2 cups sugar and 4 cups water in saucepan, added 1/2tsp salt (not enough to taste, but it brings out flavors). I turned on the heat and stirred the water to start the sugar dissolving. Then I carefully added the clean ginger slices. I also added two whole cloves (for subtle clove taste).

I simmered it all gently, uncovered, for several hours (stirring occasionally to keep pieces from sticking together) until the liquid had reduced by more than half. Then I let it cool.

After it cooled, I took the ginger pieces out and laid them on waxed paper on a cookie sheet. I threw out the cloves. I strained the syrup and put it in a bottle. I will use it to sweeten things (with a zing!), like herbal tea.

I let the pieces dry overnight, then turned them over, onto a clean sheet of waxed paper. It takes several days for the pieces to dry. When they are most of the way dry, I dust them with sugar, then pack them in a sealed container. They're best still soft and chewy.

<>@<>

I had some vodka that I have been allowing to set with fresh ginger in it (almost 4 weeks). I strained that, put it in a bottle and added some of the ginger/clove syrup. That wonderfully hot liqueur is going to be a birthday present for my brother. I'm also sending him some candied pieces. So don't tell him. Shhhhh....

edit: I'm trying VERY hard not to consume my brother's birthday present before it gets mailed.
edit2: I mailed my brother's gift.... I had enough left over to save some for me.

[jgcrawfo]

Cool stuff! My first thought would be to try using bourbon as the alcohol and soaking mint to get a head-start on mint juleps.

Sorry if I missed this, but where do you store the jar while it's soaking? Cool, dark, warm, dry?

[Nightshade]

Cool stuff! My first thought would be to try using bourbon as the alcohol and soaking mint to get a head-start on mint juleps.

Sorry if I missed this, but where do you store the jar while it's soaking? Cool, dark, warm, dry?

What I've read says to keep it out of direct sunlight - preferably cool and dark.

Your idea of mint juleps sounds really nice. I wouldn't know... so try it!! I'm having loads of fun trying things out.

....Been soaking rose petals in IPA (rubbing alcohol); I've removed old petals and put in fresh, every week for about three weeks. The alcohol is really starting to smell like roses (well, not in the bottle - put some on paper and let it dry first). Not sure what I'll do with it yet...

[jgcrawfo]

So, I just bought like two dozen peppers at the market (they're less than perfect looking so extra cheap), and I want to do something like this with them. I'm thinking hot-pepper vodka would be good for drinking, and maybe roasted red peppers too?

[Nightshade]

So, I just bought like two dozen peppers at the market (they're less than perfect looking so extra cheap), and I want to do something like this with them. I'm thinking hot-pepper vodka would be good for drinking, and maybe roasted red peppers too?

The resulting liqueur could be really, really good, if you like the flavor of the peppers... also HOT!!! I think for this, you need the xkcd "Science" shirt!! LOL!

[jackisdead]

Okay, this stuff sounds very interesting and sounds like it could be fun, but I'm going to risk sounding like a dick and quote Dawkins:
"There is no alternative medicine. There is medicine that works and medicine that doesn't."

[podbaydoor]

Who says this stuff doesn't work? When I was pregnant, drinking peppermint or ginger tea helped alleviate the nausea symptoms. So for me, that was medicine that worked.

[Nightshade]

Dawkins wasn't questioning medicine, he was questioning the definition of the word "alternative".

There would be no so-called 'alternative' without knowing, first, what the original choice was. An alternative is simply another choice.

Alternative education?

Alternative transportation?

Alternative housing?

Dawkins' quote applies to all of the above.

[AntonGarou]

I'm looking for good recipe for making spearmint extract and/or massage oil in order to help strained muscles. Does anybody on the thread have any suggestion?

also:

Who says this stuff doesn't work? When I was pregnant, drinking peppermint or ginger tea helped alleviate the nausea symptoms. So for me, that was medicine that worked.

I suspect he would indeed qualify that as "medicine that works"- he mostly lambasts the pseudoscientist who try to use stuff that doesn't work(from homeopaths up to the various "channelers")

[Nightshade]

I'm looking for good recipe for making spearmint extract and/or massage oil in order to help strained muscles. Does anybody on the thread have any suggestion?

For Extract: Place a large handful of sprigs into a 6oz bottle of vodka, cap it, and let it sit in a dark place for a number of weeks. Two weeks will give you a weaker extract, four weeks stronger, and so on. Every week or so, twist the cap off gently to release gasses that may escape during the process (don't allow them to build up too much). Re-tighten cap, agitate the mixture and place in the dark for another week until it meets your desired strength. Vodka extract can be used in cooking. If the mixture is made with rubbing alcohol (IPA), it is to be applied to skin only.

For Muscle rub: Spearmint is great, especially combined with Eucalyptus oil. A little - topical - eucalyptus goes a long way (in fact, if too much is used, a person can wind up feeling toxic). I use eucalyptus for sore muscles and boggy joints (water on a knee, etc.).

The recipe for Eucalyptus rub is 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil in 1/2 cup (4 oz) carrier oil. Rub this into the affected area two or three times a day. For that cooling tingle, add the spearmint or peppermint essential oil to the above mixture. I'd start with ten drops. Add more as you see fit. Too much will be unpleasant to the skin (burning) but will not give the toxicity associated with eucalyptus.

For Inflammation: The best remedy by far is cayenne rub. (This can stain, but when wrapped loosely, it can be kept away from clothing fabrics.) To make this rub, take a new 8oz container of Petroleum jelly, empty it into a pint glass measure. Warm it in the microwave until melted and quite hot (be careful!!!) - no more than 4 minutes!!! Stir in two ounces of dry cayenne powder. Continue stirring until mixture begins to cool, then pour it back into the original container and allow it to thicken and settle. Apply once daily upon waking. (When applied at night it will keep you from sleeping.) Apply every other day for sensitive skin. This remedy can heal all manner of soft-tissue injuries in 6-8 weeks when used daily.

[AntonGarou]

For that cooling tingle, add the spearmint or peppermint essential oil to the above mixture.I

So now the next question is: should I buy the spearmint essential oil or is there a simple way for me to make some at home? Since spearmint is extremely cheap over here.

[Nightshade]

Essential oils are usually made by distillation, some are made by compression - not all that simple to make at home. It's doable, but labor intensive and not very economical.

You can find many essential oils at health food stores, and prices vary greatly. I buy mine in bulk from Majestic Mountain Sage: Do note that essential oils, flavor oils and fragrance oils are not equal. The latter two are not always natural. I use only essential oils, which are natural and derived straight from the plant of my choosing.