EXTRACTION OF PROPERTIES

Comminuting is the reductions of herbs to small particles. Herbs containing volatile oils should be used with care and not subjected to high temperatures.

Know your herbs before mixing, ingesting or do spells.

The first step in the drying is to cut your herbs into small pieces when fresh.

Tie the herbs in small bundles and hand over a line when they can be kept dry and not damp. Generally this takes 3-5 days. When dry pass through a grinder. Keep them in a tight jar in the dark.

The chief methods of extraction are

a)    DECOCTION - applied when the active properties consist of matter readily taken from the plant but not damaged by boiling water.

b)    INFUSION - applied to obtain the extracts by means of boiling water, only in this case boiling water is NOT used.

c)    MACERATION - A prolonged infusion using alcohol. Steeping the herbs in a closed vessel for a definite period. This method is used to extraction of fluid extracts or tinctures.

Percolation - or obtaining the most perfect soluble parts of remedies. 

Filtration - Liquids are separated from substances mechanically suspended in them . Using filter paper works best.

Clarification - Clarifying a substance after processing, and is done by melting and skimming or filtering through a suitable material.

Digestion - A prolonged maceration at a constant temperature of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Expression - The juices of herbs are extracted by pressing them. Two pressures are used; one being a simple screw press and then a heavier one.