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General
Methods for Preparation of Herbs.
There
are many ways in which herbs can be prepared and administered to the
patient. The different
methods of preparation are :
Infusion
For
infusion the ratio of herbs to water is one to eight.
Put the herbs either dried (20 g) or fresh ( 50 g) in a teapot
with 400 ml of boiling water.
Strain it after ten minutes. To
the liquor thus obtained, adequate quantity of milk or sugar or salt as
per taste can be added. Mixing
several types of herbs as per the requirement can also be used to make
infusion. Infusion or tea can
be kept in a refrigerator for two to
three days. It is generally
taken as a cupful three times daily.
Infusion
is better for more delicate plant parts such as leaves and flowers, or
more herbaceous
(non-woody) plants.
It is also better for aromatic herbs, like most spices, because
boiling destroys and dissipates the aromatic oil.
Some herbs with high mucilage content are prepared in the same way
but with cold water.
Paste
The
plant or any part of the plant should be soaked in water for some time
before making a paste, and
then crushed through a stone grinder ( pestle and mortar).
During grinding, some more water should be added.
The paste should be uniformly fine.
Generally, such pastes should be used within 24 hours.
For the next day, fresh paste of drugs should be prepared.
Decotion
The
most common method of using the plant or plant parts like barks, roots,
rhizomes, and seeds is by way of preparing a decoction.
The general rule for decoction is one part of herb to sixteen parts
of water, e.g., three teaspoonfuls ( 15g) of the powder of the plant or
plant part should be boiled in a metallic or earthen pot by adding eight
ounces ( 240 ml) of water and boiled over mild to moderate fire till
one-fourth of the water remains. The
powder should then be strained
through a clean piece of cloth. The liquid thus obtained can be given to the patient.
At one time, decoction required for 24 hours can be prepared.
A
moderate decoction requiring less time can be made by boiling herbs until
half the water is left. A
weak decoction takes even less time to prepare since three-quarters of the
water is left. The lesser
strength of these preparations can be balanced by taking or giving larger
dosages.
Juice
Generally,
juice of green herbs, leaves, flowers and juicy fruits is used in
medicine. Leaves and the
other parts should be made
into a paste in the first instance and this paste should be squeezed
through a clean but tough piece of cloth. The juice thus collect5ed should be kept in a glass, metal or clay container covered with a
lid. Like paste, the juice should be prepared only for 24 hours.
Tinctures
Put
dried hers ( 100 gm) or fresh herbs ( 250 gm) in the liquid ( 500 ml) .
The liquid is prepared from a mixture of water and alcohol.
For simple glycosides and tannins, the alcohol content should be
twenty – five per cent while for resins and gums, the alcohol content
should be ninety per cent. Leave
the mixture to macerate while shaking daily for two weeks.
Then press out the liquid and discard the herb.
Store the liquid away from heat and light. Any undiluted alcohol such as brandy, gin or vodka can be
used for this purpose.
Syrups
Decoction
or infusion can be used to make syrups.
Add sugar (250 g) to decoction ( 500 ml) and heat until sugar
dissolves. The
usual dose is two teaspoonfuls for children thrice daily.
The dose is double for adults.
Alternatively, the best way to prepare syrup is to add 1 kg of
sugar in 400 ml of water. Stir
over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and add one part of herbal tincture to three parts
of syrup. This syrup can be kept indefinitely.
Powder
For
preparing powder, the plant or its part should be well dried.
Generally, this is done by exposure to the sun.
But for better therapeutic efficacy, some plants are required to be
dried only in the shade. After
proper drying , the plant should be pounded and a fine powder should be
prepared. This powder should
be stored in a clean dry glass container, properly corked.
Such powders can be used up to three months.
Creams
Creams
are prepared for external application.
Put beeswax and olive oil in the ratio of 1:8
in a dish. Add herb as
much as the mixture will cover . Heat
gently for a few hours. Strain
it and discard the herb. Pour
the warm oil into a jar where it will quickly solidify.
Alternatively, you can buy water-based cream from the market and
add tincture or infusion or decoction of herbs and stir it.
Ointment
Unlike
cream that blends with the skin, an ointment forms a separate layer over
the skin. An ointment also
contains only oils or fats and not water.
Petroleum jelly or paraffin wax are generally used for making
ointments. These are melted
and mixed with herbs. The
mixture is then heated slowly for two to three hours.
Squeeze it and quickly pour the strained mixture into a storage
jar.
Oil
For
preparation, one part of herbs is cooked along with four parts of oil and
sixteen parts of water, over a low flame for a period of fur to eight
hours, until all the water evaporates ( When a drop of water placed in the
oil makes a crackling sound).
Alternately,
one can first make the decoction of herbs by itself.
Then equal parts of the decoction and the oil are used, and the
mixture is similarly cooked until the decoction evaporates.
Some herbs that are sensitive to heat can be added directly to the
oil and prepared without water. One
part of herbs to four parts oil and the mixture is allowed to stand for
two days. Strain the mixture and use.
Other non-quite-as-sensitive can be added directly to the oil, but
they should be cooked over a low flame for several hours, then they
may be strained and used. Fresh
juice of certain herbs may be added in equal amounts to the oil ( as in
decoctions), and similarly cooked until all water evaporates.
Special care must be taken not to over-boil them.
The oil thus prepared is ready to use.
Ghee
Medicated
ghee is similar to medicated oil. To
prepare the ghee itself, heat one pound of raw, unsalted butter on a
medium fire for approximately 15 minutes.
The butter will melt and start to boil.
As it boils, broth will rise to the surface.
Do not remove this
foam for it contains
medicinal properties. Turn
the fire to low. The butter
will then turn to a golden yellow colour.
When a drop or two of
water placed in the ghee produces a crackling sound, the ghee is ready.
Let it cool slightly and then pour it through a strainer into a
container. Ghee may be stored
without refrigeration.
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