Medicine Making Resources

Supplement handouts and links for my medicine-making workshops

Here’s my big handout for medicine making based on type of menstruum (alcohol, glycerine, water, vinegar). Note: does not include oil extracts.

Appendix A: Solubility of specific constituents (for folks for want to nerd out a bit more)

· Polysaccharides: like those found in mushrooms and Astragalus – most soluble in hot water

· Alkaloids: like those found in goldenseal, lobelia, passionflower – most soluble in alcohol, also soluble in water and vinegar but to a lesser degree

· Mucilage: found in slippery elm and marshmallow – most soluble in cold water

· Flavonoids: most are water and alcohol soluble

· Tannins: like those found in black tea and red raspberry leaf – most soluble in glycerin (use 5-10% in extract) and hot water, many are also soluble in alcohol

· Volatile oils: like those found in lavender or peppermint – most soluble in alcohol, oil; decently soluble in glycerin

· Resins: like those found in Calendula or pine pitch – most soluble in alcohol, hot oil

· Glycosides: water and alcohol

· Saponins: gives some herbs a soapy quality like wild yam and American Ginseng - water and alcohol

Medicine making notes:

• When an herb has both tannins and alkaloids, the tannins will bind with alkaloids to form an insoluble compound, unless glycerin is used to bind the tannin, thus preventing it from precipitating.

  • Example: yellow dock, add 10% glycerin to the tincture to hold tannins in solution

  • Here’s an excellent resource from Michael Moore

My favorite resources for more specific instructions on tincturing, ratios and % alcohol:

1. The 1983 edition of The British Herbal Pharmacopeia (can be hard to find used, but worth scouting ebay)

2. The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook by James Green (a must have for anyone that makes herbal medicine)

3. Michael Moore’s Materia Medica, found online for free here: http://www.swsbm.com/ManualsMM/MatMed5.pdf