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Fresh
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This
document
outlines the principles and practices used in the small scale production of
Fresh Plant Tinctures (FPTs) from medicinal herbs.
Large
commercial medicinal herb manufacturers use broad acre grown dried plant
material that is sourced from a global market. This along with increasing
government regulation and control has led to the art and science of small scale
and community produced herbal medicines prepared from locally grown herbs being
little practiced. This has and is leading to an increasing loss of local know
how in the production of medicinal herb extracts along with correctly identified
medicinal herb species.
With
climate change affecting agriculture globally and the increased demand for plant
based medicines, the ability of large medicinal herb manufacturers to provide a
continuing economic supply of medicinal herbs could be compromised. This would
see the need for community based medicinal herb production with the accompanying
knowledge base and genetic stock.
The
author, a retired pharmacist, shares his knowledge and the experience gained in
making FPTs over many years at Pindari Herb Farm.
~~~~
Pindari
Herb Farm was established in 1981 and over the last 16 years has expanded its
range of medicinal herbs within and around the gardens to over 140 species. The
gardens also provide the author and his family with much of their food. There is
a substantial but simple composting facility processing over one tonne of
organic matter weekly, providing the basis for the health of the organic
gardens. Further information on Pindari Herb Farm is at www.pindariherbfarm.com
~~~~
Details
and information on the preparation of quality dried herbs is discussed elsewhere
in such books as "Herbal Harvest" written by Greg Whitten and
published by Blooming books (ISBN 1 876473 04 5). The preparation of tinctures
and extracts from dried plant material likewise is not covered in this document,
but it is of a similar principle in small scale production to that of FPTs.
At
this time, the availability of ethanol (alcohol) is controlled in many
countries. Ahead there may be the need to produce ethanol at a community level
both as a fuel and as a means of preparing medicinal herb tinctures. Information
on the equipment and procedures needed to do this safely may be obtained from
the web page http://www.the-testament-of-truth.co.uk
under the heading “Alternative Wind and Solar power.” (Distillation
of spirits)
The
opportunity that ethanol/aqueous extracts of fresh plant medicinal herb material
provide as a means of healing is discussed briefly within this document and will
be available ahead in detail on the Pindari web page at www.pindariherbfarm.com
under “Quality Issues.”
Making
FPTs is a simple and effective means of "capturing" and
preserving/storing the medicinal properties of herbs. It needs to be noted
that some herbs such as Pasque flower (Anemone
pulsatilla) should not be made from the fresh herb. Always refer to Medical
Herb text books for further information.
To
produce an FPT of optimum quality*, the objective should be to both capture the
vital energetic life force (vibrational energy) and the required
pharmacologically active components (chemicals) in the plant at a designated or
optimum concentration.
*Quality
also implying here, an FPT that captures those vibrational and material elements
within the plant or part of the plant that facilitates a healing response and or
symptomatic relief of dis-ease within the physical and mental and emotional
states of a person.
This
is best achieved by using freshly harvested and gently comminuted plant material
grown under ideal conditions. This is then macerated in a calculated volume of a
chosen percentage mix of alcohol in water that will facilitate the optimum
solubilization of the pharmacologically active chemical components. Also, the
immersion of freshly harvested plant material that is still energetically strong
(alive) in an aqueous based liquid enables the vibrational energies of that
material to be also transferred to the liquid
To
standardize an FPT in
Preparing
FPTs is a balancing exercise between obtaining the standard dry weight
strength of 1:5 and the recommended alcohol concentration. This is not always
possible, as many herbs when fresh consist of 80% or more liquid. This is
discussed in detail further on.
Whilst
FPT’s
are liquid alcohol and water extracts made from freshly harvested plant
material, they are not homoeopathic mother tinctures, but being prepared from
the fresh plant material they have the potential of capturing a significant
proportion of the "life force" or homoeopathic energies
of the plant along with the alcohol and water soluble components.
The
FPTs manufactured at Pindari are prepared via the process of maceration for
between 2 to 4 weeks using 4 litre glass jars which are stored in a cool room
away from direct light.
The
expiry date applied is fours years from the date of maceration as it has been
found after that period of time many FPTs start to lose their "zing."
This
is the word best used to describe the life force or vitality of the extract.
This is discussed in further detail under “Quality Issues” in the document:
“Energy
Considerations in the Pharmacy of Herbal Medicines.”
Containers
and Equipment
When
setting up to manufacture FPTs on a small scale, choosing a container of
standard material, size and shape is recommended. Glass is the ideal container
material with a size suggested between 2 and 4 litres and with a plastic lid of
diameter between 70mm and 110mm. At Pindari a 4 litre glass container with
rounded shoulders and with a 70mm diameter screw top cap is used.
After
each use these are washed and scrubbed if necessary and then rinsed well. No
detergents are used in the cleaning process as soap residues are difficult to
remove. As the bottles are slow and difficult to dry and in order prevent
bacterial and mould growth when stored, a small amount of alcohol is added to
the clean wet jar which is then tightly capped. This sterilizes the jar and the
alcohol residue is discarded just before the bottle is re-used.
The
sharply rounded shoulders of the jar facilitates the "compacting" of
the herb mass into the alcohol/water mix, holding the surface mass of the
compressed herb at or below the surface of the menstruum within the jar.

Scales
An
accurate set of scales that weigh up to 5 kilos and measures down to 1 gm are
available for around AUD $300.
Funnel
This
facilitates inserting the herb into the narrow mouth of the jar and can be
purchased from catering suppliers.
Prod
This facilitates the pressing and compaction of the herb into the bottle. It is 'self made.'
Batch
number Book and Labelling
For
good manufacturing practice it is necessary that a written record be kept of
each tincture prepared. Choose a well bound book and for uniformity and good
practice, use a standard set of headings such as those listed below.
It
is useful to choose a batch numbering system that incorporates the date so that
the date of manufacture of any tincture can be readily obtained. E.g. Batch no.
211205A, being the day (21st), the month (Dec), the year (2005), and the number
for the day (A). It can also be a reminder for the timing for next season's
harvest and enables stock rotation and expiry date management. By numbering and
using one page for each batch a ready reference is available for past batches
and for quickly finding any given batch.

Also,
by recording the quantities harvested when the macerating herb is pressed, along
with current stock holding, details of the usage of that FPT is obtained that
can be used to plan the amount of herb required for next harvest.
Dry
Weight Measurement.
The
dry weight measurement is calculated by taking a sample of the herb a day or two
prior to its harvest and processing. The sample should be cut into small
portions or thin slices, then accurately weighed and dried with moderate heat
(<45C) until "crackle" dry. When the "small twigs" in the
sample break sharply is a good indication that the sample is dry. The weight of
the dry sample should again be taken with the difference in weight being the
weight of water that was present in the herb.
To calculate the dry weight percentage:
|
dry
weight of herb |
X |
100
|
|
wet
weight of herb |
|
1 |
In
practice the harvested herb starts to lose water immediately and increasingly so
after comminution. In one instance on a warm day, in one hour a comminuted herb
lost 6% by weight of moisture content. Thus it is important that the herb is
processed and immersed in the menstruum as soon after harvesting as possible.
This also reduces the amount of oxidation that occurs once the herb is cut,
exposing it to air.
The
dry weight of an herb can vary as much as 15% according to seasonal factors and
weather, and the time of the day it was harvested.
Preparing
the Plant Material.
Once
harvested, all foreign matter should be removed. Generally aerial parts are not
washed but roots should be thoroughly washed (pressured washed if possible) and their surface dried before they
are comminuted. Any insect life should be removed either manually or by allowing
them to "leave" over 1-2 hours of careful storage of the harvested
material in a shaded, cool place. The herb is then comminuted to facilitate
passive extraction of the soluble plant materials.
At
Pindari a small chaff cutter with a 400mm diameter cutting wheel with three very
sharp blades is used which is belt driven by a small electric motor. This gently
and cleanly comminutes the herb material ready for maceration. The use of a
chaff cutter requires great care and concentration in its use.

The
milling of herb material is not used at Pindari in the belief that metal to
metal pounding of herb material disturbs its subtle vibrational energies.
Many
of the old pharmacopoeias discuss the identification of contaminants in
commercial dried herb material, providing information on chemical and physical
identification procedures. In small scale herb harvesting, contamination of the
harvested material is easily avoided by close attention during the harvest and
prior to comminution.
Macerating
the Plant Material.
Place
the macerating vessel in a secure position and add around 2/3rds of the
calculated and pre-well mixed menstruum. Add the comminuted herb and press the
herb well into this liquid. This ensures the herb is mixed with the menstruum
and prevents compressed "dry" areas. The careful compaction of the
comminuted herb enables the maximum amount of the herbal material to be mixed
with the smallest quantity of menstruum. This provides the opportunity for
obtaining a higher concentration of the herbal extract.
The
rounded shoulder of the bottle further enables this compaction by holding the
surface of the plant material under the liquid, also reducing the potential for
oxidation.
Alcohol
Concentrations.
There
are established standard alcohol strengths for the menstruum for each herb.
These may be obtained from the pharmacopoeias or by referring to current
commercial products.
The
degree of solubility of the medically active chemical constituents within the
herb decides the percentage of alcohol used as the menstruum. For example, the
more oil content in an herb that forms a part of the active principles, the
higher the alcohol strength used as oils are far more soluble in alcohol than
water.
When
using fresh plant material it is sometimes not possible to obtain the required
alcohol concentration in the resultant FPT because of the high water content in
the herb. In these cases, a compromise needs to be decided upon between the dry
weight strength and the alcohol percentage of the resultant tincture. It is
possible and sometimes appropriate, to partially dry the freshly harvested herb
so that a portion of the water content of the herb is removed. This enables a
higher alcohol concentration and or higher dry weight strength to be obtained.
However there comes a point when drying the plant material that so much water
and life force has been lost, that the resultant tincture ceases to be from
fresh plant material.
A
further understanding in the area of partially drying the herb can be obtained
by working through the next “Calculations” section in this document.
It
is necessary to maintain an alcohol concentration at least above 20% and
preferable 25% to preserve the tincture against bacterial and fungal growth.
Calculations
for Preparing FPTs
In
preparing an FPT, the weight of the herb to be used and the amount of alcohol
and additional water required for the menstruum need to be calculated. In order
to do this, four facts need to be known. They are:
When
the above have been established it is then necessary to check if the quantities
involved will produce an FPT of the chosen strength and alcohol concentration
and that it will actually fit into the container. A demonstration of this is
given below.
Example
1
Motherwort
(Leonurus cardiaca) harvested 27th of
December 2001.
Batch Number 271201A
THE
CALCULATIONS STEP BY STEP ARE:
If
using 96% alcohol then the volumes to be used are:
|
825
of 100% alcohol X 100 |
= |
859mLs
alcohol (96%) |
Amount
of water to be added is:
|
Total
liquid required being |
3300mL |
|
minus
liquid in herb |
1340mL |
|
minus
volume of alcohol 96% being |
859mL |
|
equals |
1101mL |
Thus
the volume of water required is 1101mL to be mixed with the 859mL of alcohol
(96%).
~~~
Any
herb with a dry weight of 20% is a 1:4 (dry wt) in its own liquid and it is not
possible to add sufficient alcohol to the macerating herb to reach the required
alcohol percentage and still obtain a 1:5 (dry wt) standard strength. Even with
an herb with a 25% dry weight, it is difficult to obtain a 1:5 (dry wt)
especially if a menstruum with an alcohol strength greater than 25% is required.
In
these cases
a decision can be made to either partially dry the comminuted herb or produce a
weaker resultant tincture of say a 1:6 or 1:8 (dry wt strength)
In warm conditions and with an air flow, a comminuted herb loses water quickly and this can be judiciously used to reduce the water content of the herb. It needs to be managed by measurement so that both the required alcohol and dry weight strength can be obtained.
Each FPT of an herb is unique with no two herbs being the same and in order to successfully make FPTs from many different herbs it is best if the principles of the calculation methods are understood. For those who find this difficult in practice it has been found during Medicinal Herb Seminars that with hands on experience, the calculations are readily and easily understood.
But
for those seeking an easier method for doing the calculations, Justin Crawford
Examples
of Calculations for Preparing FPTS:
FOR
HERBAL STRENGTHS WEAKER THAN 1:5 i.e. 1:6 - 1:7 - 1:8
etc.
Here
it is necessary to do some trial calculations. By knowing the dry weight of the
herb and the required alcohol concentration you can by calculation as given
above, work out if it will fit in your chosen container. Remember, the alcohol
concentration is important for the adequate solubilization of the herb material
to be extracted.
As
mentioned previously you can consider drying the herb for 1-2 hours to reduce
the water content but this should be measured, and it should also be noted that
some herbs oxidize rapidly and need to be tinctured as soon as practicable after
being
comminuted.
This
is also where your batch record book is useful for referral to the previous time
you prepared an FPT of a herb.
Example
2. The preparation of White Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) fresh plant tincture.
Batch
Number 240301A
The
dry weight was calculated to be 18%.
By trial 2900 gm of the herb was able to be fitted into the bottle giving a dry
weight content of
2900 X .18 = 522 gm and a aqueous content of 2378mL.
The amount of alcohol added was 1000mL of alcohol (100%).
thus the total volume of liquids present was 2378mLs + 1000mL = 3378mL
thus the strength of the tincture was 3378 divided by 522 =
1:6.5
|
The
% alcohol being: |
1000 |
X |
100 |
= |
29.6% |
|
|
3378 |
|
1 |
|
|
In
this case the strength of the tincture was held high considering the dry weight
of the herb and the optimum strength of the alcohol menstruum was increased from
25% to 29.6%.
When
next preparing this herb, it could be air dried for an hour or so and the
alcohol concentration reduced with the addition of a calculated amount of water.
FOR
HERBS WHERE THE DRY WEIGHT IS 40% OR MORE.
Example
3. An FPT was prepared from the fronds (leaves) of Rosemary (Rosemarinus
officinalis). The preparation was
complicated by the harvest directly after a little rain where the fronds were
wet. These were partially dried for a night and a day before tincturing.
(This
example shows that when the dry weight and the quantities of alcohol and water
are known, by systematically working through the calculations, an accurate
strength of the resultant FPT and its alcohol concentration can be obtained.)
A
sample of the herb was collected immediately following harvesting and found to
have a dry weight of 40%, a further sample was taken just before maceration of
the partially dried herb and found to have a dry weight of 60%. The drying of
the herb resulted in a 20% reduction in moisture content.
As more herb had to be harvested to complete filling a second 4 litre bottle, a
third sample for the dry weight of this sample was taken and found to be 40%.
Bottle
1
- 1320 gm of herb was placed in the bottle at a dry weight of 40%. As the dry
weight was unknown at the time, it was assumed at 50% and the calculations were:
|
1320
gm wet herb at 50% |
= |
660gm
of herb with 660mLs
of liquid |
|
660gms
at 1:5 strength |
= |
3300mL
total menstruum |
|
3300mL
menstruum at 60% alcohol |
= |
3300
x 0.6 |
|
|
= |
1980
mL of alcohol 100% to be added. |
|
Volume
of water to be added |
= |
3300
- 1980 - 660 = 660mLs
of water |
NB. It is best to always do a dry weight calculation first if possible.
Thus to 1320 gm of wet herb 1980mLs of alcohol 100% and 660mLs of water were
added.
You will note that if the numeric quantities (1320 gm herb + 1980 mL alcohol +
660 mL water) are added it comes to 3960 which suggests they will fit into a 4
litre bottle.
Bottle
2
With
the second bottle 1145 gm of herb were added plus 170 gm of freshly harvested
herb to fill the 4 litre bottle. This amount of herb allowed for the compression
of the herb mass sufficiently for the 1980mLs of alcohol 100% and 660mL of water
that was added to cover the herb material.
Final
calculations
Knowing
the dry weights, the accurate calculations for the strength and alcohol
concentration of the combined pressings from bottle 1 and 2 can be completed.
Totals
|
|
Wet
Herb |
Dry
wt % |
Dry
wt of herb |
Liquid
content of herb |
Alcohol
added |
Water
added. |
|
Bottle
1 |
1320
gm |
60% |
792gm |
528mL |
1980mL |
660mLs |
|
Bottle
2 |
1145gm |
60% |
687gm |
458mL |
1980mL |
660mL |
|
|
170gm |
40% |
68gm |
102mL |
_____ |
_____ |
|
Totals |
|
|
1547gm |
1088mL |
3960mL |
1320mL |
|
Thus
dry weight of herb used |
= |
1547gm |
|
|
|
And
total liquids used |
= |
(1088+3960+1320) |
= |
6368mLs |
|
Thus
strength of tincture |
= |
6368 |
= |
1:4
(dry weight strength) |
|
And
percentage of alcohol |
= |
3960
X 100 |
= |
62% |
|
|
|
6368
1 |
|
|
Thus
the Rosemary FPT was 1:4 dry weight strength in 62% alcohol.
The
above calculations will hopefully explain the methodology used to attain the
strength of the tincture and the percentage of alcohol.
Making
FPTs from Alcoholic Beverages.
For
those unable to obtain 96% or 100% ethanol (alcohol) and who wish to make herbal
tinctures, you can use alcoholic spirit beverages but there are limitations that
are detailed below.
Spirits
such as Vodka or Brandy have an alcoholic strength expressed as a percentage of proof
spirit (in Australia 100% proof spirit is 57.1% alcohol in water) or as
alcohol volume as a percentage of the total volume - e.g. Napoleon Brandy 37.1%.
v/v
You can now purchase small distillation units that successfully distil fermented white sugar to around 95% ethanol for approximately AUD$800.
When
preparing an FPT of an herb with a dry weight of 30%, in order to obtain an
alcohol concentration of 25% for the resultant tincture, the dry weight strength
of that tincture will be reduced.
Example
4.
2000gm
of fresh herb at 30%
dry weight
contains 600gm
of dry material
and 1400
mL of liquid.
The total volume of liquid required to produce a 1:5 dry weight tincture is 5 X
600 = 3000mL
This allows for the addition of up to 3000 - 1400 = 1600mL
of Napoleon Brandy
which has (1600mL x .371 = 594mL)
of alcohol.
The
resultant alcohol strength of the tincture prepared using 1600mL of Napoleon
Brandy is thus:
|
594 |
X |
100 |
=
20%
alcohol |
|
3000 |
|
1 |
|
This
amount of alcohol should be just sufficient to preserve this FPT. But to bring
the alcohol concentration up to 25% there is a need for a further addition of
Brandy and by a trial an error calculation it is found that a total of 3000mL of
Brandy needs to be added taking the total volume of the tincture to 1400 + 3000
= 4400mL with the volume of alcohol within the Brandy being:
3000 X .371 = 1113mL
- here
the alcoholic strength is:
|
1113 |
X |
100 |
=
approx.
25% alcohol |
|
4400 |
|
1 |
|
The
dry
weight strength
of the resultant tincture is 600gm being the dry weight of the herb used divided
into the total volume of liquid present being 4400mL which is: approx
1:7
Thus
there has been a 40% reduction in the strength of the tincture produced in order
to achieve a 25% alcohol concentration.
From
this example it can be seen that when using alcoholic beverages to make herbal
tinctures, the percentage dry weight of the herb must be high, the needed
alcohol concentration for the tincture low. Otherwise the herb to be tinctured
has to be partly or totally dried, otherwise it is often not possible to obtain
FPTs of recommended alcohol strength and that is at or near a 1:5 dry weight.
Another
option for those unable to buy expensive spirits and or obtain ethanol at 96% or
100% is to carefully dry and store their medicinal herbs and to take the dried
herb orally in measured doses or as much of Chinese Herbal Medicine does, make
an infusion (cup of tea) from the dried herb.
Expressing
the herb (Separating the liquid from the solid).
A
minimum of 2-3 weeks should be allowed for aerial parts and up to 4 weeks for
roots before the macerating herb is pressed. The time that a herb may be left
macerating can be for many months provided it is stored in a cool place and away
from direct light.
There
are commercial presses available through herbalist professional bodies and the
adaptation of wine presses is possible. For home production of FPTs a small wine
press can be purchased for approximately AUD $200 from brewery stores. At
Pindari an antique original herb pressed is used with a new stainless steel
vessel made to the same design as the original black metal vessel.
Steps:
The
first step is to drain the liquid from the marc by inverting the bottle over a
large funnel containing filter paper. We use the large stainless funnels used in
the catering industry for cooking potato chips in oil. There is a matching
filter paper used in the same industry that is ideal for the purpose of
filtering the liquids draining from the bottle.

The
air flow over the collected liquid and the draining time should be kept to a
minimum to avoid excessive alcohol loss from evaporation.
The
wet herb material is then removed from the bottle and placed in the press vessel
and pressed until much of the tincture has been removed. All pressed liquids are
passed through the filter paper used with the draining process. The drained
liquids are mixed well with the pressed liquids and the mixture then bottled and
labeled.
For
those without a press, placing the drained wet herb in a calico bag and twisting
the bag vigorously will be moderately successful in expressing the herb.
For
herbs with a high mucilage content such as Marshmallow and Comfrey root, drain
well first then place the wet herb into a calico bag and then into the pressing
vessel. This helps the thick mucilage to drain clear of the marc.
For
soft and small portioned herbs such as Chamomile flowers, using a calico bag
similarly will prevent the strainer plates at the bottom the press vessel from
clogging up and preventing the liquids from draining into the collection vessel.
Experimentation
and versatility is required in separating the liquid from the marc and recording
the best methods in the batch record book can be very useful when coming to
express next season’s harvest.
The
Medicinal Properties of Fresh Plant Tinctures.
The
ability to manufacture FPTs is easiest where the farm and the processing plant
are in close proximity, as once harvested, plant material can rapidly lose
moisture and vitality over a few hours.
Making
your own FPTs is inexpensive and rewarding but it is time consuming with the
main costs being the value you place on your time in the growing and processing
of the herb. The outlay for equipment and the alcohol used is minimal. The
savings in the cost of production of the herbal tinctures can be shared between
yourself and the consumers of the medicines.
Commercial
large scale production of plant extracts requires a substantial financial
investment in plant and equipment and is accompanied by the costs of complying
with quality control and regulatory processes. There are ongoing increases in
these controls with associated costs that have seen increases in the cost of the
medicinal herb extracts produced and a decrease in the range. The large scale of
these plants necessitates the production of 1:1 and 1:2 fluid extracts produced
from dried herbal material via a percolation process.
In
recent years much of the herbal extracts available for professional use have
come from these producers. Their size and financial strength has seen much of
the research and education into herbal medicines directed towards medicinal
fluid extracts produced from dried herbal material.
The
effect has been a reduction in FPT production and usage and an increased focus
on the medicinal properties of fluid extracts prepared from dried plant
material. Research has been directed towards the isolation of the chemical
constituents of the herb and the exploration of these chemicals. This is similar
to allopathic medicine where the focus is on a drug and its pharmacological
effects.
The
whole plant including its vibrational energies and the unmeasured and as yet
unfound medicinally active chemical constituents has become much less
considered. Yet medicinal herb research continues to show that the
pharmacological properties of the herb material are greater than the sum of its
found constituents.
The
homoeopathic, flower essence and aromatherapy healing effects of plant material
provides ample evidence of the reality of "the whole is more than the sum
of its parts" in respect to the healing properties of medicinal herbs. The
higher vibrational energies of the herb that play a part in the mentioned
modalities are minimized and at worst lost when the herb material is dried and
stored over time
These
vibrational energies are most likely captured in tinctures made from the freshly
harvested herb.
The
author has found in his practice that FPTs do have differing pharmacological
properties to fluid extracts and that the dosage regime often needs to vary
accordingly. Often, with FPTs the effective dosage can be in measured
drops, compared to milliliters with fluid extracts.
Given
the magnitude of the diversity in herbal extract manufacturing procedures, it is
not possible to comment further on the perceived differences, but necessarily,
those making fresh plant tinctures need to be aware of the potential for
difference in the pharmacology and dosage regimes of their product.
When
making fresh plant tinctures either for personal and or professional use, the
responsibility lies with the manufacturer to accurately identify the species of
herb, harvest at the correct time and use the correct parts of the plant.
Responsibility is no less with fresh plant tincture manufacture and
administration than it is with any other form of medication.
The
Chemical and Energetic Variability of Plant Material.
Medicinal
herbs like any other flora are subject to variations in growing conditions and
to genetic diversity between varieties within the species. Different seasons
will see variations of the active medicinal principles within the herb.
Ample
evidence of the seasonal variations can be seen in the wine industry where each
season can see a "vintage" difference in the wine produced.
The
experience at Pindari has been that tinctures prepared from season to season and
herb to herb each have their own set of variables but if the general growing,
harvesting and processing principles are followed, a near standard medicinal
product can be prepared from year to year, providing an acceptable uniformity of
product.
The
variation between seasons and harvest areas and thus the differing and varying
concentrations of active principles in the herbal extracts, is a reality that
with the rekindled interest in phyto-therapy, science is now trying to
accommodate. It can be said that at this point in time, herbal medicine is
somewhat based both on science and historical usage.
The
author's personal experience is that living within the medicinal herb gardens
and daily observing the herbs has enabled a greater sensitivity in understanding
the plant’s life cycles and their waxing and waning in vibrancy. The Doctrine
of Signatures as alluded to by Paracelsus and others also become more self
evident.
There
is an increased ability to relate to the herbs, perhaps as the original
herbalists did when they too lived in the country surrounded by the herbs on a
day to day and season to season basis. This "living with" experience
gives a greater depth of understanding that over the years leads to a deeper
grasp of the differing expressions of the plants and their potential medicinal
properties.
The
way indigenous people live with and relate to the flora of their surroundings
would be far more profound than that experienced at Pindari. However, the
author's experience provides enough to be able to relate a little to this
existential relationship. Any medical herbalist, if they wish to know, really
know the herbs they are using, should perhaps grow the herbs, harvest and
process them into tinctures or dried herbs and thus handle and experience them.
Sublingually
tasting of one or two drops of a liquid herbal extract and watching and sensing
within where the energy essence of the herb travels and its effects on their
being, provides further experience of the herbs healing potential. This has been
practiced in many workshop settings where participants have voiced their
positive appreciation for the experience. This procedure is discussed in detail
the “Taste Testing Document” to be found under “Quality Issues.”
Plants
are a created, vital energetic and material life force that is an expression of
its genome reproducing itself. The plant does this by using the energy of solar
radiation and the material substrate of the earth, with the resultant physical
and energetic expressions varying accordingly.
The
capturing of this expression at any or all of its vibrational levels and the
medicinal use there of, will by its very nature probably never be fully
understood through the use of scientific methods. Thus phyto-therapy and its
broad expression will remain a mixture of science and art, of understanding and
intuition.
To
view the herbs grown & processed at Pindari please go to the Pindari
Medicinal Herbs List.