MEDICINAL HERBS

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The Part of the Herb: Always note the part of the herb that you have stored. Comminuted roots, bark, and leaves can all look much the same, and as the various parts of a plant can have different medicinal virtues, it is important to know which is which.

Making Herbal Medicines

In the plant kingdom, every species is, when found within its natural environment, in a perfect state of chemical balance. Indeed, if this balance — this symbiotic relationship with the external environment — did not exist, the plant could not survive. Unfortunately, this chemical balance is extremely delicate, and if the natural constituency of the plant is disturbed in any way that balance is destroyed.

Of course, the difficulty lies in administering a medicinal herb without destroying that precious balance. Defoliation, drying, heating, exposure to sunlight over a prolonged period after picking, and a host of other processes normally initiate the very thing that should be avoided at all costs — namely, a loss of potency. Logic tells us then that if a change in the plant's physiology or environment causes a loss of potency, the administration of the herb in its natural state (i.e. raw) must likewise ensure a maximum potency. It is for this reason that herbs should, technically speaking, be eaten raw in the same manner as a vegetable.

Consequently, it becomes obvious that the desired method of ingesting herbal material is also the least practicable. For this reason, herbalists over the centuries have developed alternative ways of giving medicines to patients, and no one can effectively use herbs for medicinal purposes without these methods.

Extractions

Simply speaking, an extraction is any herbal medicine that has as its basis the extracted fluid or properties of a plant, but does not contain particles of the actual plant material itself. There are five major methods of producing extractions.

Infusions: Sometimes called tisanes, infusions are the quickest way of producing herbal medicines. To make a good infusion you will need:

1) A small pan. 2) A measuring jug, preferably glass. 3) A set of household scales. 4) A tea strainer. 5) One ounce of dried herb for every pint of medicine that you require

Equipment : The pan should be enamel (or iron). Never use copper or aluminum pans as they impart a bitter flavor to the herb, and small particles of these metals have been known to find their way into the human digestive system. A good measuring jug is a necessity. It should be constructed of heat-proof glass, but if this is not available, a good-quality "plus" polymer.

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