Artcle from Wellbeing Abounds
1. What is a liquid herbal extract?
Answer: A liquid herbal extract is a concentrated solution made from extracting (washing or pulling) constituents out of the structural matrix of an herb. The naturally occurring chemical compounds are stabilized (preserved) by certain components of the menstruum (solvent system) used to make the extract, either alcohol or glycerin. A well made extract should preserve the aroma, taste and biological effect of the herb from which it is made.
2. What is the purpose of alcohol in extracts?
Answer: Three reasons. Alcohol is the best food grade, or edible, solvent for extracting a number of naturally occurring herb constituents that are poorly soluble in water such as resins, essential oils, balsams, and many alkaloids. Alcohol acts as a preservative, maintaining the shelf life of an extract. Alcohol acts as a carrier across mucous membranes, facilitating absorption into the bloodstream
3. How much alcohol am I really taking in a dose of extract?
Answer: Even when an extract itself contains a high percentage of alcohol the dosage of the extract is low, so the amount of alcohol actually consumed is very low. If you mix 30 drops of Echinacea in 2 ounces of water, the resulting alcohol content is 0.59%. This is equivalent to consuming 1/65th of a bottle of beer or 1/85th of a glass of wine.
4. Why is there so much alcohol in liquid extracts?
Answer: The alcohol in extracts can vary from 20% to 90%. The alcohol content for each herb is determined on an individual basis to maximize extraction of its constituents. Quality extracts of many herbs, such as Ginger, Cayenne, Propolis, Yerba Santa and Grindelia, can only be made with higher levels of alcohol. Herbs with more water soluble constituents are extracted in lower percentages of alcohol.
5. What is the best way to take liquid extracts?
Answer: The best way to take liquid extracts is in a small amount (2 to 4 ounces) of water, warm (not hot) tea or, if preferred, juice. Some extracts are meant to treat a condition directly, such as the Propolis-Echinacea throat spray or the Grindelia-Sassafras poison oak and ivy remedy.
6. What is the best way to store liquid extracts?
Answer: Liquid extracts are best stored at a fairly constant temperature and away from light. A kitchen cupboard that is not next to the stove is ideal. Do not store liquid extracts in the refrigerator.
7. Can I mix herbs together?
Answer: It's OK to mix most compounds and/or singles together. Avoid making mixtures with contrary or conflicting actions, such as herbs with stimulant and sedative effects.
8. What is standardization and why are our liquid extracts not standardized?
Answer: Standardization usually involves extracting and testing for a specific amount of a single .chemical component or chemical group. This one chemical may or may not be the active constituent, and research continues to find that it is usually a wide variety of plant chemicals, acting in synergy that produce the desired effects. Rather than focusing on a single compound, our extracts focus on the entire botanical. Each Herb Pharm extract contains hundreds of naturally occuring compounds which represent, and have the effect of, the traditional herbal medicine.
Notes: Extraction of most standardized extracts can become very specific through solvent and process selection. These techniques tend to extract towards a particular plant chemical, leaving many other components of the plant radically imbalanced or missing altogether. Extracts made in this way no longer represent traditional herbal medicine The chemical selected may be considered active but is frequently a marker compound. Marker compounds are intended as a production control parameter only and often do not play a significant role in the action of the herb. The misunderstanding of markers by the public and press has led to over-exaggeration of their importance and has mistakenly become the focus of the product. In cases where a product is standardized to an active constituent, it is still only one of hundreds of compounds that make up the traditional plant medicine. It is usually many compounds working in unison that produces the desired effect. Frequently, the chemical that has been considered to be the active constituent, upon further research, has changed to other compounds in the plant and then back to the whole plant. This is what has led to the concept of the whole plant extract being the active constituent.
9. How many milligrams of herb are in a drop of extract?
Answer:: The mg represented by 1 milliliter of extract (about 30-40 drops) from dried herb are given by the herb to menstruum ratio. This number varies for extracts made from fresh herbs due to the increased yield of these extracts. Liquid extracts are more assimilable than powdered herbs so the weights are not comparable. If you are trying to follow a recommendation, the form of the
recommendation (in other words "powdered herb," "liquid extract," etc.) needs to be considered.
Quality and quantity are separate issues and even liquid extracts cannot be accurately compared on a mg to mg basis. Many factors determine the quality of an herbal extract; these include the make-up of the menstruum, extraction technique and raw herb quality.
10. How many drops are in a one ounce bottle?
Answer: This depends upon the viscosity of the extract. Our extracts range from 1000 to 1300 drops per ounce. On average, a fluid ounce of extract contains around 1100 drops which is equal to 36 drops per milliliter.
11. How do our extracts compare to dried herb capsules?
Answer: Because liquid extracts are much more easily absorbed than powdered herbs, it's impossible to compare powdered herbs with herbal extracts. Liquid extracts are essentially 'pre-digested' herbs. The natural constituents from fresh or recently dried herbs are extracted out of the cellulose and other structural material of the plant and are easily assimilated. The naturally occuring compounds in powdered herbs must be digested or extracted out of the cellulose matrix of the herb by our digestive system. This is difficult to do, especially for anyone with health problems. Additionally, the liquid extract medium is very stable and the herbal extract remains viable for a long period of time. Powdered herbs degrade quickly from the greatly increased exposure to oxygen.
12. What does certified organically grown mean?
Answer: "Certified organically grown" means that a farm has been verified as following organic cultivation standards by an independent, third-party organization. Organic certification places strict standards on allowable pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. At the core of organic agriculture is soil quality. Natural amendments are used to build the quality of the soil rather than synthetics that eventually degrade soil conditions. This makes plants more hardy and pest resistant. Additionally, organic soil improvement enhances trace minerals that are taken up by the plants providing a broader range of nutrition. There is also an overall positive environmental and food quality impact. The Herb Pharm farm is certified by Oregon Tilth, one of the first and strictest state organic certifying agencies.
13. What does Custom Wildcrafted™ mean?
Answer: Herbs that are Custom Wildcrafted™ are picked by knowledgeable plant collectors, for Herb Pharm, in their natural habitat. Only premium quality herbs are picked, at the height of activity, for the specific plant part being harvested. Plant populations are never overpicked. Only stands away from roads and other sources of pollution are harvested.
14. What kind of alcohol is used to make your extracts?
Answer: We use alcohol made from natural fermentation and distillation of 100% certified organically grown corn. Our alcohol is pharmaceutical grade which means that it has been tested to meet the purity standards of the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP). The distillation process eliminates all allergens from the corn, so those allergic to corn protein will not experience any negative reaction.
15. What is the benefit of organic alcohol?
Answer: Alcohol must meet a number of purity tests in order to be classified as pharmaceutical grade. As long as it is pharmaceutical grade, alcohol made from commercially grown grain and organically grown grain is the same. Alcohol is highly purified so any type of contamination from using commercially grown grains is not a problem. The benefit of using pharmaceutical grade alcohol from organically grown grain is to support organic agriculture and the environment.
16. What grade is the olive oil we use for our extracts?
Answer: Our Olive Oil is 100% certified organically grown and processed, extra virgin grade oil.
17. What is glycerine?
Answer: Glycerine is a natural product with a syrupy consistency and sweet taste. We use Kosher Vegetable Glycerine which is derived from coconut or palm oil. (Other kinds of Glycerine are derived synthetically or from animal fats). Glycerine is an acceptable solvent for some, but not all herbs. We have experimented using Glycerine as a solvent for a number of herbs and offer only those that meet our stringent quality standards.
18. How do I adjust the dosage for my children?
Answer: The most accurate method is to use Clark's Rule. Divide the child's weight (in pounds) by 150 to get the approximate fraction of the adult dose to use as the child's dose.
e.g. For a 50 pound child give 50/150 (of 1/3) of the adult dose. If the adult dose is 30 drops, 3 times per day, the child's dose will be 10 drops taken 3 times per day (not 30 drops once per day).
19. What is the youngest age at which our children's products can be used?
Answer: Children's Echinacea, 6 months, 1 drop per 4 pounds of body weight (e.g. 10 drops for 40-pound child). Children's Herbal Comp., Infants, 1 drop per 4 pounds of body weigh (e.g. 10 drops for 40-pound child). Children's Winter Health Comp., 1 year, 1 drop per 4 pounds of body weigh (e.g. 10 drops for 40-pound child). Mullein Garlic Comp., Infants, 1 drop per ear
Notes: For using other herbs with children:
1. refer to any cautionary statements listed on the product regarding children
2. use therapeutic wisdom; children are sensitive and respond to gentle therapies
3. adjust the dosage according to Clark's rule
20. Can I evaporate the alcohol out of an extract by putting it in boiling water?
Answer: No. Only a small amount, about 10%, of alcohol will come off by placing it in recently boiled water. The extract would need to be boiled for at least 20 minutes to drive off most of the alcohol. The boiling process would also drive off naturally occuring volatile constituents, such as essential oils, from the extract. In most cases these are part of the active constituent profile. If a person is intolerant of alcohol, they should use glycerites or some other dosage form.
21. Are fresh (undried) herbs better than dried herbs?
Answer: All herbs are different and need to be handled and extracted accordingly. Whether an herb is better fresh or dried depends on the unique biochemical, biophysical and energetic properties of the specific plant. Some herbs that may degrade during drying, such as Shepherd's Purse and Valerian, are best extracted while still fresh (undried). Some herbs, such as Cascara Sagrada and Culver's Root, must be dried, and then aged, in order to be used safely. Other herbs are best extracted when partially dry.
22. What is the menstruum?
Answer: The "menstruum" is the liquid used to pull out, or extract, constituents from the herb. This liquid is sometimes referred to as the "solvent system." Traditional food-grade solvents include water, alcohol, glycerin and vinegar. For Liquid Extracts, the menstruum usually consists of alcohol and water. For Glycerites, it is usually glycerin and water.
23. What do the herb to menstruum strength ratios refer to?
Answer: The herb to menstruum ratio is a guide to the strength of the extract. The number represents the amount of menstruum used to extract a given weight of herb. A 1:4 extract means that 1 gram of herb is extracted by 4 milliliters (ml) of menstruum.
24. What is chromatography?
Answer: Chromatography is a versatile chemical technique for separating complex chemical mixtures (i.e., an extract) into their individual constituents. The process of chromatography works by introducing the chemical mixture into a mobile liquid or gas phase (mobile phase) that travels over a solid, fixed adsorbent material (stationary phase). The individual constituents partition themselves between the mobile and stationary phases, and are separated depending on their different affinities for these phases. For example, if one constituent is more attracted to the mobile phase, this compound will move faster over the stationary phase as compared to a constituent that has a greater affinity for the stationary phase. The stationary phase can be contained in a column (HPLC, GC), or can be fused onto a thin plate of plastic or glass (TLC, HPTLC).
25. Why don't you double macerate your extracts?
Answer: "Double maceration" is a process of macerating or making an extract twice. In double maceration, the extract from the first maceration is used again with more herb in the hope that it will perform a thorough extraction of the new herb material. It is claimed that extracts are twice as strong when double macerated but there is no evidence that this claim is true. The attractive action of the solvent system (usually alcohol and water) for specific compounds is greatly weakened after the first extraction. In other words, because it has already taken on the desired compounds from the plant in the first extraction, its chemical thirst for those same compounds is much weaker. In fact, the better the quality of the herb used and the better the extraction process, the weaker the attraction for those same compounds will be the second time around. Furthermore, using this process for fresh (undried) herbs adds extra plant water to the extract. The natural addition of water from the fresh herb can be adjusted for on the first maceration. A second maceration, however, will throw the desired balance of alcohol and water out of proportion, making the entire extract weaker and less stable. We believe in doing it right the first time.
26. Do extracts spoil?
Answer: Extracts do not spoil or go bad from microbial growth. An alcohol content of over 20% preserves an extract from microbial spoilage. Glycerites require at least 50% glycerin for preservation.
27. How can I determine the expiration date of an extract?
Answer: Extracts tend to last for very long periods of time. A general, arbitrary time would be 3 or 4 years from the time of manufacture. In reality, most extracts last much longer than this. After a period of years, there is a gradual reduction in the activity of the extract. Extracts do not simply expire at some date.
28. Why do some liquid extracts appear cloudy or have particles in them?
Answer: Liquid extracts usually have some particulate or sediment in them. We thoroughly filter all of our individual extracts through laboratory filter paper to remove this particulate. When extracts are combined in the compounds, they may form a visible precipitate. This is caused by extracts of differing solubilities coming into contact with each other. This precipitation is normal and expected and does not detract from the effectiveness of the extract. We do not filter this precipitate out because it contains herbal constituents.
Notes: This is part of the reason why shaking liquid extracts before each dose is so important. Some of the precipitate can go back into solution upon shaking. An extract or compound becomes a uniform solution or suspension with shaking.
29. Why do some liquid extracts turn cloudy or milky looking when I put the drops in water?
Answer: Certain liquid extracts, particularly those with a higher alcohol content, precipitate when they come in contact with water. These extracts contain a high level of alcohol soluble constituents, such as resins, and this is what you see precipitating out in the water. This is completely normal and should not be considered problematic.
30. Why do you ferment some of your herbs?
Answer: We ferment several herbs, as the first step in the extraction process, to unbind or release natural chemical compounds in the plant. When Wild Cherry, for example, is fermented, a strong 'wild cherry' aroma is activated. The fermentation is then halted as the rest of the extraction process continues. This extract is far superior in its effect than an unfermented extract.
31. Can I take herbs for their mineral content?
Answer: While herbs do contain minerals, the dosage of therapeutic herbs is much lower than the amount of foods we eat. Generally, the amounts of herbal extracts we take is not enough to supply substantial amounts of minerals. Healthy eating is the best way to get minerals and take supplements if they are warranted.
32. Why do you remove pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Comfrey, Coltsfoot and Petasites?
Answer: Pyrrolizidine (pronounced: pie-row-liz-ih-deen) alkaloids (PAs) are naturally occuring plantcompounds that can have a toxic effect on the liver when taken orally, in large dosages, over a long period of time). We have removed the PAs from these herbs with a special, non-chemical process (ion exchange) which removes the PAs and about 2-3% of the mineral content of the herb. The quality of these PA free extracts is not compromised by this process and they can be used safely, without concerns about PA toxicity.
33. Is there any risk of mad cow disease with using Herb Pharm products?
Answer: No. Our products are 100% vegetarian, they do not contain any ingredients that are derived from animals. Two components that are often of concern to people are capsules and magnesium stearate. Herb Pharm's Pharma Kava is encapsulated in vegetarian, plant derived capsules rather than animal gelatin capsules. The magnesium stearate used as a binder in our Super Echinacea tablets is also derived from plant sources rather than animal fat.