Herbal Tinctures

A tincture is a liquid herbal medicine preparation. It is made by macerating medicinal plants in a mixture of alcohol and water, at room temperature, for some time (usually at least a few weeks). The mixture is then pressed and filtered, resulting in a fluid where the active constituents of the plant have been dissolved.

If making tea is a great method to extract active compounds of herbs in hot water, a tincture does the same thing in a mixture of alcohol and room-temperature water. The percentage of alcohol used may vary depending on the specific compounds we are looking to extract from the plant.

Herbal tinctures can be used to help alleviate a wide range of health concerns and to promote vibrant health and vitality.

Herbal tinctures can be used for all kinds of health concerns – from digestive complaints to sleep issues, from supporting focus and concentration to promoting relaxation and resilience to stress.

Tinctures are one of the most common herbal medicine preparations used by Western medical herbalists. They are a very easy and practical way for people to take herbal medicine, in ‘manageable’ doses of about 2-3 teaspoons per day, in liquid form, diluted in water.

The fact that they are quite concentrated means you can easily carry your medicine with you for several days (or even weeks!) on the go, in a compact little bottle. Tinctures can be made with fresh or dried plants: if they are made fresh, this means they can be made at the perfect time of the year to harvest the plant and later be available any time of the year to be taken as medicine. Another practical benefit of tinctures is that they have quite a long shelf life, of 2 to 3 years.

Tinctures can also be made of any combination of herbs, as they are liquid and can be easily mixed – after a herbal medicine consultation, your herbalist will generally give you a prescription with several different tinctures in it, but in a single bottle, entirely bespoke to your health concerns. Tinctures also mix well with syrups, essential oils, and vinegars – creating an infinite possibility of medicines!

A tincture is one type of herbal extract, where the active compounds in medicinal herbs are extracted in a mixture of alcohol and water. These can be extracted in other solvents as well – the word “herbal extract” can also encompass extracts in mixtures of glycerine and water for example, called glycerites.

Tincture manufacturers produce them under very stringent regulations in the UK – for instance, marker compounds associated with the properties of each herb are measured in each batch to make sure that the tincture will have its expected health effects. This also helps ensure that the tinctures we use are completely safe to take internally when prescribed by a qualified medical herbalist. Individual tinctures may have contraindications for certain patients, depending on their medical history or any medication they may be taking – so it is important never to self-medicate with tinctures before consulting a herbalist.

Herbal tinctures are often prescribed as sleep aids. There are many mildly sedative herbs that help induce restful, restorative sleep and that can be extracted in tincture form. Taking a herbal tincture made with such plants can certainly help you sleep. Our Deep sleep tincture is a perfect example of this: it is a calming blend of herbs designed to enhance rest and recovery.