How To Use An Herbal Tincture
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Shake the bottle before use. Herbal tinctures should be stored in a cool dark place, such as a kitchen cupboard for years of use. Even though we double strain our tinctures when bottling, it is common for sediment to form in the bottom of the bottle. This sediment is just as medicinal as the clearer part of the tincture, so be sure to shake it all together before you take it.
Understand your dosage. The common dosage for a tincture is a “dropperful.” All droppers have a universal sized bulb at the top - so whether you have a 1, 2 or 4 ounce bottle with a dropper - a squeeze of the bulb is going to provide approximately the same amount - does this make sense? The dropper is never “full”. So, if your herbalist says take a “dropperful,” they actually mean the amount of liquid that is pulled into the glass tube when you squeeze the air out of the dropper bulb at the top. Place your dropper into your tincture and then release the squeeze of the bulb, which will then draw up liquid to approximately half way in the dropper itself. This is considered a dropperfull. If you are instructed to take 20-30 drops (which is standard for most herbs) - we suggest drawing liquid into your dropper, and counting the number of drops it dispenses. NOTE where the liquid started in your draw- and this can be your reference. If you are instructed to take 30 drops and your bulb squeeze draws up 28 - no worries - this will be fine. They key to receiving the benefits of an herbal tincture is consistent, daily use. If the bottle states to take the herb 2-4 times a day, then one must do just that. For example, if you have hypertension and are taking cayenne pepper tincture 1-2 per week, do not expect that you will experience lower blood pressure from the herb. You can find evidence on YouTube of people who take cayenne tincture, as an example, daily in their morning tea and eliminating their circulatory related imbalances. |
If alcohol is a concern try adding the tincture dose to a hot cup of water and wait 10 minutes or so for some of the alcohol to evaporate.
When starting with a new tincture, and you are not certain if you have an allergy to the plant, TEST yourself by placing a drop on the inner forearm. If you experience hives do not take the tincture! Please keep in mind that people react to tinctures in different ways, and what works well for one person might not work well for another. Tinctures are not guaranteed to cure serious ailments, nor is it a good idea to mix and match them without having a thorough knowledge of contraindications and such. If you’re feeling ill, it’s important to go to a healthcare professional (be that a physician, naturopathic doctor, or herbalist) to get their advice before attempting to self-diagnose and/or self-medicate. Herbs have medicinal properties that may have different effects on those who take them, so it’s vital that you ensure that you know what it is you’re treating before you take herbal tinctures. |
DO NOT FEAR COMFREY. It has always been our go to for injuries, whether as a poultice, salve or drinking tea. When I broke my bones I drank a quart of comfrey leaf tea daily, had no liver or kidney issues, and healed up pretty quickly - to my doctor's surprise.
Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are naturally occurring plant toxins. If consumed in large amounts, these can be toxic to the liver. In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration advised dietary supplement manufacturers to remove comfrey products from the market.
From their statement:
These plants contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, substances which are firmly established to be hepatotoxins in animals. Reports in the scientific literature clearly associate oral exposure of comfrey and pyrrolizidine alkaloids with the occurrence of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in animals.
Is Comfrey Really Toxic?In speaking with an herbalist friend, I learned that the case the FDA became all concerned about was a dog that died after given very large doses.
They're worried about liver damage and liver disease. The thing is, most of the studies showing adverse effects used extremely large amounts of the herb over long periods of time. Some used the isolated compounds instead of the whole herb. Different species were lumped together, and they don't all have the same amount of the compounds.
Russian comfrey has higher pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels than common comfrey, the latter which is readily growing in the United States. Mature leaves have a much lower concentration of the toxins than the roots. We encourage you to do your own research before consuming comfrey internally as a tea or tincture.
Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are naturally occurring plant toxins. If consumed in large amounts, these can be toxic to the liver. In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration advised dietary supplement manufacturers to remove comfrey products from the market.
From their statement:
These plants contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, substances which are firmly established to be hepatotoxins in animals. Reports in the scientific literature clearly associate oral exposure of comfrey and pyrrolizidine alkaloids with the occurrence of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in animals.
Is Comfrey Really Toxic?In speaking with an herbalist friend, I learned that the case the FDA became all concerned about was a dog that died after given very large doses.
They're worried about liver damage and liver disease. The thing is, most of the studies showing adverse effects used extremely large amounts of the herb over long periods of time. Some used the isolated compounds instead of the whole herb. Different species were lumped together, and they don't all have the same amount of the compounds.
Russian comfrey has higher pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels than common comfrey, the latter which is readily growing in the United States. Mature leaves have a much lower concentration of the toxins than the roots. We encourage you to do your own research before consuming comfrey internally as a tea or tincture.
The information provided on this website is purely for education purposes. We encourage everyone to be diligent in their own wellness research. Purely Living Wellness does not diagnose, treat nor cure ailments.