Drying herbs

Oil (rom blossoming dry herb dj 0-9377 an - 92 3C acid number l-H ostor number 5 S ester oomber slier acetylation ii O. Not soluble in 10 volumes 70 per cenf. alcohol soluble in abont b and more yclnmes 80 per cent, alcohol, M ith separation of pantSin,... 

The dry herb, UhoU ia rriitnla, yields Q per ceot. of an oil which Is eateempd in Japan as an antipyretic aod diuretic. The oJ has a golden-yellow colour and has the following characior.s —... 

The air-dried herb yielded 0 ]6 per cent, of Cr,-following oharaolera —... 

Tincture (2 g/5 mL) 2 teaspoons (10 mi) 3-4 times daily Dried herb 2 g 3-4 times daily... 

Negative atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APC) low-energy collision activation mss spectrometry has also been employed for the characterization of flavonoids in extracts of fresh herbs. Besides the separation, quantitative determination and identification of flavonoids, the objective of the study was the comparison of the efficacy of the various detection systems in the analysis of flavonoids in herb extracts. Freeze-dried herbs (0.5g of chives, cress, dill, lovage, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon and thyme) were ground and extracted with 20 ml of 62.5 per cent aqueous methanol. After sedimentation the suspension was filtered and used for HPLC analyses. Separations were carried out in an... 

Tinctures These are made by steeping fresh or dried herbs in alcohol or vinegar. 

Drying is an excellent way of preserving herbs many leaves and seeds keep their flavor well and, stored correctly, should last up to a year. Providing the ideal range of temperatures and ventilation for drying individual herbs is not easy in a domestic situation, and if you dry herbs at home you may find that the drying process results in some loss of flavor and color. Some herbs do not retain their flavor well when dried, and are best used fresh, or frozen. Check all the plant material carefully before you dry it and discard any parts that are diseased or damaged. 

There are two main methods of drying herbs either suspended in bunches, or lying flat on racks or trays. For the enthusiast, electric dryers are available. It is best to dry each type separately, as they tend to dry at different rates. Choose a dark, clean, dry, well-ventilated spot, free from dust and insects. Always dry herbs out of direct sunlight, which causes loss of color and flavor. 

To dry herbs flat, strip the leaves from each stem and arrange them In a single layer on a rack or tray. Inspect the herbs regularly to be sure they are drying properly, and turn any of the larger leaves frequently to ensure that they dry evenly. Look also for anything that shows signs of mold or decay and remove it. 

The doses applied for the widely used microbial decontamination by irradiation of spices, dried herbs, and dry vegetable seasonings (see Sec. 4.9) are much higher than the disinfestation doses. Thus radiation decontamination of these commodities is more than enough to kill also any insects eventually infesting them. 

Drug is derived from French word drogue means a dry herb. Drugs are obtained mainly from plants, animals, microbes and mineral sources, but a majority of them that are used therapeutically are from synthetic or semi-synthetic products. 

Savory oil is obtained by steam distillation of the whole dried herb Satureja hortensis L. or S. montana L. (Lamiaceae). It is a light yellow to dark brown liquid with a spicy odor, reminiscent of thyme or origanum. 

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a member of the Apiaceae family. The fresh leaves of parsley and the dried herb are widely used as flavouring. More than 80 compounds have been identified in the volatile fraction, and the aromatic volatiles of parsley are mainly monoterpenes and the aromatics myristicin and api-ole. It is suggested that the characteristic odour of parsley is due to the presence ofp-mentha-l,3,8-triene, myrcene, 3-sec-butyl-2-methoxypyrazine, myristicin, linalool, (Z)-6-decenal and (Z)-3-hexenal [227, 228]. Furthermore, /3-phellan-drene, 4-isopropenyl-l-methylbenzene and terpinolene contribute significantly... 

The fruit and seeds of the milk thistle plant contain a lipophilic mixture of flavonolignans known as silymarin. Silymarin comprises 2-3% of the dried herb and is composed of three primary isomers, silybin (also known as silybinin or silibinin), silychristin (silichristin), and silydianin (silidianin). Silybin is the most prevalent and potent of the three isomers and accounts for about 50% of the silymarin complex. Products should be standardized to contain 70-80% silymarin. 

It treats warm and cold coexistence in one syndrome, a more complicated and commonly seen syndrome. Warm and cold herbs are used in one formula. The cold herbs not only treat the internal heat, but also reduce the side effects of the pungent and drying herbs. 

This formula is effective in inducing sweating and expelling wind-cold-dampness. It is a commonly used formula for treating an excess condition. Because there are many pungent and drying herbs in the formula, it should be used with caution or modified for treating patients with Yin deficiency. 

The formula focuses on dissolving accumulated fluid, but the side effects of the warm and drying herbs are also considered thus sweet Zhi Gan Cao is used to protect the Yin and tonify the Spleen-Qi. 

In this formula, the moving herbs and the tonifying herbs are used together the drying herbs and the moistening herbs are used together both Upper- and Lower-Jiao are involved and both the manifestations and the cause of the disorder are treated. 

An epic poem on plant humours, an abstruse alchemic treatise, an experiential narrative jigsaw puzzle, a hip and learned wild-nature reference text, a comic paen to cosmic consciousness, an ecological handbook, a dried-herb pastiche, a counterculture encyclopedia of ancient fact and lore."... 

Traditionally a tincture is an ambient temperature extract that is made with a high alcohol level in the extraction liquid, typically 60-70% or more. The herb/extract ratio is usually 1 part dried herb to 10 parts tincture, although a few tinctures were specified at stronger ratios (i.e. more herb) in the British Pharmaceutical Codex and British Pharmacopoeia. 

Extraction is a process in which the solvent penetrates the dried herb and dissolves the soluble components of the plant material. These then diffuse out into the free solvent surrounding the plant material particles. This process eventually reaches a state of equilibrium (Theoretically, complete equilibrium is only achieved at infinite time and the approach to completion is an asymptotic curve Figure 12.4.) In practice, about 90% of available solids come into solution within 24 horn s for a typical leaf herb at ambient temperature, although harder material, such as some dried woody roots and barks, will take rather longer to achieve a satisfactory degree of extraction. 

Using solvents at the non-polar end of the spectrum offers a means of selectively extracting specific actives. An example from the nutraceutical sector is the selective extraction of ginkgo biloba with a high level of acetone in an ace-tone/water solvent mixture, which produces a 50 1 extract (50 kg of dried herb produces 1 kg of dried extract) standardised on 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpenes. Sub- and supercritical forms of carbon dioxide produce very-fine quality extracts, and here again there is the possibility of using the difference in polarity between the sub- and supercritical states to assist in selective extraction. 

The large number of herbs that are available for customers, combined with the relatively low volumes required, means that it may not be economically viable for an extract manufacturer to cany production volumes of large number s of extracts on the off-chance that someone will want one or two of them before then shelf-live has expired. The usual practice is for extract manufacturers to carry a fairly wide range of dried herbs in sample quantities so that when a customer asks for a sample it can be produced within a reasonably short time. Once a new herbal drink has been developed using samples and perhaps a pilot batch, a production-size batch of extract will be made for the product launch. After that, if the product sells and there is a demonstrable demand pattern, it is possible that the extract manufacturer will agr ee to make a batch for stock to be called off by the drink manufacturer. 

Part of herb used Aerial parts of carefully dried herb. 

Main actives The fresh leaves and stems are rich in vitamins A and C and iron. They also contain histamine, serotonin, acetylcholine and formic acid in the stinging hairs. The dried herb contains Flavonoids (0.7-1.8%) including rutin and iso-quercitrin, silicic acid (1-5%), a trace of volatile oil and potassium and nitrate ions. 

The commercial products of St. John s wort are derived from the dried flowering tops or aerial parts of Hypericum perforatum L. they are harvested shortly before or during the flowering period. Hypericum preparations include the dried herb (chopped or powdered), tea infusion, liquid extract, dried (hydroalcoholic) extract, oil, and tincture. 

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