Making Herbal Tinctures
Solvency and Dosage Chart
These are some common northwest medicinal herbs listed with Latin name, ratio of herb to
menstruum, percentage of alcohol that is desirable, and dosage range. Information is compiled
from Eclectic Pharmacopoeias, Michael Moore, Cascade Anderson Geller and mostly from
experiencing the plants in the field.
Herbalists differ on how much alcohol they want to use for tinctures. Consider the
chemistry of the herb in making your decision. If the herb high in resins, oils or water more
alcohol is needed to extract the constituents. If you are working with children or folks that are
sensitive you may want to use less alcohol. Dosage is dependent on weight of the person and
how sensitive they are to herbs. Elders usually need lower doses and we all have different
chemistry so start at the low range and work up if necessary. Remember to check sources for
contraindications in pregnancy, with prescription medications and in the case of serious disease.
Black Walnut. Juglans major. Fresh early spring leaf or green hulls 1:2, 50-80% alcohol, 10%
vinegar. Dry hull powder 1:5, 50% alcohol, 10% vinegar. 30-90 drops to 3 times a day.
Bleeding Heart. Dicentra Formosa. Whole plant in flower or fall roots 1:2, 40-60% alcohol.
15-30 drops to 4 times a day or applied topically.
Burdock. Arctium lappa. Fresh root 1:2, 50-60% alcohol. Dry root 1:5, 40-50% alcohol. 30-60
drops 3-4 times a day.
Cedar. Thuja plicata. Fresh leaf tincture 1:2, 50-80% alcohol. Use directly or diluted topically.
Internal use as cold infusion or small amounts of tincture, 5-10 drops
to 3 times a day.
Contraindicated for kidney weakness or pregnancy.
Cleavers. Galium aparine. Fresh whole plant 1:2, 50-75% alcohol, 60-90 drops 3-4 times a day.
Dandelion. Taraxacum officinalis. Fresh root 1:2, 40-70% alcohol. Best as fresh plant tincture.
30-90 drops 3-4 times a day.
Devil’s Club. Oplopanax horridum. Fresh root and rhizome bark 1:2, 50-70% alcohol. Dry root
1:5, 50-60% alcohol. 10-40 drops 3 times a day.
Echinacea. Echinacea purpurea. Fresh root and seed 1:2, 45% alcohol. Dry root 1:5, 30-40 %
alcohol. 30-90 drops to 5 times a day.
Elecampane. Inula helenium. Fresh root 1:2, 50-80% alcohol. Dry root 1:5, 50-60%
10-30 drops to 4 times a day. Fresh root honey use 1 t. 2-3 times a day.
alcohol.
Goldenrod. Solidago Canadensis. Fresh early flowering tops 1:2, 40-50% alcohol. Recently
dried leaves and flowers 1:5, 40% alcohol. 30-40 drops 2-4 times a day.
Gumweed. Grindelia. Flowering tops 1:2 60-90% alcohol. Recently dried herb 1:5, 50- 70%
alcohol. 15-40 drops 3-5 times a day.
Hawthorn. Crataegus oxycantha. Fresh leaf and flower 1:2, 40-60% alcohol. Dried ground
berry 1:4, 50-60% alcohol. 10-30 drops 3 times a day.
Nettle. Urtica dioica. Fresh early spring tops 1:2, 40-80% alcohol. 20-60 drops to 5 times a day.
Oats. Avena sativa. Wild oats unripe fresh seeds (in milk) 1:2, 50-70% alcohol. 15-30 drops to
3 times a day.
Oregon Grape. Mahonia nervosa, M. aquifolia. Fresh rhizome bark or yellow stem bark 1:2,
50-70% alcohol. Dried bark 1:5, 50% alcohol. 10-40 drops to 3 times a day.
Pipsissewa. Chimaphila umbellata. Fresh plant 1:2, 50-70% alcohol. Dry plant 1:5, 50%
alcohol. Tincture turns black. 20-50 drops 2-4 times a day.
Red Clover. Trifollium pratense. Fresh flower 1:2, 40-70% alcohol. Dry plant tincture 1:5, 4050% alcohol. 20-30 drops to 3 times a day.
Skullcap. Scutellaria spp. Fresh flowering tops 1:2, 50-70% alcohol. Recently dried plant 1:5,
50% alcohol. 20-60 drops 3-4 times a day.
St. John’s Wort. Hypericum perfoliatum. Flowering tops 1:2, 40-70% alcohol. 20-30 drops 3-4
times a day.
Usnea. Usnea spp. Fresh lichen 1:2, 50% water (make a decoction for 5-10 minutes and take off
heat) then add 50% alcohol. Same for dry lichen. This is best extracted with heat and alcohol.
30-60 drops 2-4 times a day.
Uva Ursi. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Dry leaf 1:5, 40-50% alcohol. 30-60 drops in a glass of
water to 3 times a day.
Valerian. Valeriana sitchensis. Fresh whole plant 1:2, 50-70% alcohol. Dry root 1:5, 50-70%
alcohol. 30-90 drops to 3 times a day.
Wild Ginger. Asarum caudatum. Fresh root tincture 1:2, 50-70% alcohol. Recently dried root
1:5, 50-60% alcohol. 20-40 drops in hot water.
Yarrow. Achillea millefolium. Fresh flower and leaf 1:2, 40-70% alcohol. Dry flower 1:5, 50%
alcohol. 10-40 drops to 4 times a day.
Yellow Dock. Rumex crispus. Fresh root 1:2, 50-70% alcohol. Dry root 1:5, 50% alcohol. 3060 drops 2-3 times a day.
Elise Krohn, 2004