Pharmacy of Botanical Medicine Terminology
Acetract
A vinegar extract of herbs. Vinegar has refrigerant qualities, promotes the secretion of the kidneys
and the respiratory mucous membranes. An acetract of expectorant herbs can be very helpful for
dry, persistent coughs.
Balsam
An oily or gummy oleoresin, usually containing benzoic or cinnamic acids, obtained from the
exudates of various trees and shrubs and used as a base for some medications.
Baths
Any herb, which can be taken internally, can be bathed in, either as full body, hand, foot or sitz bath.
The raw herb can be added directly to the bath (messy), put in a muslin bag and placed under the
running faucet or prepared ahead of time as a strong tea or decoction and added to the bathwater.
Bolus
This used to mean a “wad” or clump of whatever. Today, among some herbalists, a bolus is
synonymous with a suppository.
Capsules
Powdered herbs placed in a gelatin or non-gelatin capsule. A way to deliver dry, powdered herb.
Communition
The process of breaking into smaller pieces. Often, a mortar and pestle or herb grinder is used for
this purpose.
Compress
A cloth that is soaked in liquid herbal extract, and applied directly to the skin. Usually they are
applied hot, but cold compresses are used as well. Also known as a fomentation.
Cream
Semi-solid emulsions of oil in water or water in oil that are readily absorbed by the skin.
Decant
To separate the menstruum from the marc; to pour off.
Decoction
An aqueous extraction, generally used for hard or woody plant parts, such as stem, barks or roots.
They are made by boiling or simmering the plant for a period of time, generally 15-30 minutes.
Digestion
A maceration process in which the menstruum is gently heated. A digestion differs from a decoction
or infusion by its use of a lower heat for a longer period of time. Generally used for oil extractions.
Distillation
A process used to separate liquids from insoluble solids or to extract one liquid fraction from
another. Used primarily in pharmacy to extract volatile oils from aqueous mixtures.
Douche
An infusion or decoction directed against the body or into a body orifice. Usually refers to vaginal
administration.
Drug
Derived from the Dutch word “droog” meaning “dried plant”.
Elixir
An herbal preparation that contains the herb, water, sweetener, and alcohol.
Emulsion
A mixture of immiscible liquids to which an emulsifying agent is added to form a stable nonseparating compound.
Enemas
Liquids introduced into the rectum. These liquids may contain medicines to be absorbed
systemically, or which may have a direct effect on the bowel.
Sheila Kingsbury, ND, RH (AHG)/Kara Burkhart, ND, L.Ac., RH (AHG)
Pharmacy HO/Dispensary Lab Spring 2006
1
Essential oils
These are the highly aromatic, oxygenated derivatives of terpenes that are obtained from plants
through distillation. Also known as volatile oils.
Expression
The process of forcibly separating liquids from solids. Most often used to refer to the pressing of a
plant to obtain the juice (succus) of that plant.
Fixed oil
A fixed oil is the lipid part of a plant that is non-aromatic and commonly referred to as a vegetable
oil. Almond oil, safflower oil, and olive oil are examples of fixed oils.
Fluid extract
A highly concentrated herbal preparation in which one part by volume of the preparation is
equivalent to one part by weight of the herb. This 1:1 mixture is generally prepared through
percolation.
Fomentation
See compress
Glycerite
Extractions made using glycerin as the menstruum. Glycerin has a solvent action midway between
alcohol and water. It has a sweet taste, which can make an herbal extraction appealing to children.
Infusion
An aqueous extraction of herbs obtained from macerating the herbs in hot or cold water.
Latex
A milky plant exudate, used for various medicinal purposes.
Linctuses
A thick liquid preparation, made from mucilages, glycerins, syrups, and emulsions, used to coat and
soothe the mucous membranes of the throat.
Liniments and embrocations
Liquid or semi-liquid preparations that are applied topically for rubefacient or analgesic action. Oily
preparations are embrocations. Alcohol based preparations are liniments.
Lotions
Non-oily or aqueous preparations that are applied externally to the skin
Lozenges
Small, flattened cakes of very finely powdered herbs made with sugar and a mucilage. Usually they
are meant to dissolve slowly in the mouth to deliver medications, in a pleasant and soothing way, to
the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat and upper respiratory tract.
Maceration
To macerate means to soak. A maceration is an herbal preparation in which the herb is soaked in a
solvent (menstruum) to extract desired constituents. When the maceration is finished the liquid
portion (the extraction-tincture, infusion, decoction etc.) is poured off (decanted) leaving behind
insoluble material (the marc).
Marc
The solid or insoluble material left after an extraction.
Mels/Miels
Medicines made with honey. The honey improves the taste of the herbal preparation and can act as
a healing and soothing agent.
Menstruum
The solvent an herb is extracted in. Commonly, these include water, alcohol, glycerin, oil or vinegar.
Mother tincture
A 1:10 tincture from which homeopaths prepare remedies.
Sheila Kingsbury, ND, RH (AHG)/Kara Burkhart, ND, L.Ac., RH (AHG)
Pharmacy HO/Dispensary Lab Spring 2006
2
Mucilage
An extraction of the mucilaginous components of plants. Best extracted in cold water, they are
insoluble in alcohol.
Ointment and unguents
See salve
Oleoresins
Plant exudates containing resins and essential oils. They are soluble in oil and alcohol, but not in
water.
Organoleptic testing
Using one’s senses to evaluate the quality of an herb or herbal preparation. Practically speaking, the
most important form of testing for a busy practitioner.
Oxymel
A vinegar and honey herbal preparation.
Pastilles
A soft lozenge made from a gelatin/glycerin mixture.
Percolation
An extremely efficient method of extraction, Percolation involves the trickling down of menstruum
through finely powdered herb in a highly controlled manner. Fluid extracts are prepared by
percolation.
Pessaries
Similar to suppositories
Pharmacy
The study of the art of preparing, compounding, using and dispensing medicine.
Pharmacognosy
The science of identifying plant materials and plant constituents. It is the science of knowing the
plant through its material components.
Pharmacokinetics
The study of how the body absorbs, metabolizes, distributes and excretes a drug.
Pharmacology
The study of how medicines affect the body. Pharmacology is concerned with dosing, toxicity, and
the biochemical effect of the medicine.
Pills
Compressed and dried herbal material, often mixed with binders, etc. that are meant to be
swallowed, not chewed.
Posology
The study of dosing.
Poultice
An external application of herbs that is either placed directly on the skin or held within a cloth that is
applied to the skin. It is usually applied as a hot application.
Plaster
Similar to a poultice, but with added flour, cornmeal, or wax to help the herbal material adhere to the
skin or cloth.
Resin
A plant exudate secreted to seal a wound or protect against infestation. Used by humans for similar
purposes.
Salve
An oily semi-solid preparation applied externally to protect and heal damaged tissue. Vulnerary
herbs are used in salve form.
Succus
The expressed juice of a medicinal plant. Used in Europe, but uncommon in the U.S.
Sheila Kingsbury, ND, RH (AHG)/Kara Burkhart, ND, L.Ac., RH (AHG)
Pharmacy HO/Dispensary Lab Spring 2006
3
Solid extracts
A preparation made by desiccating or by highly concentrating a fluid extract. Often found in 4:1 or
even 20:1 (grams of herb to ml of menstruum) ratios.
Syrups
A sweet liquid preparation of otherwise unpleasant tasting herbal extracts. Usually made by
simmering herbal teas with a sweetener (officially sucrose) until it has a syrupy consistency.
Suppository
A solid preparation meant to be inserted into a body orifice, other than the mouth. It is a waxy or
gelatinous preparation designed to melt with the heat of the body.
Tablets
A preparation that requires the compression of the herb into tablet form, generally using binders,
lubricants, etc. Tablets are intended to be chewed.
Tincture
An alcohol or alcohol/water extraction of herbs.
Vinegars
Extractions of herbs in vinegar. Vinegar extractions have expectorant, diuretic and diaphoretic
properties.
Wines
Medicated wines were the earliest alcohol extracts of herbal medicines. Rarely used in the U.S.
today.
Other terms
Specific (i.e. specific tincture)—means made from fresh not dried herb
Simple—means a single plant, not a formulation.
Radix—root
Cortex—bark
Folia—leaves
Herba—all aerial parts
Flors—flowers
Semen—seed
Fructus—fruit
Sheila Kingsbury, ND, RH (AHG)/Kara Burkhart, ND, L.Ac., RH (AHG)
Pharmacy HO/Dispensary Lab Spring 2006
4