Frequently Asked Questions

How do Chinese herb extracts compare to Chinese herb teas?
Whenever someone is willing and able to take teas, we recommend that they do so. We recommend the tinctures for use as a back-up for those who are not likely to comply with the use of recommended teas. We have found that a large number of Chinese herb users find the teas either unpalatable or too much trouble to make. Many practitioners will prescribe an initial regimen of tea for the first few days and then follow up with a longer regimen using the tinctures.

There are some practitioners who claim that most Chinese herbs are not effective in alcohol solution. Is this true?
Our experience contradicts this view. Although there are some formulas which we have found to be ineffective as tinctures, the majority have proven to work as well as or better than freeze-dried formulas. In particular, we have found that the Chi-tonifying, blood-purifying and some of the digestive formulas are more effective as tinctures. In addition, the asthma formula Ma-huang Apricot, and other lung formulas like Ophiopogon Combination, Platycodon Fritillaria, Pueraria Nasal Combination and Minor Blue Dragon are excellent for acute and chronic lung and sinus problems. Ginseng, Tang kuei, Bupleurum and Rehmannia are all herbs which have proven to be quite effective in low alcohol tinctures. Although we cannot give a definitive explanation for this discrepancy in viewpoints by experienced practitioners, we can offer a possible reason. Most studies of Chinese herbs in alcohol have used a high percentage of alcohol. While this is the traditional way of preparing tinctures, many patients object to high-alcohol preparations. Our Chinese herb tinctures are, in most cases,  a 20% alcohol solution. This percentage is sufficient to prevent hydrolysis and to act as a preservative, and is acceptable to most patients. It may be that low-alcohol preparations exhibit solubility characteristics much closer to traditional teas than to high-alcohol preparations.

How do tinctures compare to pills and powders?
Tinctures are generally preferable because they are better absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This is because tablets and powders must go into solution before they can be absorbed, whereas the herbs in a tincture are already in solution. This is particularly important in patients with poor digestion and absorption.

What is the double extraction method that you use and why do you use it for some of your tinctures, but not all?
First we do a regular maceration (soaking) procedure using an alcohol/water solution. We then do a warm water decoction (cooking) with the same plant material. These two solutions are combined to create a very potent extract. We do this two step process with the plants and mushrooms which contain both alcohol soluble and warm or hot water soluble constituents. Certain polysaccharides, which are long chain sugar molecules important to modulating and improving the immune system, are an example of this.

Is there any way to remove the alcohol from the tincture?
Yes. Most of the alcohol can be evaporated off by bringing a cup of water to a boil, removing it from the heat, and adding the required dose of tincture. Stir and let it stand for one minute and drink.

There are some concentrates on the market which require a lower dosage than yours. Why is this?
There are products available which are more concentrated. They are prepared by different methods than we use. Which form you use is largely a matter of personal preference. We prefer the concentrations we are using because they provide greater flexibility in dosing. This is particularly important for children, who generally require a very small dosage.

How much tincture should be given to a child?
Children 6-12 years of age generally respond best to one-half or less of the recommended adult dosage. Those under six usually respond to less. Each specific dose should be determined by the size, weight, age, and health condition of the child, as well as by the strength of the herb. A general rule of thumb, however, may be to divide the child’s weight by 150, to arrive at the percentage of the recommended adult dose. An infant’s metabolism may not be fully developed, so initial dosages should be very small. Children often do better when the tincture is diluted in juice or water, thus masking the taste of the extract.