bath A form of hydrotherapy. Immerse the full body in a bath with 500 ml or 1 pint of infusion or decoction. The full-strength herbal infusion or decoction is used for foot or hand baths.

capsule or pill Powdered herbs may be enclosed in gelatin capsules or pressed into a hard pill. The powder can also be rolled into a pill with bread or cream cheese. This is one of the most common ways herbs are supplied and used.

compress A clean cloth is soaked in an herbal infusion or decoction and applied over injured or inflamed areas. Also called a fomentation.

crude herb The fresh or dried herb in an unprocessed form. Measurements are expressed by weight.

decoction An aqueous preparation of hard and woody herbs, which are made soluble by simmering in almost boiling water for 30 minutes or more. If the active ingredients are volatile oils, it is important to cover the pan to prevent vaporization. The decoction is then strained while hot and either stored or consumed as needed.

essential oils Volatile oils, usually mixtures of a variety of odoriferous organic compounds of plants.

extract Concentrated form of natural products obtained by treating crude herb with solvent and then discarding the solvent to result in a fluid extract, solid extract, powdered extract, or tincture. Strength is expressed as the ratio of the concentration of the crude herb to the extract (e.g., 5:1 means five parts crude herb is concentrated in 1 part extract, and 1:2 means one part of extract is comparable to 0.5 parts herb).

fluid extract Concentrated tinctures with a strength of one part solvent to one part herb.

fomentation A clean cloth is soaked in an herbal infusion or decoction and applied over injured or inflamed areas.

infusion The preferred method used for soft plant parts such as leaves, flowers, or green stems, an infusion is prepared just like making a tea. In the case of volatile oils or heat-sensitive ingredients, soaking in water or milk for 6 to 12 hours in a sealed earthenware pot makes a cold infusion.

liniment Usually a mixture of herbs and alcohol or vinegar to be applied topically over muscles and ligaments.

lozenge Dissolvable tablet often used for upper respiratory and throat problems. It is made by combining a powdered herb with sugar and viscous jelly obtained from either an edible gum or mucilaginous plant.

ointment An herb or mixture of herbs in a semi-solid mixture such as petroleum jelly. This is applied externally for injuries or inflammation. If made with volatile oils, it can even be used as a respiratory anticatarrhal. Also known as a salve.

poultice A raw or mashed herb applied directly to the body or wrapped in cheesecloth or other clean cloth. It is used either hot or cold for bruises, inflammation, spasm, and pain.

powdered extract A solid extract which has been dried to a powder.

salve An herb or mixture of herbs in a semi-solid mixture such as petroleum jelly. This is applied externally for injuries or inflammation. If made with volatile oils, it can even be used as a respiratory anticatarrhal.

tea Made by steeping herbs in hot water (The same as an infusion ). Place 1 tsp dried herb or 2 to 3 tsp fresh herb into 1 cup (250 ml) hot or boiling water. Steep for 5 to 15 minutes. For larger quantities, use 1 oz (30 g) of herb in 1 pint (500 ml) of hot water. Bruise or powder seeds before making an infusion or tea. The shelf life of these bioactive fluids is short, even in the refrigerator. Discard them after 8 to 12 hours.

tincture An alcohol-based preparation. Alcohol is a better solvent than water for many plant ingredients, so mixing herbs in alcohol such as vodka or wine with a specific water/alcohol ratio is a common method of extraction. The mixture is soaked for about 2 weeks. Then the herbs are strained out and the liquid is saved in a dark, well-stoppered bottle. Tinctures are much stronger volume-for-volume than infusions or decoctions. Strengths are typically 1:5 to 1:10.

SOURCE: Sierpina, VS: Integrative Health Care: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for the Whole Person, F.A. Davis, Philadelphia, 2001.