Alcohol in Tinctures

As an herbalist, I often run across folks who are either asking for non-alcoholic tinctures or practitioners who are offering non-alcoholic tinctures. The truth is that there’s no such thing. Understanding the terminology of herbalism will help customers and new herbalists be able to better differentiate the products they are buying or making.

 In chemistry, a tincture is a solution that has ethanol (ethyl alcohol) as its solvent. While that may sound like something dangerous, ethanol is basically any alcohol that is safe for consumption. And yes, I am talking about the same alcohol that’s found in drinking spirits like wine, vodka, beer, etc.

 Sometimes customers feel offended by this notion, especially if they are alcohol free for personal or religious reasons; however, tinctures are intended to be taken by drops, and according to proper dosage instructions. When used appropriately this amount does not cause any sort of inebriation. The alcohol in tinctures is simply a chemical process for making medicine, in fact, NyQuil contains 10% ethanol.

 I have seen herbalist try to get around the alcohol factor by offering glycerin tinctures, often marketed as safe for children because they contain no alcohol; however, glycerin is a type of sugar alcohol known as glycerol.

 That doesn’t make glycerin a bad product, in fact, it’s a wonderful product that a practitioner can use to make medicines in the form of syrups or wonderful beauty products that are amazing for the skin. Glycerin has a solid place in herbalism, but if it’s in a “tincture” form, and not used in tandem with alcohol as a specific part of the recipe, then it’s called a glycerite.

 The distinction between a tincture and a glycerite is important because of the difference between the two, as well as the limitations of a glycerite. Alcohol can extract a greater variety of compounds and in a higher concentration than glycerin can. Also, tinctures far outperform glycerites in term of sustainability. A glycerite is only good for 4 months without preservatives or refrigeration, and even that will only provide a few more months of confidence in the viability of the product. A tincture on the other hand, properly stored in a dark bottle, will last indefinitely.

 Consumers who look negatively at the alcohol solvent in tinctures, are largely basing those opinions on the term “alcohol” in a social sense. The truth is that a tincture has about the same amount of alcohol as a ripe banana when taken appropriately. Also, if someone was really determined to get drunk on tinctures, they’d be going through a huge amount of little two-ounce bottles, and their mouth would end up tasting like week old socks!

 While getting drunk on a tincture is not a great worry, there is one bit about alcohol that is important to know for safety. As a consumer, please look out for the use of grain alcohol, as it can be dangerous.

I'm not saying, as a West Virginia girl, that I’ve never had a sip of moonshine. In fact, there’s a peach variety, one can find in southern WV if they know where to look, that will have you flatfootin’ in no time! But that’s not medicine – that’s a party in a holler.

For tinctures, look for sellers who use a more regulated variety of alcohol. The bad thing about grain alcohols, even legal ones, is that the “herbal medicine” they make is too strong. While having a strong medicine may seem like a good thing on the surface, the dark side of stronger is more volatile.

 In my practice I use 100 proof vodka because it creates a balanced tincture that is made up of 50% water soluble properties and 50% alcohol soluble properties. Grain alcohol, with its much higher alcohol content, must either be watered down to balance it or the product it creates will be far heavier in the alcohol soluble properties of the herb. That means, that while grain alcohol can create something stronger, it will be far heavier in only one medicinal element of the plant, which can cause unknown reactions in those who take it.

So, there you have it: Tinctures have alcohol, but the type of alcohol matters.