How To Make A Herbal Extract.

First of all the herb is ground or chopped. This can be done when the herb is in its fresh or dried form. The herb can be chopped using a spice mill, a coffee grinder, a blender, a food processor, or more traditionally a mortar and pestle. The more finely chopped the herb is the more surface area is exposed and the more effective the extraction will be in the next step.
In this step the herb is placed in the medium in which it is to be extracted. It is generally left for a period of time to steep in the medium and release it's medicinal components. A tea extract using water takes only minutes. A tincture extract with alcohol can take weeks. After extracts have been prepared, the herb is generally strained from the medium using cheesecloth, a colander, strainer, or other device to remove the herb. Storage of extracts vary depending on the medium used, but some general rules do apply. Herbal extracts are best kept in dark bottles or in dark places where they are protected from sunlight. They should be stored in glass bottles, not plastic or metal and should be tightly sealed to prevent exposure to air and contaminants. Herbal extracts should always be labeled with the herb, type of extraction and date of preparation.