Have you ever made a medicinal tincture?
Are you interested in doctoring yourself?
While you can make a superb Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean extract or a ‘Jamaican Bay Rum’ aftershave for your husband (see my effort in the above photo), this post is mainly about medicinal tinctures. The principle of extracting is always the same.
Many of us who take an independent, active role in our own health also desire to build our own natural medicine chest for minor and even advanced ailments, such as taking elderberry tincture to stop a cold or flu, catnip and fennel tea for a colicy baby, or turmeric in place of Prozac or Ibuprofen. You can do any of these and more in the form of an herbal medicinal tincture.
Having specific medicinal tinctures on hand for a variety of health issues is a wise move today.
I strive to be prepared to doctor us myself if needs be!
What is a Tincture?
A tincture is an herbal preparation in which all the phytonutrients, minerals, and essential oils of a plant are extracted into a solvent liquid (high-proof alcohols such as vodka or brandy, and occasionally apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin). The latter are sometimes used for children’s preparations, however, they are not as effective as alcohol at drawing the medicinal components from the plants.
For some herbs, such as dense roots, barks, berries, and non-aromatic seeds, it takes a powerful liquid such as alcohol to extract the medicinal properties from the herb. Extracting with a less-powerful liquid will only result in a less-effective product – really, a less effective use of your time and money.
Shelf Life & Efficacy
Tinctures made with 90 proof vodka have real shelf life (minimum 15 years) and really if made properly, most will say they NEVER expire. Refrigeration is not necessary.
Almost all store-bought tinctures use alcohol as a base or include some amount of alcohol as a preservative. Vodka is what we use because it doesn’t have a strong odor and is very affordable.
Alcohol tinctures are easy to make and readily absorbed into your body.
See how to make Garlic Tincture, Elderberry Tincture, Migraine Tincture and Pepper Juice.
Understanding Alcohol Content
One dose of an alcohol-based tincture has approximately the same alcohol content as eating a very ripe banana. Because of this, tinctures are safe for pregnant and nursing women if the herb(s) you are using are safe in pregnancy and while nursing. (source) Pregnant mamas can easily evaporate most of the alcohol by placing their dose in a hot liquid like tea or water before taking it.
12 Herbs Safe To Use During Pregnancy and Lactation
This post will only be covering alcohol tinctures.
What You’ll Need:
• High-proof vodka (at least 80 proof) or brandy.
• Alternative to alcohol only if necessary: high quality apple cider vinegar – preferably organic.
• The herb or herbal blend of your choice: fresh or dried (or browse Amazon)
• A canning jar with a tight-fitting lid
• A place to store your brew while it steeps (cool and out of the sunlight)
• A fine strainer or fine cheesecloth or muslin
• A bowl or glass measuring cup with a spout
• A small funnel
• Small, dark glass bottles for storing the tinctures. Cobalt or amber glass are great, and should have tight-fitting screw-on lids.
First, 4 Visual Steps to Making An Herbal Tincture:
(for my example today, I am making Liver Cleanse, a premixed herbal blend which is no longer carried (see a replacement recipe below)
1. Gather
• your lidded jar
• the herbs you will be steeping
• and your alcohol base
2. Steep the herbs
• covered in vodka (out of the sunlight)
• for 4 plus months (one exception is nettles which take 4-5 weeks)
3. At the end of the brewing time
• strain off the herbs from the finished tincture using a fine strainer, several layers of cheesecloth or clean muslin.
4. Bottle up the finished tincture
• in dark bottles
• label and date them
• Store in a cool, dark place
Sad UPDATE: the Liver Cleanse pre-mixed tincture I always used is no longer available. This is the prepared extract I would use if I weren’t making my own.
But to make a Liver Cleanse blend for yourself, here is a basic recipe:
• 1 ounce dried milk thistle seed (by weight)
• ½ ounce dried organic dandelion root (by weight)
• ½ ounce dried organic burdock root (by weight)
• ¼ ounce dried organic turmeric root (by weight)
• ¼ ounce dried organic artichoke leaf (by weight – optional, can add an additional 1/4 ounce turmeric root)
• 12 ounces vodka (best stored in glass, not plastic)
You could also add 1 ounce of Indian gooseberry/Amla and 1/2 ounce of ginger root that were in that original blend. (You can see some of the ingredients in the image in the liver cleanse collage. I no longer have access to that complete list.)
To Make
• Coarsely grind the milk thistle seeds in a coffee grinder.
• Add milk thistle, dandelion root, burdock root, turmeric and artichoke leaf to a quart-size jar.
• Pour the alcohol over the herbs, then cover the jar with a lid and shake it well. Date your jar.
• Place the jar in a dark, room temperature area. (I keep mine in a kitchen cabinet.) Let the mixture steep for 3-5 more weeks. Shake occasionally.
• When the tincture is ready, use a mesh colander or cheesecloth to filter out the herbs. Pour the tincture in a clean jar or dropper bottle and store it in a cool, dark area.
To Use
• I typically take one dropper full (1/2-1 teaspoon) 2-3 times daily before meals (since the herbs in this formula also support strong digestion). This is not a recommended dosage per se since herbs are not the same as standardized medicines.
Liver Cleanse Tincture is used to clean and rebuild the liver and purify the blood. (For Hepatitis A preventative and restoration, add Reishi mushroom tincture and follow directions.)
Tips
The alcohol has to be at least 80-proof to prevent any mildewing of the plant material in the bottle. High-proof alcohol acts as a preservative and gives that long shelf life.
If you’re using fresh herbs, chop them up a bit or bruise them so the alcohol can get to the inner parts. With fresh herbs, fill your jar about 3/4 full, but don’t pack it in too tightly so alcohol is in contact with all the surfaces. Cover the plant matter completely with the alcohol—no part of the plants should be exposed to the air. Fill the jar with alcohol to 1″ from the top.
If using dried herbs, you’ll fill your jar 1/2 full with herbs, and then fill with alcohol the same way you did with fresh plants – to 1″ from the top. The reason you use less of the dried herbs is that they will swell up, and you need to leave some room for this to happen.
To steep: Cap the jar(s) tightly. Label and date your jars and set them in a dark, cool place. Shake the mixture daily for the first week. You’ll then let it sit in your cupboard (or other place of your choice) for another 5 weeks, shaking occasionally, so it’ll steep for 6 weeks in total.
To bottle: Using the strainer and cheesecloth or muslin to catch the spent herb, pour off the liquid into a glass vessel with a spout (so you can pour it into your dark bottles). I use a glass measuring cup. You can even gather the sides of the cloth and twist it to really squeeze out every last drop at the end. Wash out the cloth to be used again another time. Use the funnel or pour the liquid herbal tincture into dark glass containers that are clearly labeled and capped.
How Do You Take a Tincture?
Tinctures are taken by adults by the dropperful with the exception of a garlic tincture which is just 5 drops one-2 times a day in water. If you are on drugs, discuss with your doctor.
What is a dropperful?
A dropperful is the amount of liquid that fills the glass tube of the dropper when the bulb on the dropper top is fully squeezed and released.
The liquid may fill the glass tube only a small portion of the way, but that is considered a standard “dropperful”. A dropperful equals approximately 25-26 drops.
Chart: How to Measure Herbal Tinctures & Chart
Note: On all dropper tops, no matter how large or small of a tincture bottle it comes with, the bulb (the thing you squeeze) is standardized and the same size on them all. The bulb is what determines how much liquid fills the tube, not the length of the tube itself.
Usage
A standard suggested adult usage for tinctures is 1 dropperful two to three times a day. I would strongly advise you research the specific tincture you are making or ask your doctor before deciding on the amount.
For children under 12, please see this Children’s Dosage Guide for recommendations.
I hope you’ll get excited about being your own herbalist. I believe we need to rediscover these lost healing arts for our families and the next generation.
Our Creator has given us everything right here on earth that we could need.
Happy learning!
***For the Full Spike Protein Protocol to protect from transmission from the “V” and to help those who took the “V”, go here.
Deep Roots At Home now has a PODCAST! We are covering everything from vaccines, parenting topics, alternative medicine. Head over today and like, share and download a few episodes!
I’d love to stay connected with you, and here’s one way…
Censorship is real. My Pinterest account was suspended; but surprisingly part of my main board is still available through this link, and it scrolls down a long way!
You can also find me on Facebook, Gab, MeWe, X (Twitter), Instagram, and look for me on IG Stories.
And please join me for my FREE newsletter. Click here.
©2026 Deep Roots at Home • All Rights Reserved
Marsha M.
I love liver cleanse tincture. Thanks for the reminder to make it again! We also LOVE Bulk Herb Store. Thanks for sharing all your interesting posts.
Mel
Thank you so much! My husband and I were married 21 years before we had our only daughter. We are so blessed and thankful. It seems like our interests match up and I enjoy your blog and helps and encourages me so much, as I am in a different season of life! I am a Certified Health Minister and have been enjoying nature all my life. Only in the past 10 years, have I been serious about using these plants God provides for our nutrition and other benefits. : )
Jacqueline
Thank you, Mel, for sharing a bit of your story with me. It is neat to see that many of our lives do have strong similarities and we can relate. Makes me think of 2 Corinthians 1: 3-6 ~ “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” You must have read my testimony 🙂
Jenna
Jacqueline,
I can’t thank you enough for your blog, for your posts, for the information you share. I have shared this post on my blog (on facebook) and hope that is okay.
Jenna
Suzanna
Thanks so much for this post. I want to try this recipe but I only have frozen elderberries. Will they work in this recipe?
Randi
I’m thrilled to learn about this website! These are just the things that I’m wanting to learn more about. I hope to order the Drink to Health kit soon.
Blessings,
randi
Joy
My husband and I swear by the Double- E Immune Booster mix. My husband is often worn down. He works long hours so his body tends to take a beating. I always make him a tea when I start to hear him sniffle. I have never made a tincture before but it is definitely on my to do list for the winter. So thankful for the Bulk Herb Store!
Allie Kampus
We use the Double E-Immune Booster for our colds too. Just found a tea ball in my grandfather’s WWII trunk and plan to try it the next time I make some. I would love to try the Herba Smoothie Mix !
Elihu
Great post! I’ve been wanting to dive into tinctures for a long time. It’s a lot like making vanilla… ?
Jacqueline
Yes, it is, Elihu! We were just talking about that, but we’re out of vanilla beans…I need to rectify that soon!
Blessings!
Nora Apple
I always come to Deep Roots at Home for my recipes! Thanks so much Jacque!!
Love always,
Nora
Jacqueline
Aw Nora, you are the sweetest! Thank you for your love note today! I MISS you!!
Love forever, Jacque
Denisa Reberger Timberman
My first batch of Liver Cleanse Tincture is in the pantry. My next try is Dandelion Root Tincture. Thanks so much Jacqueline. 🙂
Jacqueline
Ooh, Denisa, that is exciting! You are well on your way to having a great medicine cabinet! Enjoy!
God bless your family! ~J
Sheila B
Hi I am interested in naturally cleansing my body , liver, kidneys, colon, etc and would like a information on what to buy to make a total body cleanse tincture or if I have to make separate tincture to get a total cleanse. I want to take control of my health and do not like chemical remedies. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank You
Jacqueline
Hi, Sheila B,
May I email you with all that and a suggestion as tinctures CAN do a lot, but they cannot get to the root cause intra cellular and into the brain well at all?
Lu
Wondering which herbs and ratio is used to make Liver Cleanse tincture? The link didn’t work. Thank you for the post.
Jacqueline
Hi, Lu,
I just revised the post and added the basic recipe. There are other herbs that can be added, but this recipe will do the job.
I have not been able to convert it to teaspoons or tablespoons, but it is not necessary to exact.
I hope this helps! It is a very worthy tincture and a must in my medicine cabinet!
Sending peace,
Jacqueline