Summary of Extraction Processes and Their Associated Uses

photo: Homemade Hydrosol

Extraction Processes and Their Associated Uses

Extraction Process	Plant Material	Carrier	Process	Outcome
Dry/Fresh Plant	Leaves, Roots, Flowers, Grasses	Saliva	Mastication by mouth or capsule	Health Benefits
Tea	Leaves, Flowers, Roots, Fruit; Grasses	Purified Water	Steeping in water for 3-5 minutes	8 oz cup of tea
Infusion	Leaves; Blossoms	Purified Water	Steeping in water for 20 minutes or more	8 oz cup of tea
Decoction	Roots; Woody Material	Purified Water	Boiling in water for 2 hours or more	8 oz cup of medicinal tea
Maceration	Leaves; Blossoms; Roots; Woods	Vegetable or Seed Oil	Warming in oil over low heat in a double broiler; and others.	Herbed Salad Dressing; Infused Oil for Topical Use
Tincture	Fresh and Dried: Leaves, Blossoms; Roots; Woods; Grasses	Alcohol and purified water mixture depending on water content of material	Plant material is soaked in alcohol and purified water mixture and strained. eg. 1 oz/12 oz	Dosage 1-2 ml 2-3 times a day
Glycerite	Fresh and Dried: Leaves, Blossoms; Grasses	Vegetable Glycerin	Plant material is soaked in glycerine and strained. eg. 1 oz/12 oz	1-2 ml 2-3 times a day
Enfleurage	Fresh Blossoms	Solid Fat	Fresh plant materialis laid on solid fat	Perfume Oil
Solvent Extraction	Fresh, Dry and Flash-frozen material	CO2	Cold liquid CO2 is passed through plant material using pressure	Food and Beverage Flavoring; Alternative to Essential Oil
Absolute	Fresh Flowers	Hexane, CO2	Hexane/CO2 extraction, then washed with alcohol	Terpene Rich fragrant oil.
Concrete	Fresh Flowers	Hexane	Hexane or alternative solvent extraction	Perfume Additive
Essential Oil (CP)	Rinds of Citrus Fruit and Seed and Vegetable Oils	Mechanical Process	Cold-pressed rinds of citrus fruit	Therapeutic Grade Oil
Essential Oil (SD)	Fresh Flowers, Grasses, Fruits, Roots, Woods, Resins, Fresh Flowers, Grasses, Fruits, Roots, Woods, Resins	Steam Distillation with Purified water	Steam is passes through the plant material and is recondensed back into a liquid using a cold-water coil, resulting in a hydrosol and essential oil	Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil and Plant Hydosol, Therapeutic uses for all systems of the body, skin care, holistic care, etc.
Hydrosol	Fresh Flowers, Grasses, Fruits, Roots, Woods, Resins	Steam Distillation with Purified water	See above	Toner, Topical Remedy, Beverage