Tincture

A tincture is typically an alcoholic extract of plant or animal material or solution of such or of a low volatility substance (such as iodine and mercurochrome). To qualify as an alcoholic tincture, the extract should have an ethanol percentage of at least 40-60% or 80-120 proof. Sometimes even a 90% or 180 proof tincture is achieved. In herbal medicine, alcoholic tinctures are made with various concentrations of ethanol, 25% being the most common. Other concentrations include 45% and 90%.

Herbal tinctures are not always made using ethanol as the solvent, though this is most commonly the case. Other solvents include vinegar, glycerol, ether and propylene glycol, not all of which can be used for internal consumption. Ethanol has the advantage of being an excellent solvent for both acidic and basic (alkaline) constituents.
Glycerine can also be used, but is generally a poorer solvent. Vinegar, being acidic, is a better solvent for obtaining alkaloids but a poorer solvent for acidic components. For individuals who chose not to imbibe alcohol, non-alcoholic e,g., (glycerite) extracts offer an alternative for preparations meant to be taken internally.

Alcohol cannot be subjected to high temperatures, so its use is considered a 'non-critical' passive methodology. Glycerol, utilized in a non-critical fashion as it was in early Eclectic medicine studies, is typically seen as inferior to alcohol, whereas if glycerol is subjected to an innovative serialized methodology now catching on in the industry, the tincturing potential of glycerol is quite astounding. Therefore, newer glycerite products are showing great promise and even rivaling alcoholic tinctures in many ways.

Some solutions of volatile or nonvolatile substances are traditionally called spirits, regardless of whether obtained by distillation or not and whether or not they even contain alcohol. In chemistry, a tincture is a solution that has alcohol as its solvent.