Guest guest Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 Chinese herbs, for instance Da Huang, are not a Traditional Chinese herbal alcohol extraction. The use of alcohol extractions (8:1/5:1) is a recent western innovation. Based upon how to make a viable commercial product. One example of that extreme is Concentrated Standardized Ma Huang Herbal Extract. Talk of a superior extract!! And a result that matched nothing in traditional pharmacopoeia but made a decent profit while it lasted. IMO, not superior at all. Water decoctions, a vinegar tinctures and alcohol extraction create three separate non-identical signatures. Tradition has it that how it is cooked and prepared makes a difference. The value - commercially of alcohol - is not as a solvent but as a preservative. Recognized as a legal standard. A point of law understood not as right or wrong (or good for the consumer) but what is legal and non-legal. Will I be sued or not. Hence no vinegar extracts. Vinegar by definition is contaminated, has other stuff in it that may interfere with and creates too many unknowns / variables that have to be calculated). The martial arts hit formulas where alcohol and/or vinegar were used were a tincture, which by today's standard are a very low extraction of 1:5 or 1:10 IMHO alcohol is a poison for the body, being more Hot than Warm, and more phlegm forming. Conditions that alcohol extracts are often touted as treating! The properties of alcohol are such that they are not called for in most formulas. The value of alcohol is simply an extended shelf life. Ed Kasper LAc. Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist Acupuncture is a jab well done www.HappyHerbalist.com Santa Cruz, CA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 I spent some time today reading recipes for different die da Jiao's. here¹s what I have concluded: Formulas that focus on muscles are better off with vinegar as the base. The sour flavor softens the muscles, relaxes tendons. A bai shao effect so-to speak. Alcohol moves the channels more. So it appears to better for swelling, bruising, etc. I¹m sorry this isn¹t more descriptive. I¹m tired. But I did want to put my 2 cents in. Cara > Chinese herbs, for instance Da Huang, are not a Traditional > Chinese herbal alcohol extraction. The use of alcohol > extractions (8:1/5:1) is a recent western innovation. Based > upon how to make a viable commercial product. One example of > that extreme is Concentrated Standardized Ma Huang Herbal > Extract. Talk of a superior extract!! And a result that > matched nothing in traditional pharmacopoeia but made a > decent profit while it lasted. IMO, not superior at all. > > Water decoctions, a vinegar tinctures and alcohol extraction > create three separate non-identical signatures. > Tradition has it that how it is cooked and prepared makes a > difference. > > The value - commercially of alcohol - is not as a solvent > but as a preservative. Recognized as a legal standard. A > point of law understood not as right or wrong (or good for > the consumer) but what is legal and non-legal. Will I be > sued or not. Hence no vinegar extracts. Vinegar by > definition is contaminated, has other stuff in it that may > interfere with and creates too many unknowns / variables > that have to be calculated). > > The martial arts hit formulas where alcohol and/or vinegar > were used were a tincture, which by today's standard are a > very low extraction of 1:5 or 1:10 > > IMHO alcohol is a poison for the body, being more Hot than > Warm, and more phlegm forming. Conditions that alcohol > extracts are often touted as treating! The properties of > alcohol are such that they are not called for in most > formulas. The value of alcohol is simply an extended shelf > life. > > > Ed Kasper LAc. Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist > Acupuncture is a jab well done > www.HappyHerbalist.com Santa Cruz, CA. > > > > > > Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various professional services, including board > approved continuing education classes, an annual conference and a free > discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine. > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.