Infusions and decoctions are liquid medicinal forms representing water extractions from medicinal plant raw material, as well as aqueous solutions of dry or liquid extracts (concentrates).

The process of extraction of active substances from the plant raw material consists of the following stages:

1) swelling 2) the primary sap formation inside

cells 3) mass exchange

The correlation between the amounts of the raw material and extraction agent;

Standards of the raw material (the quantity of active substances in the raw material);

The histological structure of the raw material; The degree of powdering of the raw material; The material of the apparatuses applied; Temperature and the infusion time; The influence of enzymes and the microflora; The chemical composition of the active

substances; pH of the medium.

1:10 All plants, except strong-effective ones

1:20 Althaea root

1:30 Valeriana, Adonis, Claviceps purpurea, Convallaria, Saponaria officinalis, Polemonium coeruleum, Polygala vulgaris

1:400 Strong-effective plants (Thermopsis, Digitalis, etc.)

Rp.: Infusi herbae Hyperici ex 10,0 - 200 ml Da. Signa. For rinsing of the mouth’s

cavity.

According to the given formula it is necessary to prepare 200 volumetric parts of the infusion from 10 weighed parts of St. John’s wort herb.

  Rp.: Infusi hеrbае Lеоnuri 200 ml Da. Signa. One tablespoon 3 times a day In this case it is necessary to prepare 200

volumetric parts of the infusion from 20 weighed parts of Leonuri herb.

Conventional coefficients: for the roots – 1.5; for bark, flowers and herbs- 2.0; for seeds – 3.0.

For example, to obtain 200 ml of infusion from Leonuri herb the amount of water to be taken should be: 200 + (20.0 × 2) = 240 ml.

Water extraction Time of infusion

(the water bath

temperature)

Time of cooling (the room

temperature)

Infusion (up to ) 15 min 45 minFrom 1 to 25 min 45 min

Decoction (up to ) 30 min 10 minFrom 1 to 40 min 10 min

Infusions and decoctions with the indication “Cito!” in the prescriptions

25 min artificially

Peculiarities of the infusion formulation from the raw materials containing

alkaloids(Thermopsis herb, Belladonna herb, Selaginis

herb, Ipecacuanha root, Chinchona bark, etc.).

The raw material is extracted by water acidified with the hydrochloric acid in the concentration of 0.83% (the quantity of the acid should be the same as the amount of alkaloids in the plant raw material)

The given medicine is the mixture from the plant raw material containing alkaloids (thermopsin, etc.), belonging to the strong-effective substances, and sodium benzoate readily soluble in water. The standards of the raw material according to the State Pharmacopoeia ХI is 1.5 %. It means that

100.0 g of the raw material contains ------------1.5 g of alkaloids

0.5 g -----------Х g of alkaloids Х = 0.0075 g of alkaloids

The quantity of the hydrochloric acid solution (1:10) is 0.83 %:

0.83 g of hydrogen chloride ----------------------- 100 ml of the acid solution

0.0075 g - -----------------------------X ml of the acid solutionХ = 0.9 ml = 18 drops (1 ml - 20 drops).

In the pre-heated porcelain infuser place 0.5 g of the powdered Thermopsis herb, add 18 drops of 0.83 % of the hydrochloric acid solution, add 200 ml of the purified water (if the amount of a dry medicinal raw material is less than 1.0 g; the water absorption coefficient can be neglected). Infuse for 15 minutes on the boiling water bath, stirring constantly. Then cool for 45 minutes and filter in the volumetric cylinder. Press the raw material with the press-strainer and add water to the required volume through the pressed raw material. Pour the infusion obtained into the auxiliary bottle and dissolve 4.0g of sodium benzoate, then filter into the bottle for dispensing.

WCP (front side)Date № Pr.Herbae Thermopsidis 0.5Sol. Acidi hydrochlorici (1:10) gtts XVIII (1 ml-21 drops)Aquae purificatae 200 ml Infusi herbae Thermopsidis ad 200 mlNatrii benzoatis 4.0V total =200 mlPrepared by: (Signature) Checked by: (Signature)

The peculiarities of the formulation of infusions from the raw material containing cardiac glycosides

(Digitalis leaves, Adonis herb, Drimia bulbs, etc.)  

1. pН of the medium should be neutral because in the acid and alkaline medium the cardiac glycosides are splitted to genines

2. Observance of the established degree of powdering the plant raw material

3.A strict observance of the temperature and time regimen of infusion  The peculiarities of the formulation of water extractions from the plant

raw material containing volatile oils(Valerian roots and rhizomes, mint leaves, Origanum herb, chamomile flowers,

etc.)1. The process of extraction is conducted in infusers tightly closed with

covers2. Filter only after the complete cooling of infusion    The peculiarities of the formulation of water extractions from the plant

raw material containing saponins(Polygala root, Polemonium root and rhizomes, Glycyrrhiza root, etc.) Saponins are extracted the most completely in the presence of

sodium hydrocarbonate, which is added calculated by 1.0 g per 10.0 g of the raw material, but only if it is prescribed in the formula.    

Rp.: Infusi radicis Althaeae ex 4.0 - 100 ml

Natrii benzoatis 3.0Natrii hydrocarbonatis 2.0Liquoris Ammonii anisati 3 mlSirupi simplicis 10 mlMisce. Da. Signa. One tablespoon 3

times a day.

The mixture from the raw material containing a mucilage with the substances soluble in water, an aromatic substance – ammoniac anise drops, which is specific when introducing, and a viscous liquid –the sugar syrup.

Place 4.8 g of the powdered Althea root in the auxiliary bottle, add 120 ml of the purified water and infuse at the room temperature within 30 minutes while stirring frequently by a glass stick. When the time is over, the infusion is filtered through a double gauze layer into a measuring cylinder and without wringing the raw material, add some water through the raw material to make the volume to 100 ml. Pour the infusion obtained into the auxiliary bottle, where at first dissolve 2.0 g of sodium hydrocarbonate, then add sodium benzoate and filter into the bottle for dispensing. In a small jar measure 10 ml of a simple syrup and 3 ml of ammoniac anis drops, stir with a glass stick while shaking and add the mixture to the infusion prepared.

 Rp.: Infusi radicis Althaeae ex 10,0Infusi herbae Leonuri ex 20.0Infusi foliorum Farfarae ex 20.0Decocti corticis Viburni ex 25.0 - 1000

mlMisce. Da. Signa. Two tablespoons 4

times a day.

The amount of water is divided into 3 parts:

for the Althea root infusion: 200 ml 1.3 =260 ml

for the Viburnum bark decoction 250 ml + (25.0 2) = 300 ml;

for the Leonuri herb and Farfarae leaves infusion:

1000 ml - (260 + 300) + (20.0 2.9) + (20.0 2) = 648 ml

The total volume of the multi-component water extraction should be:

200 + 250 + 550 = 1000 ml.