Dr. Angela Foran

Frequently Asked Questions

For those new to tinctures here is some general guidelines on dosages and creating a custom prescription. If you have any questions regarding email angela@shantisolutions.ca in order for it to be added.
What is the concentration of the tinctures?

The concentration varies depending on the herb and how it was prepared. Some are 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:5. A 1:5 ratio means 5ml of tincture is equivalent to 1g of dried herb. 1:3 is a stronger concentration since 3 ml of tincture equals 1g of dried herb. Currently all single herbs are a 1:2 concentration while Classic Formula tinctures are 1:3. We are working towards preparing most single herbs as liquid extracts to achieve a 1:1 ratio and thereby ensuring the best possible quality.

 

What solvent is used and at what percentage?

Shanti Solutions alcohol only based tinctures are manufactured with either vodka or grain alcohol. The percentage of alcohol used ranges from 25% to 90% depending on the chemical constituents to be extracted. Although we do not label custom formulas with alcohol percentages this information is available upon request. In the spring of 2013 we will begin carrying some glycerin based tinctures in the Classic Formulas line only.

 

How to determine the proper dosage?

The dosage varies according to age and the concentration of the tincture. The following dosages are based on a 1:5 tincture. Please adjust the dose according to the concentration a higher concentration ie. 1:2 or 1:1 use a smaller dose. Always start at the lower end of the dose range and only give more if necessary.

For a 1:5 ratio the average adult dose is 1-4 ml (20 – 80 drops) 3 x day. A low dose is 0.5ml – 1ml (10 – 20 drops) 3 x day. A high adult dose is 5ml to 15ml 3 x day.

The table is a guideline for dosages based on a 1:5 concentration. For children and the elderly a proportion of the full adult dose is given.

 

Age Proportion of full adult dose Individual dose in drops

6-12 months 0.01 – 0.05 1 – 5 drops

1-2 years 0.01 – 0.1 1 – 10 drops

2-5 years 0.02 – 0.2 2 – 20 drops

5-10 years 0.05 – 0.4 5 – 40 drops

10-16 years 0.1 – 0.8 10 – 80 drops

adults 0.3 – 1 30 – 100 drops

elderly 0.3 – 0.75 30 – 75 drops

 

How to create an effective tincture formula?

If you are creating a custom prescription or modifying a common formula work in percentages. It is easy to adapt a formula to 30ml, 60ml or 120ml when the herbs are in percentages totalling 100%. Keep in mind prescriptions with fewer herbs are more suitable for tinctures as the therapeutic dose is considered to be 1ml/herb for 1:5 tinctures. As the number of herbs increases the dosage may need to be increased in order for a therapeutic dose of each herb to be reached.

Here is an example using a 6 herb formula with a 5 ml dose (1:5) with all herbs being the same the dose per herb is 0.83ml, just under the therapeutic dose. Changing the formula dosage to 7.5ml will increase the dosage of each herb to 1.25ml putting it in the therapeutic range.

For stronger concentrations the therapeutic dose per herb is less. For 1:3 the therapeutic dose is 0.6ml/herb, for 1:2 it is 0.4ml and 1:1 is 0.2ml.

 

How are tinctures administered?

Drops may be added to warm water to evaporate the alcohol or they may be taken as is. In order to avoid contaminating the tincture do not place the dropper in your mouth.

 

Do tinctures have an expiry date?

Tinctures last for a long time because alcohol is a natural preservative. Our tinctures have an expiry date of 3-4 years after production to ensure maximum potency, however they can last much longer anywhere from 5 – 10 years.

 

Are tinctures made with grain alcohol safe for people with Celiac Disease?

According to the Canadian Celiac Association distilled alcoholic beverages made from the fermentation of grains, such as rye, barley or wheat do not contain prolamins and are therefore allowed. The National Institutes of Health concurs that distilled alcohol is safe.

 

Resources

Dosages and tincture ratio based on information gathered from A Clinical Materia Medica: 120 herbs in Western Use and Treating Digestive Disorders by Jeremy Ross