PRACTICAL TINCTURE DOSES AND MEASUREMENTS

TID means “ter in die” or 3 times daily

BID means “Bis in die) or 2 times daily

QID means “quarter in die” or 4 times daily.

OD means “omne in die” or once a day.

PRN means “pro re nata” of ’as needed’

q1h means “quaque hora” or every hour

q2h means “quaque seconda” or every second hour

1. Prime moving herbs:  Those herb (s) that are given dosage emphasis because they are the one (s) most indicated. Such as sedatives for sleep. In general and depending on the strength of the herbs selected, the prime mover herb (s) should occupy that largest dosage in the formula – a minimum of 30% to 60% providing all the other herbs are significantly less.

Example:  for instance using an Ayurvedic formula called Chyavanprash;  consisting of 50% Amla Fruit – with the remaining 3 to 48 herbs all which comprise the remainder of the formula, all designed to serve, enhance, and expand, the effects of the primary base herb which is Amla. If the focus of the formulation is Amla, then all herbs in the formula in a way, point back to Amla, containing indoles and alkaloids which further benefit the formula, NOT to veer off in other medicinal directions.

2. Adjuvant herbs:  these are indicated but are included as a primary purpose for their supportive actions- often referred to as tonifying.  These actions work over a longer period of time. Although effects begin immediately, these actions are not recognized and build in benefits over weeks.  Often these formulas are Tonics such as Immune Tonics because they modulate or understood as balancers, bringing function back to “normal”.  Tonics would be at least half of the prime mover, or 50%  and would be divided out within the remaining percentage of the entire

formula.

Subgroups-– of adjuvant herbs are described as follows:

•  Helper herbs:  these help the prime herb in the formula to work.  Helper herbs may or may not be necessary in order for a formula to be effective. For example;  an herbal antibiotic formula tincture may contain all herbal antibiotic herbs, such as those high in the berberines, and then not contain helper herbs because none are necessary for the effects sought.  If you had on the other hand, a tincture for the cardiovascular using a hawthorn berry as your prime herb, helper herbs would then be useful such as to increase blood flow and regulate heart beat. Here in this example, helper herbs benefit hawthorn berry which is the prime herb. Hawthorn is an herb that is for and preventative for congestive heart failure but doesn’t have the qualities of the helper herbs. Helper herbs are potentiators and/or catalysts. They affect the formula without changing the function of the prime. Examples of these are for example;  cayenne pepper, black pepper, lobelia, peppermint, poke weed, or marrubium vulgare (horehound). Whether they potentiate your prime herb or add more benefits the prime doesn’t provide, is determined by which herbs you select.

•  Assistant herbs:  are those included in the formula, for secondary health problems, such as– matricaria regatta in a digestive formula. This herb is included to strengthen the digestive system, improve relaxation and promote restful sleep.

•  Moderator Herbs:  reduce any overtly strong effects in the prescription. These may or may not,l always be necessary. An example is a warm herb like ginger, cayenne or black pepper which will reduce the effects of a formula with the cooling effect of the other herbs.

•  Messenger Herbs:  these are like directors or pointers;  these “push” the energy of the prescription to the specific organ or body systems most affected. For example one might combine goldenseal and elecampane to direct herbal medicines to reduce mucus in the lungs. (this would have an enhancing effect). You could add goldenseal or elecampane to pleurisy root or lungwort which are specific to the lungs but not necessarily for the reduction of mucous specifically. Now the formula is more inclusive for both direct and indirect benefits.

•  Harmonizing Herbs:  only included to harmonize and integrate a prescription. An example is licorice and/or jujube dates. When making simpler formulas it may be more difficult to determine prime movers from adjutants. Adjutants are described as followers or a loyal deputy to the prime. Harmonizing herbs are thought to be complex with many benefits, benefits that may assist in the formula being more effective by enhancing all results without being a potentiator nor a catalyst necessarily. For example, licorice root is used in some amount in mostly all Chinese Herbal Medicines.

Synergy is used to describe how the overall result of the formula is greater when herbs are combined than using any single herbs. It is most effective used in combination than its constituent parts of the single.