Tinctures are by definition alcohol based extracts. Alcohol acts as the solvent that draws the therapeutic compounds out of the plants, just as water is the solvent in an herbal tea. The alcohol also acts as a preservative, so most tinctures have a long shelf life. Most tinctures use a blend of alcohol, distilled water, and sometimes glycerin.
The tincture bottle you see on the apothecary shelf may contain the extract of a single herb or a blend of herbs. Some practitioners, including Herbalists and Naturopathic Doctors, custom blend tinctures to meet the unique needs and healthcare goals of the individual.
The next time you visit an apothecary and see all those little eyedropper bottles on the shelf—they’re TINCTURES—an convenient, stable, efficacious, and traditional form of herbal medicine.