Transcript 07. Infusions and decoctions

INFUSIONS
AND
DECOCTIONS
Author:
as. Yu.Yu. Plaskonis
Infusions and decoctions are
liquid medical forms
representing water
extractions from medical
plant raw material, as well
as aqueous solutions of dry
or liquid extracts
(concentrates).
INFUSERS
Theoretical principles of the extraction
process of medicinal plant raw material
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 FACTORS AFFECTING THE
COMPLETENESS AND THE RATE OF
EXTRACTION OF ACTIVE SUBSTANCES
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 .

The corelation of the amount of raw
material and extraction agent
1:10
1:20
1:30
1:400
All plants, except strongeffective ones
Althaea root
Valeriana,
Adonis,
Claviceps
purpurea,
Convallaria,
Saponaria
officinalis,
Polemonium
coeruleum,
Polygala
vulgaris
Strong-effective
plants
(Thermopsis, Digitalis, etc.)
Methods for prescribing water
extractions

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.
The water-absorption coefficient (Cwa) shows the amount of a liquid,
which is in 1.0 g of the plant raw material of the standard degree of
powdering after its wringing in the punched glass of the infusor.
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.
TEMPERATURE AND DURATION OF THE
EXTRACTION PROCESS (KINETICS OF
EXTRACTION)
Water extraction
Infusion (less than )
More than 1 l
Decoction (less than )
More than 1 l
Infusions and
decoctions with the
indication “Cito!” in
the prescriptions
Time of
infusion
(the water
bath
temperature)
15 min
25 min
30 min
40 min
25 min
Time of cooling
(the room
temperature)
45 min
45 min
10 min
10 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)
Rp.: Infusi herbae Thermopsidis ex 0.5 - 200 ml
Natrii benzoatis
4.0
Misce. Da. Signa. One tablespoon 3 times a day.
This medical preparation is the mixture from the plant raw material
containing alkaloids (thermopsin, etc.), belonging to the strongeffective 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
solution
Х = 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
0.5
Sol. Acidi hydrochlorici (1:10) gtts XVIII (1 ml-20 dr.)
Aquae purificatae
200 ml
Infusi herbae Thermopsidis ad 200 ml
Natrii benzoatis
4.0
V total =200 ml
Prepared 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 covers
2. 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
3.0
Natrii hydrocarbonatis
2.0
Liquoris Ammonii anisati
3 ml
Sirupi simplicis
10 ml
Misce. 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.
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