infusion

The infusion is a liquid preparation obtained by pouring boiling water onto the vegetable source from which the water-soluble component is to be extracted. Of all the extraction techniques, the infusion undoubtedly represents the most practical and common one, thanks to the great availability of water and the simplicity of preparation.

This extraction technique should not be confused with the decoction, obtained by boiling vegetable drugs of health interest in water. Compared to the latter, the infusion is more suitable for extracting components that degrade or are lost during boiling (eg essential oils); on the other hand, given the reduced soaking time, the drug must consist of soft and delicate fabrics (flowers and leaves), adequately chopped or powdered. More coriaceous sources such as roots, barks and seeds are more suitable for decoction.

Once prepared, the infusion must be consumed within a short time, especially when it is obtained from fresh drugs. Any storage can be done in the refrigerator, without exceeding 24 hours.

How to prepare an infusion

To prepare an infusion you must first focus on the drug, which must be reduced to powder or small pieces to facilitate the intimate penetration of the solvent. Water is then poured onto the vegetable source, previously boiled, proceeded with a rapid mixing and left to rest for a time varying from 5 to 20 minutes depending on the drug. When preparing an infusion it is very important to use a well cleaned container, made of inert material (generally glass or terracotta, not aluminum) and equipped with a lid (to avoid the loss of the most volatile substances). At the end of the maceration, generally continued until the drink has cooled, the infusion is eventually filtered and readily served.

The weight / weight ratio, between the drug subjected to infusion and the volume of water, normally varies from 1:25 to 1: 5 (from 4 to 20 grams for every 100 parts of water).

For the preparation of a therapeutic infusion it is very important to know the quantity of drug, that of water and the specific infusion time. In this sense we can distinguish two different types of infusions: the aromatic one - characterized by an infusion time ranging from 5 to 10 minutes, useful for appreciating the aromatic properties of the drug - and that of therapeutic infusions, in which infusion times are greater. . However, due to the dilution of the active principles, the difficulty of dosing and the poor solubilization of some apolar substances, the infusion finds space above all in the domestic environment, while in the phytotherapy one it is preferred in many cases to use different preparatory modalities or to resort directly with titrated extracts.