One of the most critical steps in herbal medication is to make sure that botanical resources reach the target swiftly to produce the desired results. To ensure this phenomenon different herbal preparations are made. Each preparation has certain characteristics. The way a certain plant is used is primarily determined by the health issue and underlying circumstances. Each herb has its distinct physical and chemical characteristics. While some herbs are soluble in water, others are not. With such a wide variety at our disposal, it has become necessary that various herbal preparations be used to make sure that the therapeutic effects of herbs reach the target with minimal resistance. Some of the common preparations along with their pros and cons are described below
1. Dried Herbs
Preparation: After harvesting, the herbs are dried and can then be fed to your dog. To prevent the loss of therapeutic substances it is best to dry herbs in shade, and not in direct sunlight. Some people also use dehydrators or microwaves for quick drying. These methods must only be used by professionals. For amateurs, drying herbs in the shade will do the job.
Pros: The process of drying is simple. Herbs are usually given along with food or fed separately. Most dog owners find it easy to feed the dried herbs to their dogs.
Cons: Herbs may lose their medicinal properties upon drying. Improper storage may lead to bacterial and fungal contamination. Dried herbs should never be stored for more than 12 months as they become ineffective after one year, even if stored correctly.
Certain herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil, mint, etc are used after drying.
2. Fresh Herbs
Preparation: Many vets and owners prefer fresh herbs for their vibrant colors, better aesthetic effects, and minimal loss of therapeutic substance. Herbs can be given directly to your dog after their timely harvest.
Pros: Nothing is better than a freshly cut herb. It is visually pleasing, loaded with nutrients, and has maximum medical potency.
Cons: Many owners complain that their dogs don’t like the taste of fresh plants. Issues of palatability are frequent. There is an ever-growing chance of parasitic and microbial contamination. As the freshly cut plant is loaded with water, issues of dosage calculations also arise.
Mint, parsley, dill, basil, dandelion are some herbs given fresh to dogs.
3. Herb capsules
Preparation: Capsules contain dried and powdered herbs. This is a simple method in which the herb is dried and then placed in calculated amounts in capsules.
Pros: Each capsule is a calculated amount of herb, so there is no fear of mis-dosing. Dried herbs don’t pose any threat from imminent microbial contamination. Capsules are small and can be given easily to dogs.
Cons: Dogs have small digestive systems. capsules may escape the digestive tract undigested. You may see them in the feces.
Dried herbs can be encapsulated and given to the dogs.
4. Alcohol Tinctures And Extracts
Preparation: Alcohol tinctures and extracts are the most common methods of herbal medication administration. Tinctures or extracts can be made at home. You just need to chop the plant and put it in alcohol for 14 days. After 2 weeks, the liquid is strained from the plant and is stored for usage. The liquid is called menstruum. The amount of liquid required for the herb varies. In the case of freshly cut herbs, one part of herbs and two parts of liquid should be used. For dried herbs, a 1:5 ratio of herb to liquid is used. For best results, 100% pure grain alcohol must be used.
Pros: Versatile and readily usable form. Highly concentrated. Have the longest shelf life and will last. Easy to dose using a dropper. Herbs are concentrated and are easily absorbed into the digestive tract. Alcohol toxicity is uncommon.
Cons: Dogs may not like the taste of alcohol.
Herbs such as raspberry or thistle seeds can be preserved and given in the form of alcohol tinctures and extracts.
5. Herbal teas (water Infusions)
Preparation: Similar to the tincture but in this case, water is poured into the jar that contains herbs, instead of alcohol. Plants are placed in a jar and hot water is poured to completely cover the herbs. After 2-3 days, strain the plants and save the liquid to give to your dog.
Pros: Can be easily added to the diet or fed separately. Useful to rinse the skin and coats of dogs. They are vitamin and mineral rich so can act as supplements. Water is the main component, so they can help provide extra hydration.
Cons: Dogs usually don’t like the taste and it can be difficult to feed the medicine. Many medicinal substances are insoluble in water, making herbal tea a much weaker composition as compared to tincture.
Dogs can be given teas such as ginger, peppermint.
6. Glycerin Based Herb Extracts (Glycerites)
Preparation: Instead of using alcohol or water, glycerites are formed by submerging herbs in a mixture of glycerin and water, usually 60% plant glycerin and 40% water. The rest of the procedure is the same.
Pros: The biggest advantage is that glycerin is sweet and dogs usually have no problems of palatability. Many herbs release their extracts in glycerin making it a potent mixture. It has a shelf life of up to 2 years if properly stored. There are no concerns of alcohol toxicity or diabetes as glycerin is metabolized as a lipid, not sugar.
Cons: limited shelf life and require proper storage. Many herbs don’t release their extracts in glycerin and so the dose will need to be larger, as glycerites aren’t as potent as an alcohol tincture.
7. Decoctions
Preparation: Used for herbs that are insoluble in water. In herbal teas, hot water is poured into the plant. The preparation of decoctions requires the simmering of herbs in water at a temperature lower than boiling point for about 15-20 minutes. The application of heat should be for the minimum time to make sure that therapeutic substances are not lost in the making.
Pros: Used for those herbs that are insoluble in water at low temperatures and require elevation of temperature. The extract is fairly stronger than the infusion.
Cons: Too much heat may cause the loss of all medicinal substances. Certain substances in herbs may remain insoluble in water even at higher temperatures.
8. Oil Infusions
Preparation: Similar to water infusions but the herbs are put in oil instead of water. Herbs are steeped in olive oil. Other oils can be used but olive oil has a distinct set of qualities: it is preservative, nourishing, antimicrobial, and therapeutic. Herbs are covered with oil and put in a warm location for one month. This extract will keep for about one year.
Pros: Excellent for topical application. Oil infusion can be massaged on the skin. Olive oil keeps the medicine in place and is itself nourishing to the skin. In addition, it can be given orally in small quantities.
Cons: Infusions are less viscous than ointments, so they are easily wiped off the skin. Oil infusions should not be given in large quantities orally as they can cause digestive issues.
9. Salves And Ointments
Preparation: Oil infusions lack the viscosity required for topical medicine so the medicine can be thickened by adding beeswax or coconut butter after the oil infusion is heated The addition of wax or butter produces an ointment or salve. The standard is one ounce of wax or butter to eight ounces of oil infusions.
If the ointment is too thick or thin after it’s set, gently heat the mixture and add wax to thicken or oil to thin, as needed.
Pros: Excellent for topical application. Viscosity helps the medicine to stick to the affected area.
Cons: Lengthy process. Firstly, an oil infusion is prepared and then ointments are made. Oil infusions are less potent so ointments are less effective in case of an acute skin infection.
10. Standardized Extracts
Standardized extracts contain the desired amount of active ingredient in the dose to produce the desired results. Herbs may not work in cases of acute infection. To overcome these problems, practitioners and vets remove the active therapeutic drug from the herb and then use it separately. A good example is milk thistle and silymarin. Milk thistle has 2-6% silymarin. Silymarin is used in cases of liver disease. So, vets and practitioners use scientific methods to increase the concentration up to 80%, then use that.
Preparation: It is more of a plant drug than a herbal medication. Standardized extracts are made by the chemist in labs using modern technology and the detailed study of active therapeutic ingredients along with their uses and side effects.
Pros: Used in case of acute problems. Can help in life-threatening conditions.
Cons: Standardized extracts are not true herbal medications. Manipulation of natural herbs is based on our limited understanding of only a few ingredients known to us among hundreds of ingredients. Standardization cannot be done outside of a laboratory as it requires modern technology and research. During the process, the synergy between the herbal properties is lost, so the result is not a natural herbal medication.
Over centuries, veterinarians and herbal practitioners have developed different methods for herbal medication preparations and administration. Not all herbs are the same. Different preparations have their pros and cons. There is no best preparation method. Everything depends on the herb, the disease, and the nature of animals.