The decoction is a liquid preparation obtained by immersion in boiling water from a vegetable source, in order to extract some active ingredients. In particular, the decoction is indicated for obtaining substances of herbal or pharmaceutical interest from particularly leathery drugs (bark, roots, hard leaves, seeds, etc.). On the other hand, it is not suitable for aromatic plants such as mint, as it determines the evaporation of volatile oils linked to the therapy, and for those rich in thermolabile active ingredients, which would be inactivated by heat.
The decoction, possibly preceded by a maceration in cold water for two or three hours, is carried out by adding the parts of the plant that contain the active substances in cold, drinkable or better still distilled water, according to the prescribed quantities; bring everything to a boil and let it boil for 5-30 minutes over low heat (depending on the type of drug and needs). During this period the herbal sources slowly release their active ingredients, which pass into the water together with unwanted components, some of which are then removed by filtration.
Usually one part of the drug is used for every 16-20 parts of water (the official Italian pharmacopoeia reports a ratio of 5: 100 between drug and decoction), which can be enriched with citric or hydrochloric acid in the case of alkaloid drugs.
The methods of preparation of the decoctions can vary, even significantly, in relation to the source and the practitioner. For example, double decoctions can be prepared by letting the drug boil for a limited time, replacing the liquid and proceeding with the final decoction; in this way in the first extract the volatile substances and those more sensitive to heat can be recovered, which would be lost with the classic procedure.
Widely used in folk medicine, decoctions do not find much space in modern phytotherapy, as prolonged boiling often leads to the inactivation of the active ingredients or to the change in their pharmacological activity.
Unlike the decoction, the infusion is obtained by pouring a certain amount of boiling water on the chopped vegetable substance (placed in a container) and letting it rest for the time suggested by the recipe (do not continue with the boiling as described for the decoction ); the infusion is suitable for aromatic herbs and more generally to extract water-soluble active ingredients from soft and delicate tissues.
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