Glycerite
A glycerite is a fluid extract of an herb or other medicinal substance made using glycerin as being integral to the fluid extraction medium.
According to King's American Dispensatory (1898)a glycerite is:
Glycerita.—Glycerites. By this class of preparations is generally understood solutions of medicinal substances in glycerin, although in certain instances the various Pharmacopoeias deviate to an extent. The term Glycerita as here applied to fluid glycerines, or solutions of agents in glycerin, is preferable to the ordinary names, "glyceroles," "glycerates," or "glycemates," etc., and includes all fluid preparations of the kind referred to, whether for internal administration or local application. Many solutions of glycerin or glycerin and water, are apt upon standing to develop microscopic cryptogams, unless a certain proportion of alcohol is added to the solutions. On this account, it is better to prepare many members of this class of solutions in small quantity at a time, and only as they are wanted [1].
Emerging evidence in the past twenty years has updated the notion of the afore quote. Certain glycerite solutions are not harbingers for microbial growth. This is evidenced by the well established fact that glycerites that contain adequate glycerin concentration, especially approaching 70%, do not allow for microbial growth, and in fact are excellent microbial suppressants, even after opening. This is verified by one commercial endeavor that produces herbal glycerites listing a 4 year expiration for their product - with no refrigeration required after opening.
Glycerites are frequently used as a substitute for alcohol in tinctures, as a solvent that will create a therapeutic herbal extraction. When utilized in a tincture fashion or in a simple hot water extraction methodology, that both produce weak glycerites, glycerine is less extractive. Unlike alcohol, that has quick access to the liver, glycerine is approximately 30% slower absorbed by the digestive tract and is utilized through a secondary pathway in the liver (known as the 'gluconeogenic' pathway) resulting in a lower glycemic load on the body than happens with alcohol.[2][3] Fluid extract manufacturers often extract herbs in alcohol and then remove the alcohol (called 'alcohol-removed') or hot water before adding glycerin to make glycerites to increase extraction potential.[4] [5][6]
When utilized in standard tincturing or simple hot water extraction methodologies, glycerin will not extract the same constituents from plants that alcohol does. These weak extraction methodologies results is detailed From "Herbal Preparations and Natural Therapies" by Debra St. Claire:
- glycerin will extract the following - sugars, enzymes (dilute), glucosides, bitter compounds, saponins (dilute), and tannins
- absolute alcohol will extract the following - alkaloids (some), glycosides, volatile oils, waxes, resins, fats, some tannins, balsam, sugars, and vitamins.[7]
However, when glycerin is utilized in contemporary innovative processing methodologies it has been shown to not only extract a wide range of compounds, it is widely accepted, both in literature and innovative applications, to extract many compounds previously thought not able to do. This includes most alkaloids, glycosides, volatile oils, waxes, resins, gums, balsam, sugars (especially as non-denatured linked and cross-linked polysaccharides), vitamins, and minerals, all with none of the denaturing and inert rendering effects alcohol possesses.[8][9][10] This high extractive potential for glycerin is due to 'how' glycerin is worked in the extraction process. From Glycerin versus Alcohol, Concerning Herbal Liquid Extracts, a White Paper by LoR. Caarl Robinson:
- Another perquisite for the [xyz] process is that it must contain a high glycerin to water ratio (which varies from herb to herb) that is intended to be an intrinsic part of the proprietary [xyz] processing technology itself, as well as impart a distinctive stabilizing and ‘absolute’ preserving quality...[11]
Glycerin is preferred for extraction of all aromatic-based compounds, including polysaccharides, as it does not denature or render inert these highly complex molecule structures, which though these compounds may retain their aroma/taste quality, any denaturing (as alcohol intrinsically does) will substantially reduce or nullify the therapeutic quality of aromatic-based compounds.[12]
In the herbal products industry, 'Glycerite' is often equated with Alcohol-Free. This is not always the case. Only If alcohol is never used at any time in the making of a liquid botanical preparation, or added thereafter, and glycerin is used as the primary extractive solvent, then it is deemed Alcohol-Free. Otherwise, if alcohol is used in making a liquid botanical preparation (whether with other solvents, such as glycerin) and then the alcohol removed post-process, then it is not Alcohol-Free but should be designated as 'Alcohol-Removed'. More ethically inclined liquid botanical products manufacturers are making this distinction in their literature and on product labels (even not using the term 'Alcohol-Free' anywhere on their product labels) to better conform with this standard.
Alcohol-Free (as opposed to alcohol-removed) glycerite products, in which alcohol is never used or added at any time, are highly sought for by those desiring and requiring that no alcohol being used in making products or added thereafter. Muslims (practicers of Islam) throughout the world represent the largest population requiring an 'Alcohol-Free' standard. Halal (def: 'Lawful' or 'Legal'), the Islamic Dietary Law, lists alcohol as one of the 'explicitly forbidden substances' (called 'Haram') in which anything made with and/or at any time containing alcohol is forbidden.[13] USP Grade vegetable glycerin is acceptable for Halal certifying and in some instances a Halal standard may (but not always) accept Kosher certified USP Grade vegetable glycerin as meeting Halal standards (i.e. to be Halal 'compliant'). Where the issue of Halal Alcohol-Free versus Alcohol-Removed is concerned, The Islamic community has taken the stance that products listed as alcohol-free does not always mean "Alcohol-Free" since many products listed as alcohol-free may in fact have been made using alcohol as an ingredient after which the alcohol is removed, which would still make any such products Haram by Islamic Dietary Law. The Islamic community is therefore warned to ascertain whether a botanical glycerite is actually Halal 'Alcohol-Free' or is Haram 'Alcohol-Removed' (with glycerin thereafter added).
References
- ^ http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/glycerita.html Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D.,King's American Dispensatory 1898.
- ^ Textbook of Medical Physiology, 6th Edition, by Arthur C. Guyton, M.D. © 1982 by W. B. Saunders Company.
- ^ Biochemistry, by Lubert Stryer © 1981 by W.H. Freeman & Company, San Francisco.
- ^ Walter S. Long. The Composition of Commercial Fruit Extracts Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science (1903-), Vol. 28, Jan. 14, 1916 - Jan. 13, 1917 (Jan. 14, 1916 - Jan. 13, 1917), pp. 157-161 doi:10.2307/3624347
- ^ David Winston www.herbaltherapeutics.com
- ^ Does Alcohol Belong In Herbal Tinctures?
- ^ Alcohol vs. glycerine. | Henriette's Herbal Homepage
- ^ Glycerin and the Glycols – Production, Properties and Analysis, by J. W. Lawrie, Ph.D., © 1928 American Chemical Society
- ^ Glycerin – Its Industrial and Commercial Applications, by Leffingwell, Ph.D. & Lesser, B.S., © 1945 Chemical Publishing Co., Inc.
- ^ The Manufacture of Glycerin, 2nd Edition, by G. Martin, D.Sc., Ph.D. & H.J. Strausz, M.A., © 1956 The Technical Press Ltd.
- ^ LoR. Caarl Robinson - Glycerin vs Alcohol, White Paper, http://www.cedarbear.com/CBNTechSpeakLinks/Glycerin_versus_Alcohol.pdf
- ^ Gattefosse’s Aromatherapy, by Rene’-Maurice Gattefosse’ © 1993 (English Translation) by The C.W. Daniel Company, Ltd.
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal