What are the differences between alcohol-, water and oil-based extractions of medicinal herbs?
In terms of the method involved, temperature etc, and the type of active ingredients that are extracted.
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That just kind of depends.
Some compounds, like some active ingredients in medicinal herbs, are ONLY oil or fat solulable; sometimes to make the extraction the herb will simply be placed in a bottle oil for an extended period of time, and sometimes the oil will be heated with the herb in it.
Similarly, some compounds are only alcohol solulable, or only water solulable, and depending on the herb, the method changes. Does this make sense?
Most chemicals can be dissolved in one of those solvents.
Vitamin C is soluble in water, Vitamin A and E are soluble in oil and vanilla is soluble in alcohol. By treating a plant with one of these solvents you will extract different substances.
If you attempt to extract vanilla by dissolving the bean in water you will not get the results you desire.
In attempting to extract an active substance from an herb, the scientist needs to know what solvent will work on the substance and then uses the appropriate solvent to accomplish the task.