Botanical tinctures. Dropper-bottle extracts of kanna, kava, blue lotus, amanita, wild dagga and wild lettuce, made in small batches in alcohol or alcohol-free glycerin bases.
Tincture guide: alcohol vs glycerin, how to choose and dosing
A tincture is a plant extracted into liquid, and this collection of 14 listings is where we keep our dropper-bottle formats for kanna, kava, blue lotus, amanita, wild dagga, wild lettuce and California poppy. Each is made in small batches from whole-plant material, in either alcohol for full extraction efficiency or vegetable glycerin for an alcohol-free base, and our ethnobotanical tinctures are lab tested for alkaloid content. Bottles are 2 fl oz or 10ml, and kanna is sourced through South African San Council benefit-sharing partnerships.
At a glance
- Dropper-bottle tinctures for kanna, kava, blue lotus, amanita, wild dagga, wild lettuce and California poppy
- 14 listings
- Made in small batches from whole-plant material
- Alcohol for full extraction efficiency or vegetable glycerin for an alcohol-free base
- Ethnobotanical tinctures lab tested for alkaloid content
- Bottles are 2 fl oz or 10ml; kanna sourced through South African San Council benefit-sharing partnerships
The plants. Each bottle holds a single plant:
- Kanna, Sceletium tortuosum, gives up mesembrine and mesembrenone readily to both alcohol and glycerin
- Kava, Piper methysticum, has kavalactones that extract best into alcohol or a lipid-assisted base
- Blue lotus, Nymphaea caerulea, carries nuciferine and aporphine
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Amanita muscaria tincture is decarboxylated so ibotenic acid has been converted to muscimol
- Wild dagga, Leonotis leonurus, holds leonurine
- Wild lettuce, Lactuca virosa, is known for lactucarium, and California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, for its own mild alkaloids
The strength of a tincture is written as a ratio, for example 1:5 meaning one part herb to five parts liquid, and high potency liquids are more concentrated than that.
How to choose. Pick your plant:
Dosing overview. Use the dropper serving on each bottle, hold the liquid under the tongue for about a minute, then swallow. Tinctures are felt in twenty to forty minutes, faster than powders, so wait that long before adding a second dropper. Amanita tincture is the exception: it is slow and dose-sensitive, so wait two hours. Never carry a serving from one plant's bottle to another.
What to expect. Users describe kanna tincture as lifted and present, kava as relaxed with a tingling mouth, blue lotus and California poppy as a soft evening unwind, wild lettuce as mellow and body-focused, dagga as easygoing, and amanita as heavy and dreamy. Alcohol tinctures taste sharp and herbal; glycerin tinctures taste sweet. Effects last a few hours.
Side effects and cautions. Too much of any tincture can bring nausea, headache or drowsiness, which fade as it clears; use less.
- Kanna must not be combined with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, triptans, tramadol or St. John's Wort
- Kava and amanita must not be combined with alcohol or sedative medications, and kava needs professional advice with any liver condition
- Alcohol-based tinctures contain alcohol
- Not for use if pregnant or nursing. Adults 21 and over
Common questions
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How should I store a botanical tincture? Keep it capped, cool and out of sunlight; alcohol-based tinctures keep for years, while glycerin tinctures are best used within the period on the label.
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How long does a 2 oz tincture last? At the typical dropper serving on the label, a 2 fl oz bottle holds roughly sixty droppers.
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Can tinctures be added to tea or water? Yes, though holding them under the tongue first gives a quicker onset.
Disclaimer. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These are traditional botanicals, and traditional use does not establish that they will produce any particular result. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you take any medication or have a medical condition. Use at your own risk and keep out of reach of children. Formulated by Healing Herbals, run by a practicing herbalist of 13+ years.
More reading: How to Make an Alcohol-Free Tincture (Glycerite) at Home, Sun Opener Tincture Usage Guide: Essential Tips.
