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Raw plant material required processing before medicinal use. The simplest preparation was decoction—boiling plant material in water, extracting water-soluble compounds into liquid that could be drunk as tea or used externally as wash. This worked well for roots, bark, and woody material that required extended heat to release active compounds. The preparation was simple but required attention—boiling too long destroyed some compounds while inadequate boiling left them unreleased.
Infusion was gentler method—steeping plant material in hot water without boiling, used for delicate leaves and flowers whose active compounds would be destroyed by prolonged heat. The process resembled modern tea preparation—hot water poured over plant material, allowed to steep for specified time (often “while saying three prayers” or similar time reference that standardized duration without requiring clocks), then strained and consumed while warm.
Tinctures preserved medicinal compounds in alcohol, the ethanol extracting compounds that were not water-soluble while preventing spoilage that affected water-based preparations. The plant material was submerged in strong alcohol—often distilled spirits, sometimes wine for gentler extractions—and left for days or weeks, periodically shaken, until alcohol had extracted maximum compounds. The resulting tincture was shelf-stable, could be stored for months or years, and could be dosed precisely by drops rather than by cups of variable-strength tea.
Poultices applied plants directly to affected areas—wounds, inflammations, injuries. The plant material was crushed or chewed (saliva containing enzymes that began breaking down plant cells, releasing active compounds), then applied directly to skin and secured with wrapping. This delivered high concentration of active compounds directly to the treatment site, bypassing digestive system, providing rapid local effects though systemic absorption was minimal.
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