RH Herbal Preparations & Dosage Forms 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the ratio in a 1:5 tincture represent?
- 1 gram of dried herb extracted in 5 mL of menstruum (Correct answer)
- 5 grams of herb extracted in 1 mL of menstruum
- 1 mL of tincture diluted in 5 mL of water
- 5 drops of tincture per 1 mL of alcohol
Correct answer: 1 gram of dried herb extracted in 5 mL of menstruum
A 1:5 tincture means 1 gram of dried herb is extracted in 5 mL of menstruum (solvent), describing the herb-to-solvent weight-to-volume ratio.
Question 2: Cold infusions are most appropriate for extracting which type of plant constituents?
- Tannins and bitter resins
- Mucilaginous polysaccharides and delicate aromatic compounds (Correct answer)
- Alkaloids and cardiac glycosides
- Fixed oils and fat-soluble vitamins
Correct answer: Mucilaginous polysaccharides and delicate aromatic compounds
Cold water gently extracts mucilaginous polysaccharides and preserves volatile, heat-sensitive aromatic compounds that would be degraded by hot water.
Question 3: Which alcohol concentration in a hydroethanolic menstruum is most effective for extracting resins and volatile oils?
- 25–30%
- 40–50%
- 60–70%
- 90–95% (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 90–95%
Resins and volatile oils are highly lipophilic and require high-alcohol concentrations of 90–95% to dissolve effectively due to their non-polar nature.
Question 4: A decoction differs from a standard infusion primarily in that it:
- Uses cold water to protect water-soluble vitamins
- Involves simmering hard plant materials for 15–45 minutes (Correct answer)
- Extracts only volatile aromatic compounds
- Is prepared exclusively from aerial parts of the plant
Correct answer: Involves simmering hard plant materials for 15–45 minutes
Decoctions involve actively simmering hard plant materials such as roots, bark, and seeds for 15–45 minutes to break down tough cell walls and release constituents.
Question 5: Glycerites are preferred over alcohol-based tinctures for which patient population?
- Elderly patients requiring faster systemic absorption
- Children and individuals avoiding alcohol consumption (Correct answer)
- Athletes seeking rapid blood-level uptake
- Patients with impaired hepatic metabolism
Correct answer: Children and individuals avoiding alcohol consumption
Glycerites use vegetable glycerin as the solvent, making them completely alcohol-free and suitable for children, pregnant women, and those with alcohol sensitivities.
Question 6: Compared to a 1:5 tincture, the appropriate dose of a 1:1 fluid extract of the same herb would be:
- The same dose as the 1:5 tincture
- Five times greater than the 1:5 tincture dose
- One-fifth of the 1:5 tincture dose (Correct answer)
- Twice the dose of the 1:5 tincture
Correct answer: One-fifth of the 1:5 tincture dose
A 1:1 fluid extract is five times more concentrated than a 1:5 tincture, so the dose must be reduced to one-fifth to deliver an equivalent amount of herb.
Question 7: Which component of a hydroethanolic tincture menstruum serves primarily as a preservative against microbial growth?
- Distilled water
- Vegetable glycerin
- Ethanol (alcohol) (Correct answer)
- Citric acid
Correct answer: Ethanol (alcohol)
Ethanol inhibits bacterial, fungal, and viral growth through protein denaturation, which is why properly prepared tinctures with sufficient alcohol have a multi-year shelf life.
RH Herbal Preparations & Dosage Forms 1
What does the ratio in a 1:5 tincture represent?