Decoctum | Decoctions, Teas, and Water-Based Herbal Preparations

Water-based herbal preparations form the foundation of traditional herbal medicine. By using water as a solvent, these methods extract the soluble and readily available properties of plants in a form that is accessible, digestible, and adaptable to daily use. Such preparations have been employed for healing, nourishment, and ritual observance across cultures and historical periods.

Because water was universally available and easily heated, decoctions and infusions became the most widespread means of administering plant remedies, appearing in domestic kitchens as well as in formal medical practice.

Forms of Water-Based Preparations

The method of preparation was determined by the nature of the plant material and the strength of extraction required.

Decoctions (decoctum) are strong preparations made by simmering dense or resistant plant parts, such as roots, barks, seeds, and woody stems, in water for an extended period.

Infusions (infusum), commonly referred to as teas, are gentler preparations created by steeping softer plant parts, such as leaves and flowers, in hot or cold water.

Each method reflects an understanding that different parts of the plant yield their virtues only under appropriate conditions.

Decoction Preparation

Ingredients

• One tablespoon dried roots, bark, or seeds, or approximately two tablespoons fresh material

• Two cups water

Method

• Combine the plant material and water in a pot.

• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for fifteen to forty-five minutes.

• Strain and consume warm or cooled, according to use.

Decoctions were traditionally reserved for tough, resilient plant material, including ginger root, licorice root, oak bark, and cinnamon.

Hot Infusion Preparation

Ingredients

• One teaspoon to one tablespoon dried herbs, or two tablespoons fresh

• One cup hot water

Method

• Place the herbs in a cup or teapot.

• Pour hot, but not boiling, water over the plant material.

• Cover and steep for five to fifteen minutes, extending the time for stronger medicinal preparations.

• Strain before drinking.

Infusions are best suited to leaves and flowers, such as chamomile, mint, lemon balm, or elderflower, whose properties are released quickly and may be damaged by prolonged heat.

Cold Infusion Preparation

Cold infusions were used when heat was believed to diminish or distort a plant’s action.

Ingredients

• One tablespoon dried herbs, or two tablespoons fresh

• Two cups cold water

Method

• Place the herbs in a vessel and cover with cold water.

• Allow to steep for four to twelve hours, often overnight.

• Strain and drink chilled or at room temperature.

This method is especially suited to mucilaginous or delicate plants, such as marshmallow root, slippery elm, or violet leaves, which release soothing compounds slowly into water.

Historical Medical Context

Water-based herbal preparations appear in nearly every documented medical tradition.

• Egyptian, Greek, and Roman sources describe decoctions and infusions for a wide range of ailments.

• Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda developed complex multi-herb decoctions tailored to individual constitutions.

• Medieval European herbalists relied heavily on bitter and aromatic decoctions to support digestion and circulation.

• Indigenous medical systems across the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East maintained extensive traditions of medicinal teas.

In these systems, such preparations were considered primary treatments, not secondary or mild alternatives.

Domestic and Therapeutic Use

Within the household, decoctions and infusions were valued for their flexibility and safety.

They were commonly used:

• For colds, fevers, and digestive discomfort

• To calm the nerves and support sleep

• As seasonal tonics or restorative drinks

Because they contain no alcohol and allow precise control of strength, water-based remedies were often preferred for children, the elderly, and those in states of weakness.

Folklore and Traditional Belief

Herbal teas held an important place in folk belief, where their effects were understood to extend beyond the physical.

Certain plants were associated with:

• Insight and divination

• Protection and purification

• Love, fertility, or prosperity

Cold infusions in particular were sometimes prepared for ritual washing, fasting, or spiritual cleansing, emphasizing the quiet and receptive qualities of water.

Later Ritual and Magical Use

In later magical and ritual traditions, water-based herbal preparations were adapted for symbolic and ceremonial purposes.

Common uses include:

• Drinking herbal preparations as ritual potions

• Adding infusions to baths or washings

• Cleansing tools, spaces, or talismans

• Presenting teas as offerings to spirits or deities

These practices reinterpret historical methods through a symbolic lens, while retaining the core principle that water serves as a carrier of plant virtue and intention.

Decoctum and infusum represent the most direct and enduring forms of herbal preparation. Rooted in necessity, observation, and long experience, they reflect a tradition in which healing was achieved through simplicity, patience, and careful attention to the nature of the plant.

Their continued use speaks to a worldview that understands medicine not as isolated intervention, but as a daily practice integrated into nourishment, care, and ritual life.