Definition

Noun: 1. A liquid medicine or preparation made by boiling a substance, typically a plant or herb, in water to extract its soluble components. This process concentrates the active ingredients into a liquid form for consumption or use. 2. (Pharmacology) The extraction of water-soluble drug substances by boiling. This is a specific method used to prepare medicinal liquids from crude drugs.

Usage

• General Use: Refers to both the process of boiling to extract compounds and the resulting liquid product.
• Pharmacology/Medicine: Specifically denotes a method of preparing herbal or traditional medicines where plant material is boiled in water.

Examples

• As a prepared liquid:
  • The herbalist prepared a bitter decoction of willow bark for the patient.
  • A decoction of ginger root is often used to soothe an upset stomach.
• Referring to the process or result:
  • The preparation of the remedy involves the decoction of several medicinal roots.
  • After a 30-minute decoction, the liquid is strained and allowed to cool.

Advanced Usage

• "To make/prepare a decoction": The standard phrase for creating this type of herbal preparation.
  • To make a decoction, simmer the hard plant parts like roots or bark for 10-20 minutes.
• Used in contrast to an infusion (made by steeping, not boiling) or a tincture (using alcohol as a solvent).

Variants and Related Words

• Decoct (verb): To make a decoction; to extract the essence of by boiling.
  • You need to decoct the seeds to release their medicinal properties.
• Decocted (adjective): Describing a substance that has undergone decoction.
  • The decocted mixture was dark and potent.

Synonyms

• Extract: A more general term for a concentrated preparation obtained from a raw material.
• Concoction: Often implies a mixture of various ingredients, not necessarily made by boiling.
• Brew: Can be similar but is more commonly associated with tea, beer, or coffee.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning centers on the method of preparation (boiling) and the water-based solvent. It is not used for extractions using alcohol or other solvents.
• While historically common in all medicine, its modern use is primarily in the context of herbalism, traditional medicine, and pharmacology.

Noun

1. (pharmacology) the extraction of water-soluble drug substances by boiling