Extracts

In Chemistry, the residuum of the evaporation of aqueous decoctions or infusions of vegetable matter. In Medicine and Pharmacy, the various preparations obtained by evaporating the expre ed juices or the decoctions, infusions, or tinctures of vegetable substances until a ma of a solid or semi-solid consistence is formed. They vary in nature and composition with the substances from which they are prepared and the fluids used as solvents. They are termed watery, alcoholic, acetous, or ethereal according to the menstruum employed. The object is to preserve the principles from putrefaction. Compound extracts are those which are prepared from several plants and simple extracts from one only. Fluid extracts are only evaporated to a thin syrup and then mixed with to of their volume of rectified spirit.