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Infusions & Decoctions (Subscribe)
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Bulk herbs are used to make infusions and decoctions
http://www.iemily.com/article-473.html
Choosing an herbal remedy isn't easy. But choosing the form of herb to take can be even more puzzling. For example, say you feel a case of the sniffles coming on, and you head out to get some echinacea to help fight off a full-blown cold. When you get to the health-food store, you find an aisle filled with pills, liquids, teas, and creams. So which one should you buy?
Herbs come in several forms, and more often than not, one form may work better than another. To help you navigate your way through this puzzle, here is a who's who of herbal forms.
Decoction: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoction
A decoction is a method of extraction of herbal or plant material, which includes, but is not limited to: Stems, roots, bark, and rhizomes.
Some teas are decoctions. Likewise, the term is used colloquially in South India to refer to black coffee prepared by the traditional method. Decoctions, however, differ from most teas, infusions, or tisanes, in that decoctions are usually boiled.
Decoction involves first mashing, and then boiled in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances.
[edit] In herbalism
In herbalism, decoctions are usually made to extract fluids from hard plant materials such as roots and bark. To achieve this, the plant material is is usually boiled for 8-10 minutes in water. It is then sifted.
