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- Propolis tincture - what is it?
- Propolis tincture - medicinal properties
- Indications for use of propolis tincture
- Instructions for use and dosage
- Preparing propolis tincture with alcohol at home
- Preparation of propolis water tincture at home
- Contraindications
Propolis tincture - what is it?
Propolis tincture can easily be called the most effective medicinal product produced on the basis of bee glue. The healing properties of propolis have been known since ancient times, when people used it to get rid of a number of ailments. With its help, it was possible to treat coughs in children and adults. In this article, we will reveal a lot of useful information about the medicinal properties, indications and contraindications of this drug, how to use it and prepare it at home.
And start with what propolis looks like and what it is. Insects collect resins from plants on their paws and bring them to the hive, where wax, jaw gland secretions and honey are added to them. The resin prepared in this way is collected by the beekeeper from the walls of the frames and thoroughly washed in ice water.
In appearance, propolis resembles soft, dark brown plasticine. This makes it easy to roll into balls. On average, one bee colony can produce only 30-80 grams of this product per season.
Propolis tincture - medicinal properties
The chemical composition of propolis is quite diverse. These include organic acids, essential oils, cinnamic alcohol, wax, etc.
In addition, it contains vitamins B, A and E. Its main medicinal properties are worth noting:
- antifungal, anti-inflammatory,
- antiseptic, antimicrobial, antiviral,
- diuretic, choleretic,
- astringent,
- wound healing, anesthetic.
All this allows you not only to effectively fight various diseases, but also to cleanse the body of foreign elements. All medicinal products produced on the basis of bee propolis have a number of unique properties and characteristics. So, there is no negative or irritating effect on the intestines, which completely eliminates the risk of developing dysbiosis. Propolis tincture can be taken simultaneously with antibiotics, which will also increase the effectiveness of their effects.
Taking propolis with alcohol
Before use, it should be mixed with water, juice, tea or milk. This is especially important for children. It is often recommended for children to use a tincture not with alcohol, but with water or milk. It is also advisable to take after reaching the age of three.
How to take the tincture for adults? It is necessary to drink a glass of liquid twice a day, 1 hour before meals, adding 20 drops of 10% alcohol tincture. Reception should begin with 2-3 drops diluted in a tablespoon of water. Gradually, the dosage can be increased and taken per day up to 30 drops per glass of water for usually one month.
How to take the tincture for children? To increase immunity for children, the dosage should be determined depending on age. For a two-year-old child, you need to add 2 drops of propolis to one glass of liquid. How to give in the future? Every year a drop of medicine is added.
To treat colds, it is advisable to add alcohol-based propolis to warm milk. We need to take into account the details - how best to give milk to children. For half a glass of milk for children, you need to add 4 drops of tincture and drink it better before bed. For an adult, it is recommended to increase the dose three times.
Using propolis tincture for immunity helps to increase the body's defenses and fight almost all diseases for adults and children. How to use propolis to boost immunity? You can read the instructions that come with the drug when you buy it at the pharmacy.
Indications for use of propolis tincture
Alcohol tincture calms the nervous system, normalizes sleep and appetite. It can be used to get rid of diseases of the stomach and intestines, genitourinary system, oral cavity, etc.
However, you should be extremely careful and first make sure that you are not allergic to it.
- as a pain reliever;
- to improve the process of spending adrenaline;
- for effective cleansing of blood vessels from cholesterol, improving metabolism and diseases;
- to speed up the healing process of wounds and cuts;
- as a means of rejuvenating the body, suppressing the development of cancer;
- to increase immunity, get rid of tuberculosis, colds, diphtheria and a number of other diseases.
Instructions for use and dosage
It was discussed above in what cases and why it is worth using propolis tincture. Now it’s worth taking a closer look at the instructions for use and dosages in order to avoid adverse consequences in the future.
Depending on the disease, propolis tincture can be used externally or taken internally. Moreover, there are practically no contraindications, other than allergic reactions. But more on that later. For children and women during pregnancy and lactation, it is worth choosing a water tincture.
IMPORTANT – Before use, the tincture is diluted with liquid. When adding tincture to liquid, its beneficial properties are lost.
Adults need to take 20 drops daily for a month, after which you can take a break for 2-3 weeks and start again. As for children, the dosage for them depends on age: 5 years - 5 drops, 10 years - 10 drops, etc. per day. Proper treatment of wounds and cuts should be done three times a day. A special solution is made for gargling. A glass of water will require 15 ml of tincture. To achieve positive dynamics of recovery, you need to gargle 5 times for 4 days.
How to take propolis tincture with vodka
When taking a tincture of a beekeeping product with vodka, you must strictly observe the dosage and follow a specific regimen prescribed by a specialist. The medicine is used both externally and internally. In the latter case, 20 drops of tincture are diluted in a glass of clean water.
For colds, the product helps boost immunity and relieves inflammation. To do this, add 3 g of grated raw material and 20 drops of a beekeeping product in vodka to a glass of warm milk.
To treat stomach ulcers, dissolve 20 drops of infusion in a glass of milk and drink three times a day, an hour and a half after meals.
For sore throat, the tincture is used to gargle. Dissolve 10 ml of vodka solution in a glass of water. Gargle with the resulting product 3 times a day.
To treat skin diseases, compresses, wet bandages or rubbing with propolis tincture with vodka are used.
For osteochondrosis, compresses are used from a vodka tincture with calamus, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3.
Children are contraindicated to take more than 1 drop of infusion for each year of age.
Vodka tincture is mixed only with milk and clean water. It should be remembered that the medicine is added to the liquid, and not vice versa, otherwise it will coagulate.
Adults should take no more than 20 drops per day, and the course of treatment should not exceed 30 days.
Preparing propolis tincture with alcohol at home
Making your own alcohol tincture is quite realistic and simple. To prepare the solution you will need real 70% medical alcohol (you shouldn’t use stronger alcohol) and natural propolis, crushed into small crumbs. To preserve the medicinal properties, it is important to mix everything and infuse it in a dark bottle in a cool place. The proportion for 10% tincture is 10 g. propolis and 90 ml of alcohol; 20% - 20 gr. propolis and 80 ml. alcohol Over the next 10 days, the solution should be carefully filtered, carefully pouring into a clean container. The finished tincture retains its healing properties for health for 3 years.
Recipes for making tincture at home
Before preparing propolis tincture, you need to take into account one important point - the concentration of the active substance. In alcohol tincture, the concentration of propolis can be from 5 to 50%. Accordingly, the higher the concentration, the more effective the drug. But, when treating various diseases, it is necessary to adjust the dosage of the drug depending on the concentration of the drug.
The algorithm for preparing propolis tincture with vodka, used for treatment at home, looks like this:
- If the propolis is fresh and soft, then you need to place 30-50 grams of the substance in the refrigerator so that it hardens and can be easily crushed. This stage lasts about 2-2.5 hours.
- When the propolis has hardened, it is necessary to thoroughly grind it on a grater, in a food processor or in a coffee grinder. It is worth noting that the smaller the propolis particles, the better the saturation of the alcohol tincture.
- To prepare the tincture itself, you need to take a glass container made of dark glass so that the sun's rays do not get inside. Rinse it thoroughly in hot water and dry it naturally or in the oven.
- The crushed raw materials are placed at the bottom of the bottle and 40% alcohol, vodka or moonshine is poured on top. It is worth noting that the alcohol component of the tincture must be of high quality.
- Seal the bottle tightly and place it in a cool, dark place for 14 days, shaking it occasionally.
- For 50 grams of pure propolis you need to take 180-200 ml of the alcohol component.
- The prepared propolis tincture in alcohol is filtered through a cotton-gauze filter and stored in a cool and dark room, in a tightly closed container. Use as intended.
This is what the standard recipe for preparing medium concentration propolis tincture looks like. To prepare a 5% solution, take 5 g of propolis and 95 ml of alcohol, and for a more concentrated 50% solution, take 50 g of propolis and 50 ml of alcohol or vodka.
Express recipe for making tincture
In addition to this recipe, you can prepare an instant alcohol tincture of propolis. 180 ml of alcohol with a concentration of 70% is placed in a saucepan and heated in a water bath to a temperature of 45-500. After this, pour in 20 grams of crushed propolis and, constantly stirring vigorously, dissolve it in alcohol, preventing the liquid from boiling. When the propolis is completely dissolved, the liquid is filtered through a bandage or gauze folded in several layers and poured into a dark glass bottle. The finished product can be stored for 12-18 months in a cool place.
High-quality alcohol tincture of propolis
Another interesting recipe for preparing alcohol tincture of propolis is this:
- 95 ml 96% medical alcohol;
- 10 g purified propolis.
Before the two ingredients are mixed, the propolis is carefully selected to ensure it is fresh and of high quality, with an intense scent. After it has hardened, grind it very finely, it is best to do this with a coffee grinder. Crushed propolis is poured with cold water so that impurities and wax float to the surface of the water. The washed propolis is laid out on a paper towel, allowing the remaining water to drain. After this, the washed propolis is poured into dark glass containers with medical alcohol. The product is infused in a cool place for 10-14 days, after which it is filtered and used for its intended purpose.
Remember! The ideal conditions for storing propolis alcohol tincture is the door or bottom shelf of the refrigerator. At this temperature, the tincture fully retains its beneficial properties for a long time.
Video: How to prepare propolis tincture in water
The cooking sequence is as follows. 50 grams of propolis is crushed into powder and poured into a container, which will be filled with 500 ml of purified water, heated to 50 degrees. After a day, the solution is filtered and put away in a secluded place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. But please note that the prepared medicine can only be used for one week.
Using alcohol tincture
More often, to strengthen the immune system, a 10% or 20% solution is used for treatment, which can be easily purchased at a pharmacy. Doctors recommend buying an orange-colored medicine, which is made specifically to enhance the body’s immune properties.
You can prepare the drug yourself. To prepare 10% of the composition, 10 grams are required. propolis and 90 ml. 70% alcohol. You can use dry powder and medical alcohol or strong vodka in a ratio of 1:9. You can add honey to the resulting warm liquid, which is especially beneficial.
The medicine, like other bee products, can cause allergies. Therefore, before taking the drug, you need to make sure that there is no intolerance to it. For testing, it is recommended to apply it to the skin. If within a few minutes the skin does not develop irritation, redness, swelling, or itching, then the drug can be safely taken. It is especially important to drink it in the off-season and during illness, when immunity is especially reduced. Many people are interested in how to drink propolis to boost immunity. It is useful for both children and adults to take in courses throughout the year. It is not recommended for people suffering especially from asthma to take this medicine.