How to Extract Rutin
Rutin is a bioflavonoid that is essential for the absorption of vitamin C. The human body cannot produce bioflavonoids, so they must be supplied to the body through diet. Rutin can be found in foods, plants and in supplements. The richest source of rutin comes from buckwheat. Other examples include apple peels, black tea, citrus fruits, broccoli and onions. Supplements sell the gel form to be eaten once a day. Extracting rutin from a plant or herb at home requires using drinking alcohol as the medium for which the key constituents are extracted.
Things You'll Need
- Clean jar with a sealable lid
- Herb of choice
- Sharp knife or coffee grinder
- Food scale
- 100 proof vodka
- Plastic cling wrap or plastic bag
- Bowl
- Cheese cloth or fine mesh cloth
- Coffee filter
- Small bottled jars (amber colored preferable)
- Permanent marker
- Label (optional)
Instructions
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Preparation
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1
Mince or grind the herb. Finely chop the herb with the knife, if fresh. If working with a dried herb, use the coffee grinder.
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2
A kitchen scale can make measuring herbs easy and accurate. Weigh the minced/ground herbs. This will give you the starting point and an idea of how much alcohol will be required. A general ratio for dried material is about 1 part herb to 5 parts alcohol. Fresh material is1 part herb to 3 parts alcohol. If the material weighs 2 oz., a dried herb would require 10 oz. of vodka. A fresh herb would require 6 oz.
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3
A glass jar with an airtight lid is a perfect choice. Place the minced herb in the glass jar. Pour the proper ratio of the 100 proof Vodka over the herbs. If you are using dried herbs, you might need to add more alcohol over the next day or two as the dried herbs absorb and expand.
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4
Place a plastic bag or wrap between the lid and the jar before sealing. This will prevent rust from spoiling your mixture. Place the lid over the plastic sealed jar.
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5
Shake the mixture well and place the jar in a cool, dark place. Shake the mixture daily. Allow the mixture to soak for four to six weeks. The alcohol will pull the active properties from the plant.
Four to Six Weeks Later
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6
Pour the mixture into a bowl through a cheese cloth or fine mesh cloth. Squeeze the cloth of any remnants of liquid; this is saturated with the strongest active medicinal constituents of the herb.
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7
Pour the liquid that has been filtered through the mesh cloth into smaller bottles, preferably amber bottles to reduce exposure of the light.
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8
Label the bottle. Store it in a dark, cool place. It will keep for three to five years.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Purchase organic herbs so that extraction is as pure as possible.
Try not to use powdered herbs; they will be difficult to filter out in the end, and the debris will settle in your final product.
Any bottle of 100-proof vodka will work; it need not be the most expensive.
Extremely high doses of rutin can cause diarrhea.
As with any herbal remedy, pregnant and nursing women should consult doctors before using.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit buckwheat image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com finnel and knife on red board image by Victor Potasyev from Fotolia.com diet scale image by sparkia from Fotolia.com jars of spices image by Vadim_Rogol from Fotolia.com
