HRB-622: Herbal Pharmacy

This is primarily a hands-on course providing techniques for harvesting and drying herbs and incorporating them into herbal products and medicinal foods. It provides the basic theory and skills required to manufacture high-quality medicinal herb products for oral and topical application. Students learn the foundational principles of extraction, the properties of common solvents (e.g. water, alcohol and oils) and the solubility of various herbal constituents. Students apply their learning by creating herbal foods and extracts for display at a community herbal products show. In addition to making their own "kitchen pharmacy" preparations, students learn how to evaluate the quality of the wide range of herbal products manufactured by the natural products industry. [3 credits]