Medicinal Wines (Enolites)

Dear readers and friends,

Today I'm sharing a herbal article on a truly interesting topic: medicinal wines (enolites). How to prepare herbal products with wine.

The word enolyte, now completely obsolete despite being the most correct term to describe any wine-based preparation, derives from the Greek eno, meaning wine, and lytos, meaning dissolved. An enolyte can therefore be defined as a wine in which active ingredients of plant origin have been dissolved. In wine tinctures, wine, in addition to being used as a solvent for active ingredients, can also, as we will see later, possess beneficial properties itself. Wine, in turn, can be defined as the product of the alcoholic fermentation of musts obtained from fresh or slightly dried grapes, with or without the presence of pomace.

 

PREPARING AN ENOLITA

Enolytes, also called wine tinctures or medicinal wines, are hydroalcoholic solutions of phytocomplexes of medicinal plants, obtained by the solvent action of a suitable wine on the generally dry drug.

Simple medicinal wines are defined as those in which, in addition to wine, there is only one drug, defined by the Pharmacopoeia as the "cardinal remedy", while compound enolytes are those in which more drugs are combined.

There are two methods for preparing enolytes: maceration and dilution of a fluid extract. Of the two, the former is certainly preferable, for reasons we'll explore later. Wine's solvent properties are generally superior to those of water, both due to the amount of alcohol it contains, albeit modest, and its acidity and the presence of other compounds such as glycerin.

It's important to emphasize that the same compounds that make up wine contribute to determining its solvent capacity. Using wine as a solvent, the alcoholic fraction solvates the nonpolar active ingredients (essential oils, glucosides, resins, alkaloids, bitter principles, etc.), while the water solvates the polar ones (mineral salts, sugars, anthocyanins, gums, tannins, etc.).

DRUG CHOICE

For the preparation of enolites, dry herbs are usually preferred, meaning they contain no more than 15% water. Fresh plants are almost never used to prevent the water content from diluting the solution, thus reducing its extractive power. However, since many plants, once dried, lose their phytocomplex, it is necessary to extract them fresh. For example, substances containing vitamin C, sulfur compounds, and glucosides, which, following enzymatic degradation, may be poorly soluble or insoluble in wine. If the chosen herb contains PA or substances with an unpleasant flavor, small amounts of other plant substances can be added to balance the flavor.

WINE CHOICE

The choice of wine to use must be dictated by the type of drug you wish to use. The wines generally used in extraction operations are:

Reds : for astringent and tannic drugs, the action of which is enhanced by the tannins in the wine, Barolo, Nebbiolo, Gattinara, etc. are recommended...

White wines: when you want to use up diuretics, whose effect will be enhanced by the similar properties of these wines, or wines containing active ingredients that combine with tannic acid to form insoluble compounds (alkaloids, enzymes, etc.). Among the most commonly used are Soave, Vermentino, and Verdicchio.

Fortified wines: with over 15% ethyl alcohol, used to extract herbs containing resins, essential oils, or easily perishable substances. If tonic or stomachic herbs are used, their action will be enhanced by the properties of the wine itself. These wines contain a higher sugar content, making them suitable when the herbs to be extracted have a less pleasant flavor. Vinsanto, Pantelleria, Marsala, and Sardinian Vernaccia are good choices for this purpose.

Generally speaking, red wines are not recommended, as they are very rich in tannins and therefore incompatible with several active ingredients (alkaloids, heavy metals, resins).

Sometimes it's appropriate to increase the alcohol content to improve the solvent's ability. This is usually done on white wines with a lower alcohol content, by adding ethyl alcohol until the alcohol reaches 15% ABV. In these cases, it's good practice to mix the alcohol with half the wine, prepare the medicament, and add the remaining wine.

PROCEDURE

1st method (maceration)

Before macerating, the herb must be cleaned, that is, cleaned of foreign matter. It must then be weighed and finely chopped (for example, using a mortar) to increase the contact surface between the herb and the solvent. Maceration must be carried out in special macerators or in closed containers, protected from light. It is important that the containers are filled to the brim, ensuring that the amount of air inside the container is minimal, to avoid excessive and harmful oxidation processes. Maceration continues for 10-15 days, and the macerator must be shaken vigorously 2-3 times a day, to facilitate contact between the herb and the solvent. Once the required maceration time has elapsed, the plant material must be strained and pressed under moderate pressure to avoid releasing mucilage, which would cloud the enolite. The preparation is then filtered through a cloth or, more simply, filter paper. It is then left to settle in a container for a couple of days. After this time, if any sediment is visible, a second filtration is recommended. Finally, the enolite is topped up with the same type of wine used for extraction and brought to volume.

2nd method (EF dilution)

To obtain enolytes more rapidly, their titrated fluid extracts can be used instead of the drugs; this preparation is no longer an extraction, but a simple dilution. This procedure is characterized by its speed and safety, as the fluid extracts are guaranteed to match a specific composition of active ingredients. The FUI, VI edition, also called for diluting the fluid extracts in the chosen wine; however, this procedure should be discarded, since diluting a fluid extract, typically 60-70% ABV, in a wine of 10-20% ABV, very often causes the precipitation of various active ingredients contained in the fluid extract. This phenomenon is easily explained by remembering that the higher the alcohol percentage, the more apolar active ingredients dissolve.

CONSERVATION

Once ready, the enolyte must be stored in tightly closed dark glass bottles or containers, well filled, away from light, in a cool, dry place. The shelf life of an enolyte depends primarily on that of the wine used, which varies primarily with the alcohol content and also on various factors such as the grape variety, growing soil, climate, and vintage. "The active ingredients contained in an enolyte affect this shelf life, and the only ones that have a positive effect are certain essential oils," which can extend the preparation's shelf life. Wine is a complex and variable liquid, whose components can react with the active ingredients of the plants, both during and after extraction. If optimal storage conditions are not met, medicated wines ferment and sour easily, like all wines. Often, enolytes, even when prepared with good-quality wines and high alcohol content, first give rise to cloudiness and then sedimentation. These alterations, which are linked to the presence of tannins and colorants, can involve a certain amount of active ingredients, and it is therefore advisable to try to avoid their formation. Generally speaking, the greater the deposit, the weaker the extract's activity. To reduce the amount of precipitates, a few grams of gum arabic per liter can be added, after dissolving it and heating it to release it from oxidation. Another option is to use detanninized wines, that is, wines from which the tannic acid has been separated by insolubilization, for example, by prior treatment with gelatin (20 ml of  2% solution per liter) or with dried egg white (about 1 g per liter). Enolytes present some incompatibilities; for example, their acidity makes them incompatible with the salts of weak acids and with alkaline substances that alter their color. In an alkaline environment, in fact, the wine takes on a brownish color, just as it becomes brownish with iron salts for the formation of the corresponding tannate.

CONCLUSIONS

Although currently in disuse, enolytes are interesting herbal preparations, as wine, used as a solvent for suitable preparations, can itself possess beneficial properties. In the production of enolytes, respecting the maceration times and the correct proportions between wine and herbs play a key role; these guidelines cannot be deviated from, otherwise, failure is guaranteed. All the steps require patience and precision, as it is an extemporaneous medicine; its preparation seeks to maximize the beneficial effects of the wine used, the herbs dissolved in it, and the passage of time, which, as it passes, harmonizes the various ingredients. It is important to emphasize the distinctly empirical nature of enolytes compared to other herbal preparations; in fact, only after extensive trials, and by selectively changing the preparation parameters, is it possible to obtain a quality enolyte. Given the great regional variety of wines, after appropriate testing, it is possible to create enolytes that are not only curative, but also pleasant and original. When it comes to consumption, it is also important to note that an enolyte may be more palatable and better accepted by the patient than other extracts.

After all this theory, I'll leave you with a ready-made "little recipe" for a medicinal wine recommended  for the beauty and health of oily and acne-prone skin.

BURDOCK WINE

The main beneficial properties of burdock are:

• Purifying and stimulating liver function
• Hypoglycemic
• Diuretic
• Antiseptic

Macerate  50 g of burdock root in a liter of good-quality white wine for 10 days. After the  indicated time, filter the wine and store it in a dark glass bottle  in a cool place. Drink 2 small glasses a day. 

A  remedy with the same properties, but quick to make, is  prepared by adding 50 g of  burdock tincture to 150 g of vermouth. Take 3 tablespoons a day.

The  information provided is for  informational purposes only  and is not intended to replace professional medical advice.