A piece of dried myrrh behaves differently from a handful of dried leaves. It may contain aromatic resin, water-soluble gum, and other constituents that respond differently when placed in an extraction solvent. For makers working with resin-rich botanicals, the alcohol deserves as much consideration as the plant material.
Extractohol supplies high-proof food-grade ethyl alcohol for herbal extracts, oils, and concentrates. Its 200-proof grain alcohol provides an anhydrous ethanol option for resin-extraction methods that call for that starting concentration, giving makers a specific solvent to build into their formulations.
Resin-Rich Botanicals Bring More Than One Type of Material
Frankincense, myrrh, and benzoin are familiar resinous botanicals, but their compositions differ. Some contain substantial amounts of gum alongside resin, while others are valued for particular aromatic or alcohol-soluble constituents.
Myrrh is an especially useful example because it is an oleo-gum-resin. Its material includes volatile oil, resin, and gum, with each fraction contributing different properties to the botanical.
This explains why a resin extraction calls for more thought than selecting the strongest available liquid. The maker needs to identify the material and the fraction the preparation is intended to obtain before settling on an alcohol concentration.
For an established method that calls for food-grade ethanol, Extractohol provides the solvent ingredient. The botanical and intended extract determine how that ingredient belongs in the process.
What Ethanol Can Extract From Plant Resins
Ethanol dissolves various resin constituents, including certain terpenoids and other alcohol-soluble compounds. The resulting extract depends on the species, alcohol concentration, and conditions used during preparation.
Myrrh shows the difference between extracting a resin fraction and dissolving an entire botanical. Its alcohol-soluble resin can enter the liquid while much of its water-soluble gum remains outside that fraction.
