An herbal tincture is a concentrated liquid herbal extract. It is made by soaking herbs and other plant parts in alcohol for weeks to extract the active constituents. Alcohol is considered an excellent solvent because it is food grade and can extract herbal constituents (such as resins and alkaloids) that are poorly soluble in water. After a period of weeks, the herbal mixture is strained and the herb parts are removed, leaving behind the concentrated liquid.

Tinctures can be made from a single plant or a combination of plants. Fresh or dried leaves, roots, bark, flowers, and berries may be used to make tinctures. The plant part depends on the species of plant or the medicinal uses for the plant.