Witch-hazel tincture · CGR-FR-039 (CGR-FR-039)

REFERENCE FORMULA

Reference formula

Reference basis: 1000 g τελικού παρασκευάσματος /1000 g finished preparation

Ingredient	Source quantity	Scaled quantity
Hamamelis virginiana leaves	200 g	—
Ethanol 60% v/v extraction solvent	q.s. as required	—

Prerequisite formulations

No separate prerequisite monograph is listed.

Documentation

Preparation description

Brown or greenish-brown liquid;1–9 volumes of water cause slight turbidity. This is an extracted herbal preparation, not a solution of a purified active. ^[1]

Action and use

The French leaf tincture 1:5/60% v/v does not match the HMPC fresh-leaf tincture 1:10/45% v/v. It is documented as a herbal reference preparation/intermediate. A dose or indication from a different extract is not assigned. Product-specific clinical justification is required before patient supply. ^{[1], [6]}

Specifications

Final ethanol 54–58% v/v; dry residue 3.0–4.0%. These apply to the finished extract, not the nominal extracting-solvent strength. The monograph-specific chromatographic identity is required. ^[1]

Light

The source requires light protection. Select light-protective glass; brief processing in clear equipment is not evidence of photostability. No permissible exposure duration is established. ^[1]

Air and oxidation

Close promptly after transfer. Evaporation changes solvent composition and concentration; assess closure integrity and mass loss when qualifying the container. Neither nitrogen blanketing nor an added antioxidant is specified. ^{[1], [2], [4]}

Water and solubility

Brown or greenish-brown liquid;1–9 volumes of water cause slight turbidity. Dilution with water or an aqueous vehicle therefore creates a different preparation requiring reassessment of dispersion, dose uniformity and BUD. Do not correct evaporation losses by adding water without reassessing alcohol strength. ^{[1], [2]}

Humidity

The source gives no relative-humidity limit for the finished liquid. For the herbal starting material, apply its specific moisture/loss-on-drying specification and reject mouldy or unidentified material. Moisture content does not substitute for water activity. ^{[1], [3], [5]}

Temperature

Extraction uses the specified solvent; the source supplies no numerical filtration or storage temperature. A cool processing step is not evidence of long-term stability at 2–8 °C. Check precipitation or phase change at the selected temperature. ^{[1], [2]}

pH and compatibility

No numerical pH is specified. If monitored, use a method suitable for a hydroalcoholic herbal mixture and an approved internal specification. Do not adjust with acid/base to remove precipitation: this changes composition and extracted-constituent behaviour. ^{[1], [5]}

Other interactions

Avoid mixing with unqualified vehicles or other extracts. Assess fingerprint, alcohol strength and dry residue in this actual product. The source advises avoiding plastic containers; a plastic dropper bottle is not an established interchangeable option. ^{[1], [5]}

Ingredient-specific information

Starting hamamelis virginiana leaves: 200 g for 1000 g finished product. Ethanol 60% v/v is an extraction solvent used as required, not a fixed additive mass. Exhausted plant residue is removed and is not included in the final mass. Document species, plant part and lot quality. ^{[1], [5]}

Staff protection

Use goggles, laboratory clothing and solvent-compatible gloves. Limit plant-dust generation and open transfers. Evaluate extraction/concentration equipment and ventilation for ethanol vapour and ignition sources. ^{[2], [4]}

Risk assessment

Critical failure modes: wrong species/part; confusing 60% extracting solvent with 54–58% final ethanol; incorrect 1:5 ratio; solvent loss; precipitation after dilution; and importing doses from a non-equivalent extract. Record identity, final mass, yield, alcohol assay and fingerprint before release. Numerical risk scoring belongs to the local assessment. HMPC identifies hypersensitivity and reports allergic contact dermatitis for witch-hazel leaf preparations. Consider these clinically without transferring an unsupported dose or pregnancy/lactation safety claim to this different extract. ^{[1], [2], [5], [6]}

Compounding conditions

For scale factor k = desired final mass/1000 g, charge 200×k g of herb. The filtered tincture has final mass 1000×k g. Additional solvent is required for extraction; its amount is not calculated by subtracting the herb mass from final yield. Record lots, comminution method and actual recovery. ^{[1], [2]}

BUD rationale

The French monograph gives no use period, and no study was identified covering this exact formula, container and microbiological suitability. Final ethanol 54–58% v/v is neither a measured aw nor, alone, a preservative-efficacy test. Conservatively assess it as an aqueous product with unknown aw. The 35-day default for justified preserved aqueous products, or 14 days at 2–8 °C for unpreserved products, applies only after the corresponding category and physical compatibility are supported. No operational numerical BUD is assigned here. A recorded decision for this extraction/container is required, limited by the earliest relevant expiry. ^{[1], [3], [5]}

Prerequisites

No separately registered finished base is required. Pharmacopoeial herbal material, suitable-quality ethanol and a controlled preparation of the 60% v/v solvent are required. Data for another species, plant part or commercial extract do not transfer automatically. ^{[1], [5]}

Equipment

Balance, suitable cutter/mill, percolator, closed collection vessels, filter and glass bottles. For QC: TLC capability, ethanol assay and dry-residue determination. ^{[1], [2]}

Compounding method

1. Identify and suitably comminute 200 g of the specified herb.
2. Percolate with 60% v/v ethanol using a controlled local wetting, packing and flow procedure.
3. Obtain 1000 g tincture as specified, homogenise and test. The source provides no numerical flow rate or total solvent volume.
4. Package after confirming specifications. ^{[1], [2]}

Observations

The 1:5 ratio relates starting herb mass to finished extract mass; it is not purified-active strength. Dry residue, final ethanol and identity must all conform. Correct final mass alone is insufficient. ^{[1], [5]}

Container and packaging

Use light-protective glass with a tight, compatible closure. Avoid plastic containers as directed by the source. Record bottle/closure type and assess leakage, mass loss and visible change before adopting a storage period. ^{[1], [2]}

Quality control

Tannin/flavone identification and TLC with gallic acid, quercetin and ethyl gallate; apply the source system-separation criterion. Determine dry residue 3.0–4.0% on 2.00 g after evaporation and 3 hours drying at 100–105 °C. Assay final ethanol 54–58% v/v. Apply the relevant general microbiological/herbal identity framework; no numerical limit absent from the specific source is invented. ^{[1], [5]}

Storage

Store well closed, light protected, in glass. The source gives no numerical storage temperature or duration. Record the temperature approved with the BUD on the label after assessing precipitation and alcohol retention; refrigeration is not imposed without qualification. ^{[1], [3]}

Dispensing

Each supply requires an explicit route, indication and patient-specific dose justified for this exact extract. The witch-hazel HMPC monograph covers local/oromucosal or rectal uses of specified preparations; swallowed oral use cannot be inferred. A pharmacopoeial recipe does not automatically establish suitability in children, pregnancy or breastfeeding. ^{[1], [6]}

Labelling

Witch-hazel tincture
Final ethanol: actual____% v/v (specification 54–58%).
Use only as specified by the responsible pharmacist. Protect from light; close tightly.
Route/dose____ Lot____ Quantity____
Prepared____ Use by____ Approved temperature____
Contains ethanol. Keep from children and ignition sources. ^{[1], [2], [4], [6]}

v9_controls

The numeric value is a literature reference ceiling subject to its specific conditions. No actual batch BUD has been assigned and no aw measurements have been produced. The exact formula, prerequisites, container, storage and quality evidence require approval for the actual application. The BUD clock starts when compounding begins. Use the shortest applicable supported limit and assess in-use dating separately. USP categories are a technical framework and are not presented as Greek legislation.

Independent Greek/English scientific compilation; not an official ANSM translation or endorsement.

Sources and references

ANSM — Teinture d'hamamelis (1989) (14/02/2012)1989p 1 opening recipe; p 1 opening procedure; pp 1–2 Characters/Identification/Test; 2 ConservationExact master formula, preparation, specifications and stated storage2026-10-14
PIC/S — Guide to Good Practices for the Preparation of Medicinal Products in Healthcare EstablishmentsPE 010-4, 2014Chapters 3–6; Annex 2Process records, facilities, contamination control and release; not a product stability study2026-10-13
USP expert presentation — Nonsterile Compounding: Beyond-use dates14 September 2023PDFpp 10–11, slides 19–22Public official expert explanation of USP 795 default categories; no exact-product experimental evidence2026-10-13
INRS — Éthanol, fiche toxicologique 48November 2019pp 1–3 and recommendationspp 7–9Ethanol identity, volatility, flammability and handling; pure-substance properties are not finished-product measurements2026-10-13
EMA — Guideline on quality of herbal medicinal products/traditional herbal medicinal productsEMA/HMPC/CHMP/CVMP/201116/2005 Rev 3;18 January 2022Herbal-substance/preparation control, specifications and stability sectionsBotanical identity, fingerprints, extraction specifications and stability principles2026-10-13
EMA/HMPC — Hamamelis virginiana L., foliumEMA/HMPC/114586/2008; adopted 2009§2 preparations;§4.1–4.9Fresh/dried leaf and extraction-solvent distinctions; no automatic dose transfer2026-10-13
USP — General Chapter <795> Frequently Asked QuestionsNovember 1, 2023 FAQ; rechecked 14 October 2026Questions 52, 54–56, 61, 64–66General category/extension rules only; not exact-product stability evidence.2026-10-14