Fluid Extracts, Soft Extracts and Dry Extracts: What the Terms Mean
What liquid (fluid), soft and dry extract mean in EU herbal monographs, with real examples of solvents and ratios, and what these terms do not tell you.
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Extracts of the same herb can use water, ethanol, wine or other solvents, and the monographs treat them as different preparations. Ethanol-containing extracts need ethanol labeling in the EU. [1] Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: the chamomile monograph says safety in pregnancy and lactation has not been established for its liquid and dry extracts (preparations b to o). [2] The nettle monograph lists a condition where reduced fluid intake is recommended, such as severe cardiac or renal disease, as a contraindication. [3] Ask a pharmacist, and see the medication interactions guide.The terms as sources use them
EU regulators group "extracts" among herbal preparations made from a herbal substance defined by plant part and botanical name. [4] In the monographs we read, extracts appear as liquid extracts and dry extracts, each with a drug extract ratio (DER) and a named extraction solvent. [1][5] The DER compares the herb used with the preparation obtained. [4]Soft extracts and "fluid extract": these terms are not defined in the sources we read, so we give no definition. US pharmacopoeia wording was not readable this session. In the EU monographs "liquid extract" is the term used. [1]
Real examples from EU monographs
| Herb (plant part) | Preparation | Ratio | Solvent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis L. (leaf) | Liquid extract | DER 1:1 | Ethanol 45-53% V/V [1] |
| Valerian, Valeriana officinalis L. (root) | Dry extract | DER 4-6:1 | Water [5] |
| Valerian | Dry extract | DER 5.5-7.4:1 | Ethanol 85% m/m [5] |
| Valerian | Liquid extract | DER 1:7-9 | Sweet wine [5] |
| Nettle, Urtica dioica L. (leaf) | Liquid extract | DER 1:5 | Ethanol 96%, water and wine mix [3] |
| Nettle | Dry extract | DER 4.7-6:1 | Water [3] |
| Nettle | Dry extract | DER 8-10:1 | Ethanol 50% V/V [3] |
| Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla L. (flower; EU monograph uses the synonym M. recutita) | Liquid extract | DER 1:1 | Ethanol 48% V/V with ammonia solution [2] |
| Chamomile | Liquid extract | DER 1:2-2.8 | Propan-2-ol 48% V/V [2] |
| Chamomile | Dry extract | DER 11-16:1 | Ethanol 95.4% V/V [2] |
Plant names were checked against GBIF. [6] These are descriptions of preparations named in EU herbal monographs, not advice for a reader.
What the table tells you
- Ratios are written with the herb number first, for example 8-10:1 for one nettle dry extract. [4][3]
- One herb can have many extracts. The chamomile monograph lists 14 liquid and dry extract entries (b to o). [2]
- Water-based and ethanol-based extracts of the same herb are separate entries, so results do not transfer between them. [5]
Limits
The EU lists are regulatory descriptions. They do not say which extract is better. Valerian shows the point: the EU says ethanol dry extracts (ethanol up to 70%) have been shown to improve sleep latency and quality, and that this cannot be attributed with certainty to any known constituents. [5] See standardized extracts and tincture versus extract.Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a liquid extract and a tincture?
In the monographs we read, a tincture is given as a ratio of herb to solvent with ethanol as the solvent, and a liquid extract as a DER with its own solvent, which is not always ethanol. [7][5][3] Whether the two are interchangeable is not described in the sources we read.
What does a dry extract ratio like 8-10:1 mean?
About 8 to 10 parts herb for each part of extract obtained, from the EU DER definition. [4]
Is a dry extract the same as powdered herb?
No. EU documents list comminuted or powdered herbal substances and extracts as different preparations. [4]
Do extracts contain alcohol?
Some do. Check the label; EU rules require ethanol labeling where it is present. [1]
Are extracts safe with medicines?
That depends on the herb; ask a pharmacist. See interactions.
References
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Community herbal monograph on Melissa officinalis L., folium, EMA/HMPC/196745/2012. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Matricaria recutita L., flos, EMA/HMPC/55843/2011. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Community herbal monograph on Urtica dioica L.; Urtica urens L., folium, EMA/HMPC/508015/2007. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Patient Leaflet template concerning advice on the preparation of herbal teas as (traditional) herbal medicinal products by end-users, EMA/HMPC/30603/2012, adopted 20 September 2016. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Valeriana officinalis L., radix, EMA/HMPC/150848/2015. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy species match, queried 2026-10-23 for the plant names on these pages.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizoma, EMA/HMPC/885789/2022, Final Revision 1, 7 May 2025. Read 2026-10-23.