The mother tincture is a liquid preparation made by cold macerating fresh or dry plant material in a solution containing distilled water and alcohol. This process extracts the active ingredients from both the watery and alcoholic phases. The maceration technique preserves the active ingredients without altering them, allowing them to be used for a long time. It is called "mother" because it is the starting point of other herbal preparations. You can obtain mother tinctures from any medicinal herb, such as echinacea, artichoke, hawthorn, dandelion, and many others.

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One particularly interesting mother tincture is propolis, which is obtained from resin produced by bees. Propolis has many benefits, including helping to counteract oral cavity disorders, such as herpes simplex, burns, inflammatory states of the tongue or gums, respiratory system disorders, and colds. Mother tinctures are often used as a base for homeopathic dilutions, or can be used as they are (generally dissolved in a little water) as a phototherapeutic product, as the phytocomplex of the plant, or the set of its active ingredients is not altered.

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However, it should be emphasized that the benefits that can be obtained vary depending on the type of plant used in the preparation and the type of plant material used. The body absorbs the mother tincture rapidly, if not immediately, as it is a liquid extraction. Often, mother tinctures of different plants are associated because, acting in synergy, they can bring greater benefits. This hydroalcoholic solution is useful for solving or mitigating various problems.