It is Skunk PharmResearch's policy to let patients tell their own story, but in the case of mom, as her daughter and 24/7 caregiver, I will speak for her. She is in the late seventh and final stage of Alzheimer’s and would want her story told.
Mom was diagnosed as late stage six when she came to me from Seattle four years ago. She was given six more months to live. She began displaying symptoms before 1998, but she wasn't diagnosed until 2001, following her first husband’s death. It took that long to resolve other health issues and get her to a neurologist. Just the thought of Alzheimer's frightened her so, that we eventually had to trick her, to get her to a doctor for testing. Once tested and diagnosed, they put her on Aricept, which brought back cognitive skills, with slow decline for the next seven years while my step brother cared for her in her own home. Along with other western meds, this was her medical course. When Mom's Alzheimer's progressed to the point that she became combative and personal hygiene became an issue, my brother planned to put her in a nursing home, but I quit my job to look after her. I moved her to Portland with me and took over her care, to focus on the quality of her remaining life. For five months prior to her arrival, I immersed myself into learning as much about Alzheimer's as possible, researching and joining The Alzheimer’s Association, as well as the Online Alzheimer's Support Group, spending as much time as possible conversing with patients and caregivers alike, to prepare myself for the task. When Mom arrived, besides being on five over the counter drugs, she was on three inhalers and a pill for asthma, blood pressure meds, allergy meds, anti psychotics that made her angry, anti seizure meds that made her delusional, plus three others I have no idea what they were used to combat. We got her an OMMP card immediately upon her arrival. She had smoked cannabis recreationally with me for over thirty years, but never medically until she came toOregon. Cannabis was my only means of mitigating her despicable behavior (psychotic). For the rest of this article see: /alzheimers-mom-and-cannabis/
You mentioned that the more saturated the solvents the less it can extract. I too purchased the mighty fast. The recipe they have is 1oz herb to 16 oz vg. It sounded a little weak. But they also claimed that you could strain off the vg, add fresh herbs and do another cycle to make it stronger. After reading some of your responses, I'm feeling that their claims are straight up false advertising ? I don't want a one or two hit wonder, just looking to take the edge off of my PTSD. And a light daytime vape. Would the 1oz per 16oz do that??
I have some high CDB kief and would like to make a glycerin tinct for a friend with MS. Any suggestions as to a ratio Kief/Glycerin? Also, best extraction method using kief??
ive been following the recipe for glycerin-hot method. i signed up to read the answers to everyones questions. is it not avail?
andrew February 06, 2017 at 2:59 AM yes - using this it's easy as and supurb results - used vg/pg 50/50 mix from vape shop, 1 oz herbs, flavouring - https://magicalbutter.com/ Andrew, have a MB2 and LOVE IT. What do you recommend for temp/time? Wondering what temps and settings you ran it at? for example 160 and 2 hour?) Also, 2 cups total? or more - with 1 oz herbs? How is the consistency of the eliquid holding together 2 days later? Which filter did you use to strain? Thanks! Lost Bear
When you say cool dark place do you mean paper bag in refrigerator or in a basement that is more like 65 degrees?
Did anyone tested VG or PG glycerine extraction with ultrasonic assistance? It seems more efficient for ejuice. And what about glycerine with ultrasound extract mixed with concentrate oil? You could have the taste from cold ultrasound glycerine technic that preserve terpens and potency from concentrate? Like this: https://www.hielscher.com/preparation-of-cannabis-glycerin-extract-with-ultrasonics.htm Thanks Alex
decarboxylation I can't spell
How do I decarboxolate after I extract? Does the hot cook process decarb add it cooks?
Newbie here . I have been making Tincture for three years now and have using the hot extraction method for a year now. I have upgraded to a 22 quart Oster cooker and I use 3 gallons of Canola surrounding 3 quart jars filled with VG ,whole buds , trim , and past squeezed/pressed pucks. My question is .... I get my oil to 180 F ( holding at that temp ) and my jars do not get much above 160 F. This doesn't make sense to me !
Could I add flavored gello to the cold process by just putting the powder in her with glycerin?
How can an ejuice that works be made then? Connoisseur concentrates makes a solution that claims .3ml to 1gram concentrates. Holy terp makes pure, same. Which would presumably make a more potent ejuice than 1:1 liquidizers. Are terps any safer to vape than pg or peg? Does that e juice work? Seems No one is looking for the answers but consumers. Also if the concentrated isn't decarbed how can an ecig decarb it? It's not 400 deg like a flower vape is it? I plan to make 1g dry ice hash, then decarboxilate it. Then add CC .3ml. If it doesn't work last try. I've used wax liquidizer 2 times. But pg peg scares me. And it only kinda worked. More like if you were already lifted it would easily keep you up. But wouldn't really Lift you up on it's own. Hope Someone figures it out.
Maybe try forming the "deep eutectic solvent" glyceline by mixing 1 mole of choline chloride or trimethylglycine with 2 moles of glycerol and heating/stirring for about 2 hours at about 80 C until a clear liquid is formed. It will be less viscous than glycerol and its solvent powers will be increased dramatically, like an extraction requiring less than 2 hours rather than days or months. It would be hard to recover the cannabinoids from the DES, other than by adding a lot of water, but it could be used as it, since choline chloride or trimethylglycine are non-toxic like glycerol. In fact it would probably aid in absorption. The deep eutectic solvents are similar to DMSO as solvents, polar aprotic. Adding water at 10-30% reduces polarity and makes it work better for most extractions. BTW menthol forms DES at room temperature with camphor and other substances, including various organic acids, lactic, pyruvic, lauric etc. I think a DES could be formed between menthol and THCA, making it a liquid at rt and more absorbable. Don't know if liquid THCA would be desirable or not, but should be possible at least. May have more medical benefit.
If I do glycerin extraction using cold maceration for a week then, I want to centrifuge it. so, what suitable temperature and rpm should I use?
[…] More reading: https://skunkpharmresearch.com/glycerin-extraction/ […]
I've had my VG?Flower mix sitting(shake twice daily) for 90days now. However,I failed to decard flower prior to mixing. Plan to sit an additional 90 days. Do I have to decarb or activate with an additional step or steps? If so do I perform a hot oil bath or what? answer is greatly appreciated. Will decard next batch prior to mixing.
[…] More reading: https://skunkpharmresearch.com/glycerin-extraction/ […]
Shelf life is definitely limited. Iv had hot extracts that knocked your head of with 10 drops. Few weeks later, not so much. 2 months later, nada. Cannabinoid degradation is a study i would love tof read one day.
Good for baking? I had a ton and just baked up a batch with 125ml of glycerin tinc. Figured some may vape off at low temp. So again, is it a feasible option for brownies? What should I try for dosage?
You can cook with it. One problem to keep in mind with medibles is always the question of how many they are going to eat, which can change from planned if they are tasty and their will is weak. Determining dosage accurately would require analyzing it for THC content. WA state allows 10 mg THC per dose and 10 doses per package. GC
Thank you for this wonderful article! I have a question regarding THC extraction. Is THC able to be extracted with glycerin or ethanol? I ask because I read that THC is oil-soluble so I have always wondered how people extract the THC for (let's say) fruit juice. I have never tasted alcohol and felt glycerin would contribute a thickness to the finished product. I just don't see how an average joe is extracting enough THC without an oil-soluble medium. Thanks in advance!!
THC is soluble in Fats and alcohols. The quote below gives you a brief description of why THC is soluble in Glycerin(because the fatty acid molecules are bound to carbon atoms in the Glycerin Molecule). Im assuming the same fatty acid molecules are found in other oils as well. For example One reason people use Coconut oil as opposed to canola oil is because of the fatty content of it. Compared to say vegetable oil which is at a liquid state at room temperature, coconut oil is a solid at room temp because of the fat content. "The carboxyl end of each fatty acid reacts with the hydroxyl group on each carbon atom of a glycerin molecule. This results in each fatty acid molecule being bound to a carbon atom in the glycerin molecule". In regards to your THC in fruit juice question--> Glycerin is water soluble. So once the THC is extracted (must be decarboxylated as well) into the fatty molecules of Glycerin, it can be directly added to anything like a juice or tea, as well as cooked with for most sweet recipes (I.E Gummies) Hope this helps brotha! Happy early 4/20, keep it hippppie!
Great article and research! Thanks for sharing. Regarding the Hot glycerin extraction, are there any benefits of doing this on the stove with oil (vegi oil I assume) vs the crock pot (wash cloth on bottom, jar on top then half filled water) for 24 hrs shaking every hr? Also if you had to pick a setting of simmer 185F or I could use warm setting 165F which would work better? really appreciate it =)
The reason people use Vegetable Oil baths is because it more stable in regards to keeping temperature. The reason they say to heat to at least 180F is because this is the point at which cannabinoids become molten and are more easily/more quickly soluble. From my research I have found most people use a range of 180-220F when using the heating method for tinctures. I think the crockpot method would be fine, the only reason they use vegetable oil is solely for the stability compared to water! One plus of the stove top is that if you have a thermometer it is much more easy to keep the temperature where you want it :)
Thanks! Any idea how long the shelf- life before it starts to degrade? Is it true after a month? Made a bunch with your method above 50%/30%/8%/12% vg/pg/distilledwater/flavoring for vaping, came out great! Not sure how long it will last storing it though ;D
Is decarb-ing necessary if vaping? Sorry if this seems like a silly question.
No, but extracting with VG doesn't produce a very exciting vape solution due to low concentration. GW
you said... "You can reduce the alcohol sting, by simply removing most of it. 50% concentrate in 50% 190 proof, cuts the alcohol potency in half." i use 2 ml tincture daily and cutting the burn would be such a blessing. i dont want to use heat to remove grain alcohol but i need to stay with 190 proof due to cost [cant afford three times as much just for good taste]. thank you in advance for your more detailed clarification of how to reduce alcohol sting... we all thank you.
You can naturally evaporate some of the alcohol away without heat, if you want less. 75% concentrate and 25% 190 proof is below sipping whiskey levels and about in the brandy range. Pour it in a pyrex pie plate, cover with a cloth to keep dust out, and the alcohol will leave all on its own. GW
Ive tried it exactly as you have suggesting atleast 10x. Maybe more!!! It simply does not work. I have decarbed before and after. I have tried 180, 190 and 200+ all different runs. I have tried it all! The VG absorbs some THC but it is very very little and comes across as more of a sleep-aid than anything. (and its not even good sleep aid).... I have tried cooking in veg oil and water. Nothing. crock potting/longer runs...No dice. Same ol weak garbage. VG is just too poor of a solvent to make this happen.
Make what happen?? There are brothers and sisters who have been using glycerin tincture for more than a decade since I've been aware of it and swear by it. The question is how are you using it and what effects are you looking for??? If you are looking for pipe juice or a soaring euphoric high, you will be disappointed. The pipe juice won't be potent enough and your liver processes what you take orally and most test volunteers reported the effects as more of a feeling of relaxed well being. As far as a sleep aid, the right strain and dosage certainly could be. GW
A friend of mine has given me gummies/gum drops on a number of occasions. They are out of the world potent! Consistent as well in the dosing....... Extremely heady and energetic. I was convinced they were made with VG. Now after a number of trials i am thinking otherwise. If you can't make VG euphorically(is that a word) potent what in the hell is the baker making these gummies with ??? *They are delicious as well.
Recipes vary, but he is most likely adding concentrate to his gummy bear mix. Here is a generic one from Wiki. The gelatin in the recipe will act as a menstruum for the concentrate. Except for the lozenges and cannapops, we backed off of making tasty medibles, because of the number of patients whom "couldn't eat just one", or two or three........, and ended up overdosing. Not life threatening, but definitely fun threatening, so except for the prestige, is a good thang to avoid. GW
I thank you for your response.... I know I am off topic now but could you provide a link or explain how one would dissolve wax into the gelatin. Just liquify the wax under heat and mix ? or add to a lipid or ? Last question i promise :)
For gummy bears Coconut Oil seems to work as better menstruum than gelatin. For folks who do processing, one of the biggest challenges with edibles, beverages, topicals, tinctures, etc is potency drift. We talked a client of ours, Neta Care, in Massachusetts into performing some potency analysis with their BHO extract Gummy Bears. They made two batches of gummy bears with coconut oil as the carrier. One batch was mixed with an industrial immersion mixer for one hour, the other batch was emulsified with the CAT X1000D homogenizer for one minute. Each batch made 50 gummy bears. 25 gummy bears from each batch were randomly selected and analyzed for potency deviation. The batch mixed with the industrial mixer for an hour, potency deviation of 65%. The batch emulsified with the homogenizer for one minute, potency deviation of 4%. Unfortunately, Neta Care is unwilling to share the analysis. They’re afraid if this information gets out to other processors they’ll lose the edge they have in the market. We are working with other processors who promise they'll share their potency deviation analysis. As soon as they make them available I'll post them. Steve, CAT Scientific
Because VG doesn't reduce, you can't use it for gummy bears. I use an alcohol tincture (151 or 190 proof). And reduce it down (like molasses). Obviously don't do this over an open flame. Take 2 1/2 ounces (10 envelopes of 1/4g each) unflavored gelatin Mix with 12 oz of flavored gelatin to combine. Mix 1 cup of chilled fruit juice of your choice with 1/4 of honey or agave nectar. Then add the juice & agave to gelatin and whisk. Let sit for 20 minutes. After you reduce the tincture and almost all alcohol has evaporated, add 1/2 tbsp of flavor extract and 2tbsp of honey or agave to the pan. Swirl until it looks like molasses. Add the gelatin mixture to the pan, heat over medium until gelatin has melted. Pour into molds. You can dust them with powdered sugar after you pop em out to keep from being sticky. I've been following this recipe for years that hasn't steered me wrong, firms up in about an hour. Yields about 3.5-4 c of gelatin slurry. Fills my molds to make about 350 bears. Hope this works out for you.
Ok that is what I thought. Thank you for your quick reply. One other question, is there anyway to tell if all of the cabinoids of have been extracted?
100% of the cannabinoids are in the trichomes. I judge when I have fully extracted material by looking for intact trichome heads under 100X magnification. When they're gone, I'm done. Don't worry about the stems, they will remain after the heads are gone. GW
Regarding the hot method, you mention the cold method will fail to extract all the cabinoids from the plant and you need to repeat the method to get full potential strength. Is this the same for the hot method? Or does the thermal cycle take care of this?
VG is not an aggressive solvent, and I reprocess the hot run left over remains as well. GW
what about using only PG or a mixture of PG/VG?
I've never tried extracting with PG, but ostensibly it would work. GW
Thanks, it seems to be going well so far! I guess we won't know until the final step. I love the website, I just came across it recently. Any good links on knowledge for a first time grow? Thanks again!
You're welcome! Bon appetite! I'll let Joe and Carla answer the grow question, as it is in their areas of expertise! GW
I'm just trying this for the first time. I have steam heat in my house and I am storing it near my radiator. Do you expect this to be helpful, harmful or have no effect?
Heat will speed up the extraction, but may influence the flavor. GW
I think it will work and the end result will be a faster extraction. The difference between a long cold extraction and a short hot one, is flavor. Cold extractions are like wild honey, in that the flavors dart off in all directions, because of the local mix of blossoms, while hot extractions are more like the flavor of a tasty soup combining them. GW
Pls don't bother. It simply will not work. Everyone reading this should give up on both pg and vg. It simply is not potent enough so don't waste your time. I know it's a great idea but it's only an idea. Someone should tell Ruffhouse to take down that video. It's super misleading. Utter BS even! Someone should post on the original post about this and stop wasting time of others. I'm glad I did it so I know how futile it is. Don't say I did not tell you beforehand!
May I ask to whom you speak? GW
You mention decarboxylating the extract after its made...how would one go about doing that.
I infer that you are speaking of a Vegetable Glycerine extract. For cold extract purists/aficionados, storing it a year in a cool dark place will do the trick and preserve the wild honey flavors. If you are in a hurry, stick a stainless container of the VG tincture in a 250F oil bath and watch the bubbles. Keep stirred so you can tell what is going on and when the CO2 bubble generation falls off suddenly, you are at about 70% decarboxylation and when it stops, you are at 100% decarboxylation. VG flash point is 160C/320F and the boiling point is 290C/554F, so is unaffected at 121C/250F. GC
Yes I'm referring to a VG tincture I made but forgot to decarboxylare the material prior to mixing it with the VG so I will try this method. Thanks
The decarboxylation at 180F after it's been made seems a good choice over the oven method. I seem to think I need to know how long to maintain that temperature. Would you care to elaborate?
I would recommend hotter and faster. Here is the graph:https://skunkpharmresearch.com/decarboxylation/ Normally I would say watch the bubbles to tell exactly what is going on, but at 180F the activity is slow and less obvious. GW
If i Wanted to use Cannabis oil instead of flower as my material. Would you recommend emulsifying the cannabis oil in ethanol alcohol and then adding it to the vg to make it mix in well? What would be your best way of going about making it with decarbed cannabis oil? Thanks
Even mixing it with ethanol to facilitate mixing, some of the constituents will still precipitate out of solution, so the best way we've found to maximize cannabis essential oil suspension in VG, is to emulsify it. https://skunkpharmresearch.com/game-changer-emulsifying-vegetable-glycerin-and-bho-for-e-juice/ GW
Defintely skip the EJmix or anything comparable. All garbage imo. Iv tried it all and using the one set of lungs we are given to test vaped plastic is not where its at. Flavrx makes a GSC cart that hits harder then anything Iv ever had. Its a terpene infused distillate that is highly effective after 1 low voltage (3.7) hit. Aside from that, dont waste countless grams of extract trying it at home unless you have an endless low cost supply.
I'm from the UK so can't get any pre made cartridges in the uk :/.
The internet can be a powerful tool for furthing ones knowledge prior to asking questions. QWET- Quick Wash EThanol SCFE- Sub Critical Fluid Extraction CO2 - Carbon Dioxcide GW- The one and only graywolf OG!!!
*Supercritical ROI- Return on investment. Isotoke
Thank you very much. Wat would you say is the best way to make a potent thc e liquid? Thanks again
Start with a pure extract in the form mentioned above and then add either an emulsifier like EjMix or get pure monoterpenes to reduce viscosity (make it thinner). EjMix does have something of a plastic taste especially if used at higher ratios than 1:1. Monoterpenes are expensive and will give your juice a citrus or pine flavor. There are products out there that use a mix of terpenes and claim to replicate well known strains. That's the only way I know to get truly potent ejuice from cannabis
SCFE could also be Super Critical Fluid Extraction. The world is probably isn't ready for another Tattered Old Graywolf, but GW could also be GW Pharmaceutical! LD-50 Rat means 50% of the rats died at that dosage and PEL means Permitted Exposure Limit. TLV is Threshold Limit Value and OW means Oh Wow, with OMG meaning Oh My Gawd! GW
What do those abbreviations mean? Sotry if it's a silly question I'm still trying to get to grips with all this.
Could you be more specific? GW
So wat is it best to do e juice with alcohol??
It can be made a number of different ways, some more expensive than others. A denatured QWET is a less expensive way to make one from ground zero, and probably SCFE CO2 the other end of the scale, requiring more volume to achieve an attractive ROI. GW
What do these abbreviations means? Sorry if it's a silly question just I'm still trying to get to grips with all this.