Heat of Vaporization for Herbs

Heat of vaporization, or the temperature used to produce vapor from herbs and essential oils, is a topic that warrants discussion. I have been researching herbal vaporizers for awhile now and there seems to be a lot of information available. This information is not always easy to find it just takes time to sift through it and find what is important. The definition of vapor includes: a visible exhalation, as fog, mist, steam, smoke, or noxious gas, diffused through or suspended in the air; or a combination of a vaporized substance and air; gaseous; or particles of drugs that can be inhaled as a therapeutic agent. Therefore it stands to reason that vaporization is: the act of vaporizing or the state of being vaporized. In our case we are going to consider vaporization as the process of passing hot air through plant material or oil and inhaling the vapor produced. Different herbs require different temperature to produce a healthy vapor. In addition, the essential oil of the same herb may require another temperature as well. For a liquid to vaporize it often takes a somewhat higher temperature. Consider water, to turn it to vapor, it must be quite hot in order see the steam beginning to rise. Vapor from herbs or essential oil is much the same as that steam from the boiling water. Herbal medicines have been used for centuries, probably as far back as the cavemen. After all, cavemen didn’t have doctors to care for then. These same herbs are now used in modern medicine, or as the basis for many modern drugs. Drugs today are manufactured in labs, drugs in the past came from nature. Some herbs such as chamomile, damiana, passion flower, and peppermint, to name a few,can be used for many different conditions, as an alternative and/or in addition to traditional medications. For instance as an anti-inflamatory, one might use, chamomile or passion flower, or a combination of the two. It should be noted that the range for these herbs, although slightly different, is considered low temperature. For instance, the temperature range for chamomile is 100°-125°C (212°-252°F) and for passion flower is is 100°-150°C (212°-302°) so they could be vaporized at the lower temperatures if using as a combination. These herbs also have additional uses, for instance, chamomile is also a relaxant as well as a antispasmodic. In addition, it has carminative properties meaning it relieves flatulence or colic by expelling gas. Passion flower can be used as anti-inflamatory, hypotensive sedative or a tranquilizer. In some instances, passion flower has been used to treat nervous disorders such as heart palpitations, anxiety, convulsions and sometimes high blood pressure. Peppermint is another commonly used herb. Like chamomile, it has carminative properties and has been used to relieve colon spasms, and ease nervousness. The temperature range is 100°C - 150°C (212°F - 302°F. I find that peppermint has a very pleasant aroma as well. Damiana is an herb which is often used as a nerve tonic and antidepressant. The temperature range for this herb is: 150°-175° (302°-347°F), or medium range. In conclusion, the vaporization of herbs is the primary purpose of an herbal vaporizer. I’ve only touched on a few of the many herbs that can be used in an vaporizer. As always, take care when trying new herbs. Some may not suitable for vaporizing, but there are a great many that are. Be sure to research your herb and use the correct temperature for the best vaporization. When using any herb in a vaporizer, I find it is best to start with a small amount to try it out. I would also suggest starting with the lower part of the temperature range to determine which temperature provides the best vapor, without overheating.