Sassafras Extract

[Cactus Man]

Heard a rumor recently that people get a crude extract of sassafras by making a strong tincture using everclear and evaporating it down to a resin. Would this actually work?

 

[blue.magic]

Heard a rumor recently that people get a crude extract of sassafras by making a strong tincture using everclear and evaporating it down to a resin. Would this actually work?

Safrole is soluble in alcohol so this should work at least in theory.

I heard that old bark is low in safrole as the oil is quite volatile and escapes the bark over time. This would also support the idea of alcoholic extraction as the safrole is exposed to the air, hence will be also exposed to the solvent.

 

[Cactus Man]

Assuming the crude oil can be washed to obtain a crude safrole?

 

[downwardsfromzero]

Sassafras root also contains alkaloids (including cinnamolaurine) which are most probably active and more desirable than safrole for direct consumption.

 

[Cactus Man]

Is the root the only part that contains alkaloids? Or is the leaf and stem also active?