Yellow-brown Phellodendron Amurense Extract 10–50% Total Alkaloids or Berberine powder from Phellodendron amurense bark

Phellodendron Amurense Extract 10–50% Alkaloids / Berberine

Phellodendron amurense extract starts from the bark of Phellodendron amurense, the Amur cork tree, and the leaf, fruit and wood are not part of the starting material. Ethanol extraction concentrates the isoquinoline alkaloids of the bark, and the liquor is dried to a yellow-brown powder.

The primary grade is 50% berberine by HPLC, with a 10% grade as the lower end of the range, and total alkaloids are tracked beside it. The powder is 80 mesh and slightly soluble in water. The 50% grade serves capsule and tablet formulas that need a small fill weight, while the 10% grade suits drink premixes and gummies.

SKU: BOT-STX-0013 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Alkaloids, Bark & Stem, Bars & Bakery, Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Phellodendron, Standardized Extracts

Berberine Standardization & Grades

Berberine is the main quaternary protoberberine alkaloid of Phellodendron bark, bright yellow and intensely bitter. The bark also carries palmatine, phellodendrine, magnoflorine and the limonoid limonin, so the extract is described by berberine and by the alkaloid group together. The botanical entity is Phellodendron amurense Rupr., the cork tree of northeast Asia, and the part used is the bark.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
10% Berberine	HPLC	Drink premixes, gummies and bark-led blends
50% Berberine	HPLC	Capsules and tablets with small fill weight

Grade choice follows dose, fill weight and color. The 50% grade carries five times the berberine of the 10% grade per gram, so a capsule reaches its target in a smaller fill, while the 10% grade is bulkier and gives a milder yellow stain. Phellodendron is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker figure, the Phellodendron Amurense Extract Powder, and as the purified companion alkaloid Palmatine 98%. The standardized extract is the row to use whenever a berberine or alkaloid figure has to appear.

The 50% figure in the title applies to berberine, while total alkaloids are counted beside it, so quotes for Phellodendron amurense extract should state both numbers and the method. The 10% grade is the choice for a bulkier, gentler solid with the full bark profile, and the 50% grade is the choice when the berberine dose is the design constraint of the Phellodendron amurense extract.

Berberine Analysis & Purity Risks

Berberine is measured by HPLC, which separates it from the other alkaloids on a column and quantifies it against a reference standard. The total alkaloid figure is a different kind of number: it describes the alkaloid group as a whole, whereas berberine is one named member, so the two cannot be converted into each other. Phellodendrine, the quaternary alkaloid that distinguishes the bark from other berberine plants, is followed as a secondary marker without being the headline figure.

Companion alkaloids give the fingerprint. A chromatogram of the bark shows berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine and magnoflorine in a characteristic proportion, and that pattern differs from the rhizome of Coptis, where coptisine is more prominent. The pattern is read beside the berberine percentage as the identity check.

Purity risks follow from the name. Chinese cork trees are sold as huang bai, and the Amur species and the Sichuan species, Phellodendron chinense, are traded as separate drugs. Catalog entries have also carried a wrong Latin name for this material. Berberine itself is made by unrelated plants, so a berberine percentage alone does not show the source. A fixed plant part, a stated species and an alkaloid fingerprint protect identity.

The bark is rich in mucilage and limonoids as well as alkaloids, so sample preparation uses a clean-up step to keep the column free of gummy matter. Berberine and palmatine elute close together and need adequate resolution to be reported separately. Because the alkaloids of Phellodendron amurense are mostly quaternary cations, methods use an acidic or buffered mobile phase, and the chromatographic pattern doubles as the identity check.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Phellodendron amurense
Plant Part	Bark & Stem
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Alkaloids
Common Name	Amur Cork Tree, Huang Bai
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Berberine · total alkaloids (isoquinoline alkaloids of Phellodendron amurense bark)
Primary Grade	50% Berberine (HPLC)
Available Grades	10% · 50% Berberine (HPLC)
Secondary Assay	Total Alkaloids 10–50% · Phellodendrine 1–20% (HPLC)
Appearance	Yellow-Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Slightly Soluble in Water
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Applications by Grade

50% Grade for Compact Capsules

At 50% berberine, the bark extract fits a small capsule fill. Check that the yellow color does not show through at the seam, and fill in a dry room because the alkaloid-bearing solid takes up moisture.

10% Grade for Drink Premixes

The 10% grade is bulky enough to carry in drink premixes at a gram-level dose. The solid gives a yellow, intensely bitter cup, so cocoa, coffee or strongly spiced bases are used to hide the color and the taste together.

10% Grade Gummy Premixes

Gummies can take the 10% grade only with strong flavors, because the bitterness is hard to cover in a chewable gel. Add the extract after the main cook and choose dark bases, since the yellow alkaloid tints a pale gummy.

50% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 50% grade need a dry binder and a film coat, because the yellow alkaloid stains punches, dies and tablet surfaces. The potent solid is usually diluted so that the compact can be pressed evenly. Aged tablets should be re-tested for disintegration.

10% Grade in Bar Premixes

A lower grade is bulky enough to disperse through bars. Dark chocolate and cocoa bases mask the bitter taste and the yellow stain, and the extract is blended with the dry ingredients ahead of the syrup. Cold-pressed bars protect the alkaloids from heat.

50% Grade in Sachet Blends

Sachets of the 50% grade are diluted with a bulking carrier in stages so that the filler can weigh an accurate dose, and cocoa or strong spice in the sachet formula covers the bitter taste of the Phellodendron amurense extract.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The bark extract is a yellow-brown powder with a faint corky odor and a lasting bitter taste. In water it is slightly soluble, giving a yellow, hazy liquid in which part of the alkaloid is dissolved and the rest suspended. The intense color transfers to metal, rubber and gloves, which makes dedicated tools and a careful clean-down part of the routine.

At scale, pass the powder through a sieve, blend it first with a small part of the carrier and check capsule fill weight at every lot change, because the dense solid is easy to over-fill. Berberine-bearing solids are moderately light sensitive, so protect finished goods from direct light in clear packs. Tablet formulas need a hardness check after storage. Reseal the drum after each draw, and match every lot against a retained sample for color and bitterness.

Gummy bark extracts can stick to sieves and screw feeders at high humidity, so keep the powder dry and clean equipment promptly. Record the lot of Phellodendron amurense extract on every batch sheet. Yellow alkaloid dust transfers readily to adjacent product, so dedicate tools where possible and inspect the finished blend for specks under white light before release.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.