Light brown Schisandra Extract 1–20% Schisandrins powder from Schisandra chinensis fruit

Schisandra Extract 1–20% Schisandrins/Lignans

Schisandra extract is prepared from the ripe fruit of Schisandra chinensis, the northern five-flavor berry, and not from the southern species or from the stems and leaves. Ethanol extraction takes up the lipophilic lignans of the fruit, and the liquor is dried to a light brown powder.

The grade range is 1–20% schisandrins and lignans by HPLC, and the primary grade is the 20% end. The powder is 80 mesh and insoluble in water. The 1% grade keeps the broad fruit profile for blends, while the 20% grade gives a high lignan load per gram for compact capsules and tablets.

SKU: BOT-STX-0020 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Ethanol Extracted, Fruit & Berry, Gummies & Chews, Lignans, Polyphenols, Schisandra, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts

Schisandrin Standardization & Grades

Schisandrins are dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, a family of plant phenols in which two aromatic rings are joined through an eight-membered ring. The group includes schisandrin, gomisins and related members, and the grade is the sum of the named lignans, not one compound. They are the standardization target because they are the characteristic constituents of the fruit and because they are fat soluble, which is why ethanol, not water, takes them up. A schisandra extract at 20% is therefore a lignan concentrate, and the percentage describes that fraction only. The botanical entity is Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., a woody vine of the family Schisandraceae, and the part used is the ripe fruit with its seeds.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
1% Schisandrins/Lignans	HPLC	Broad extract for blends and tea-style mixes
20% Schisandrins/Lignans	HPLC	Capsules and tablets with small fill

The range from 1% to 20% covers two different materials. The 20% grade is a concentrate of the lignan fraction and supplies a marker dose from a small fill. The 1% grade keeps more of the organic acids, sugars and pigments of the berry, so schisandra extract at this level has a sour, fruity profile that suits blends and tea-style mixes. The same fruit is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract, the Schisandra Berry Extract Powder, as a milled fruit, the Schisandra Berry Powder, and as the purified compound Schisandrin A 98%.

Schisandrin Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by HPLC, which separates the individual lignans on a reversed-phase column and adds up the named members against reference standards. The word schisandrins covers several compounds, so a percentage means little until the list of quantified lignans is known. A UV total or a gravimetric lignan figure counts every compound that responds in the same way, and it cannot be converted into an HPLC result.

The chromatogram of schisandra extract shows a cluster of lignan peaks, among them schisandrin, gomisin A and related members. The pattern of that cluster is a fingerprint of the species. Sample preparation for a lipophilic marker is simple: the powder is dissolved in an alcohol diluent, filtered and injected, and the lignans elute in the middle to late part of a gradient. Because the compounds are closely related isomers, the column and gradient decide whether neighboring peaks are resolved, which is the main reason two laboratories can report different totals for the same lot. Lignan levels in the fruit also depend on how the fruit was dried. A Russian study found a higher lignan total per gram in dried fruit than in frozen fruit, which shows that postharvest handling changes the starting figure before extraction begins.

Purity risks are botanical. The northern fruit Schisandra chinensis and the southern fruit Schisandra sphenanthera are different species, each with its own pharmacopoeial monograph and a different marker emphasis, and they are not interchangeable in an identity test. Only the ripe fruit is used, and the berry is dark red to purple when whole. The family is Schisandraceae, and not Magnoliaceae as older texts sometimes state, so a database check of the family helps to catch a mislabeled name.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Schisandra chinensis
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Lignans, Polyphenols
Common Name	Schisandra, Five-Flavor Berry, Bei Wu Wei Zi
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Schisandrins (dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans)
Primary Grade	20% Schisandrins/Lignans (HPLC)
Available Grades	1% · 20% Schisandrins/Lignans (HPLC)
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Insoluble 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

20% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 20% grade supplies a lignan dose in a small fill, which suits hard capsules and tablets. The light brown powder is fat soluble and slightly sticky, so add a glidant for hopper flow and keep the filling room cool and dry.

20% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 20% grade need an absorbent filler and a dry binder, because the lipophilic lignan fraction softens compacts. Run a compression trial on the full blend, and check hardness again after a week of warm storage.

1% Grade in Tea-Style Blends

Tea-style blends take the 1% grade, which carries the sour, fruity notes of the berry together with a modest lignan load. The insoluble fraction settles in the cup, so pair it with a thickener or leave a note to stir.

1% Grade in Gummy Premixes

Gummy premixes use the 1% grade, which brings tartness and a reddish-brown tone to fruit flavors. Add the powder after the main cook, check the pH of the base, and test the set, because extra acids can soften a pectin gel.

1% Grade in Drink Powders

Drink powders accept the 1% grade where an acidic, berry-like profile is wanted. The powder is insoluble in water and gives a hazy red-brown suspension, so formulate with a suspension aid and a sweetener that rounds off the sourness.

20% Grade in Oil Suspensions

Softgel and oil-based fills use the 20% grade as a milled suspension, because the lignans are fat soluble and the powder blends into oil. Control particle size and add a suspending agent so that the fill stays uniform.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light brown powder with a fruity, slightly acidic odor and a sour, bitter and astringent taste. It is insoluble in water, so water-based systems hold it only as a fine suspension that settles without stirring. The lignans are lipophilic and heat stable at normal processing temperatures, but fruit pigments and acids in the 1% grade darken with prolonged heat, so keep hot holds short in acidic bases.

Taste is a main constraint: the fruit is sour, bitter and astringent. The 1% grade carries more of that character than the 20% grade, so sweeteners and flavors need to be set at the first trial. For production, sieve the powder before blending to break up soft agglomerates, and pre-blend schisandra extract with a portion of the carrier so that it disperses without lumps. The 20% grade is the more cohesive of the two, and a glidant helps it feed through hoppers and filling machines.

Where the powder is mixed into a liquid, wet it with a small amount of a compatible solvent or a surfactant solution before dilution, then use high-shear mixing so that it does not float. Keep the drum closed, away from light and heat, and compare each lot with a retained sample for color, odor and the lignan peaks in the chromatogram.

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.