Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Extract 20–60% Saponins

The rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, known in Chinese herbal practice as zhi mu, is the source of this extract, which does not use the leaves or the unrelated Anemone roots sometimes confused with it by name. Ethanol extraction concentrates the steroidal saponins of the rhizome, and the liquor is dried to a light brown, water-soluble powder.

The primary grade is 60% saponins by UV, with 20% as the lower end of the range. The powder is 80 mesh. The 60% grade serves capsules and drink sticks with a very small fill, while the 20% grade suits tea-style blends and dry compounds that keep more of the rhizome’s xanthones and sugars.

SKU: BOT-STX-0095 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Anemarrhena, Ethanol Extracted, Root & Rhizome, Saponins, Standardized Extracts, Water Soluble

Saponin Standardization & Grades

The saponins of zhi mu are steroidal glycosides, built on the sapogenin sarsasapogenin. The rhizome carries two structural types: furostanol saponins such as timosaponin BII, which are water soluble, and spirostanol saponins such as timosaponin AIII, which are less polar. The grade sums the saponin class, because the rhizome carries both types and colorimetric analysis reads them together. The botanical entity is Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, and the part used is the rhizome.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
20% Saponins	UV	Tea-style blends and dry compounds
60% Saponins	UV	Capsules and drink sticks with very small fill

Grade choice follows dose, fill weight and taste. The 60% grade holds three times the saponin load per gram of the 20% grade, so it reaches a target in a very small fill, and it is paler and less sweet. The 20% grade keeps more of the xanthone mangiferin, the polysaccharides and the sugars and gives a darker, sweeter and more hygroscopic powder. Siblings from the same rhizome are the unstandardized Anemarrhena Rhizome Extract Powder, the milled Anemarrhena Rhizome Powder and the aglycone Sarsasapogenin 98%.

A secondary marker, timosaponin BII, is recorded in the data and is described here without numbers. Buyers who compare Anemarrhena extract quotes should ask whether the figure is a UV class total or an HPLC value for named saponins, because the first is always larger than the second and the two cannot be converted.

The word anemarrhena should not be confused with anemone. The two are unrelated plants in different families, and Anemone roots contain irritant compounds that are absent from zhi mu. The botanical name and the rhizome as the stated part keep the identity clear.

Saponin Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by UV, a colorimetric method in which the saponins react with an acid reagent and the developed color is read against a reference compound. The result is a summed value, and the reference chosen changes the number. An HPLC profile of timosaponin BII and AIII is a different measurement and cannot be converted into the UV figure.

Furostanol and spirostanol saponins respond differently. Furostanol saponins open to a different structure under acid and can convert to the spirostanol form when the sugar at the C-26 position is lost, so heat and acid change the ratio of the two types. A lot dominated by timosaponin AIII rather than BII has probably been exposed to acid or enzymatic action.

The sugar content of the 20% grade also matters, since carbohydrates give color with strong acid reagents and lift the reading. A sound method partitions the saponins into an organic solvent first, which removes most of the interference, and the reading of the 60% grade is less sensitive to this issue.

Purity risks follow from the botany. Roots of unrelated plants sold under similar names include Anemone species and, in some markets, Fritillaria bulbs that are combined with zhi mu in formulas but are different drugs. A species statement, the rhizome as the stated part and a profile with timosaponin BII and mangiferin protect identity better than a total percentage.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Anemarrhena asphodeloides
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Saponins
Common Name	Anemarrhena, Zhi Mu
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Steroidal saponins (including timosaponins) of Anemarrhena asphodeloides rhizome
Primary Grade	60% Saponins (UV)
Available Grades	20% · 60% Saponins (UV)
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
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

60% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 60% grade delivers a saponin target in a very small capsule fill. The light brown powder is fine and slightly hygroscopic, so pre-dilute it with a flow carrier for accurate metering, work in a dry room and check fill weights at the start of each run.

60% Grade in Drink Sticks

Because the Anemarrhena asphodeloides powder is water soluble, the high grade dissolves in one stir into a lightly foaming, pale tan solution. Saponins foam on shaking, so recommend gentle stirring, and use citrus or ginger flavors against the bitter, slightly sweet edge of the rhizome.

20% Grade for Tea-Style Blends

At 20% the Anemarrhena asphodeloides extract is dosed by weight in herbal tea mixes, where the rhizome gives a mild sweetness and body. Pair it with jujube, goji or lily bulb for a classic profile, and blend in small dry lots so the sticky powder does not segregate.

20% Grade for Dry Herbal Compounds

Dry compounds use the lower grade beside other rhizome and root powders. Pre-mix it with a bulking agent and screen the blend before filling, because the sugar-rich powder absorbs moisture and forms lumps that are difficult to break afterward.

60% Grade in Tablet Blends

For tablets, the high grade calls for a dry binder and a moisture-barrier film coat, because the saponin powder softens compacts in humid air. Run a compression trial on the full blend and check hardness after storage in the intended climate.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light brown powder with a faint sweet, herbal odor and a bitter-sweet taste. In water the Anemarrhena asphodeloides powder dissolves to a clear or slightly hazy tan liquid that foams on shaking. The foam is stable, which affects filling lines, so an anti-foam strategy should be tested early for liquid formats.

Steroidal saponins are stable at neutral pH and in dry form, but strong acid cleaves the sugar chains and converts furostanol types into spirostanol types, which changes solubility and foaming. Mangiferin and other xanthones in the lower grade darken in light and with iron. For production, sieve the Anemarrhena asphodeloides extract ahead of dosing and pre-blend it with part of the carrier.

Hygroscopicity is the main handling issue, especially for the 20% grade. Open drums briefly, re-seal them with the liner in place and store them cool and dry. Compare each lot with a retained sample for color, odor and flow, record the date the drum was opened and clean equipment between this powder and pale products, since the tan tint carries over.

An Anemarrhena asphodeloides extract is checked by solution color, foam and sweetness. A tan, lightly foaming and mildly sweet solution is typical of the rhizome, while a dark, bitter one suggests heat damage. Keep a retained sample of each Anemarrhena asphodeloides extract lot, and compare its timosaponin and mangiferin peaks with later lots to follow handling from batch to batch.

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.