Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract 0.1–1% Sinensetin

The leaves of Orthosiphon stamineus, the Southeast Asian mint-family herb sold as Java tea or cat’s whiskers, are extracted with ethanol to give this Orthosiphon stamineus extract, which is standardized for one lipophilic polymethoxylated flavone. It is dried and milled to a light brown, 80 mesh powder with a mild, grassy leaf note.

Sinensetin is measured by HPLC and offered as a 0.1–1% range, with 1% as the primary grade and 0.1% as the lower grade. The higher grade fits small-fill capsules and tablets, and the lower grade fits blends and oil-based fills that can carry more of the leaf.

SKU: BOT-STX-0201 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Ethanol Extracted, Leaf & Herb, Orthosiphon, Polyphenols, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts

Sinensetin Standardization & Grades

Sinensetin is 5,6,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone, a flavone in which every hydroxyl group has been methylated. This makes it unusually lipophilic and stable, and it is one of the characteristic lipophilic flavones of the leaf of Orthosiphon stamineus Benth., with eupatorin and 3′-hydroxy-5,6,7,4′-tetramethoxyflavone as companions. The leaf also holds a polar fraction of rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid derivatives and potassium salts, which are not part of the grade.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
0.1% Sinensetin	HPLC	Blends, high-inclusion powders
1% Sinensetin	HPLC	Capsules and tablets, small fill weight

The span is tenfold, so grade choice follows dose and carrier. At 1% the extract carries ten times the sinensetin of the 0.1% grade per gram, which allows a compact capsule. At 0.1% the powder keeps most of the leaf matrix and behaves like a leaf extract in blends. The same herb is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract without a marker figure, the Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract Powder, and as a purified flavone, Sinensetin 98%. Formulas that need sinensetin stated on the specification use this standardized grade.

The leaf is the only part used. Stems and flowering tops contain less of the flavone and are not part of this identity.

The leaf is harvested from the cultivated herb, which is grown in the humid tropics and cut several times a year. Young shoots and leaves carry the highest share of polymethoxylated flavones, while old woody stems carry almost none, so the proportion of stem in the dried herb controls how much of the lipophilic fraction reaches the extract. Orthosiphon stamineus extract is therefore defined by the leaf and by the sinensetin figure.

Sinensetin Analysis & Purity Risks

HPLC separates sinensetin from eupatorin, the tetramethoxyflavone and the other polymethoxylated flavones on a reversed-phase column. Flavones absorb strongly in the UV, so detection is sensitive and the peak is sharp, and the result is sinensetin itself, quantified against a reference standard. The polymethoxylated flavones are close relatives with similar spectra, so the separation of the group from each other is the main method requirement.

Because polymethoxylated flavones are lipophilic, sample preparation needs a solvent such as methanol, with sonication to bring them out of the powder. Incomplete dissolution gives a low reading that can be mistaken for a weak lot, so complete extraction is confirmed with a spiked sample. The flavones are photostable compared with hydroxylated flavonoids, so ordinary laboratory light is less of a problem here.

Identity is read from the fingerprint. Sinensetin and eupatorin, together with rosmarinic acid and the caffeic acid derivatives, form a pattern typical of Java tea leaf, and the pattern separates it from other mint-family leaves. The sinensetin peak is a good identity marker for an Orthosiphon stamineus extract because few common herbs carry it.

Botanical risk is the name. Databases treat Orthosiphon stamineus as a synonym of Orthosiphon aristatus, and trade papers use both. Other Lamiaceae leaves are sold under the common name, and several Orthosiphon species with different flavone patterns are in the market. The stated species and the leaf part are part of the identity.

Harvest matters. The leaf is cut before heavy flowering, dried at moderate temperature and cleaned of stems. Slowly dried or stored-damp leaf loses the polar fraction to microbial growth and gives a darker extract with a lower flavone share.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Orthosiphon stamineus
Plant Part	Leaf & Herb
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Orthosiphon, Java Tea
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Sinensetin
Primary Grade	1% Sinensetin (HPLC)
Available Grades	0.1% · 1% Sinensetin (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

1% Grade in Low-Dose Capsule Fills

The 1% grade of Orthosiphon stamineus extract reaches a sinensetin target in a small fill, which suits two-piece capsules. Because the marker level is low in absolute terms, the extract is premixed with a carrier so the fill weight is accurate and the dose does not drift.

1% Grade in Direct-Compression Tablets

Tablets of the 1% grade need a dry binder and a lubricant system that copes with the waxy leaf matrix. A film coat limits dust, hides the green-brown speckling of the leaf and prevents the powder from sticking to punches in humid rooms.

0.1% Grade in Leaf-Tea Style Granules

Granulated blends for infusion pair the 0.1% grade with cut Java tea leaf, which gives the tea a visible leaf and a mild, slightly grassy infusion. The lipophilic flavone dissolves poorly in hot water, so it contributes color and body more than dissolved marker.

0.1% Grade in Oil-Phase Softgels

The 0.1% grade disperses in an oil carrier, in which polymethoxylated flavones dissolve far better than in water. This suits softgel-style fills and liquid-filled capsules, and fine milling and gentle agitation avoid a green sediment in the oil.

1% Grade in Stick-Pack Premixes

Stick-pack premixes use the 1% grade in a bulking carrier so the filler can meter an accurate dose of this water-insoluble powder. Label directions should call for shaking, because the powder floats on water, and a fine grind avoids visible specks.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Orthosiphon stamineus extract is a light brown powder with a mild, grassy and slightly bitter leaf character. It does not dissolve in water. Sinensetin dissolves in ethanol, in chloroform-type solvents and in oils, so oil, alcohol-containing and suspension bases give a more uniform product than a plain aqueous mix.

Polymethoxylated flavones are among the most stable flavonoids. With no free hydroxyl groups they resist oxidation, tolerate heat and survive a wide pH range, so the marker is robust in baked, pasteurized and acidic products. The leaf matrix around it is less stable: the chlorophyll-related pigments and the phenolic acids darken with light, oxygen and metal ions, so opaque packaging and chelating agents hold the shade.

Damp air makes the powder cake and turn darker. Airborne leaf dust irritates the nose and eyes, so closed charging and local extraction keep the filler area clean.

A receiving check helps: a light brown, fine powder with a mild grassy note is expected, while a very dark shade points to heat damage and a musty smell suggests damp storage. Then an accelerated stability run in the intended pack shows early whether color, flow and the sinensetin figure hold across the shelf life.

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.