Horse Chestnut Extract Powder

Horse chestnut extract is a water extract of the seed of Aesculus hippocastanum L., the glossy brown conker, dried to a light brown powder. The sweet chestnut that is eaten as food is a different tree and is not involved.

The extract ratio is 10:1, the powder is milled to 80 mesh, and it is water dispersible. It is a whole-seed ratio extract with no marker, which separates it from the aescin-graded extract and from the pure beta-aescin of the same seed.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0379 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Gummies & Chews, Horse Chestnut, Plant Extracts, Seed & Grain, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Horse Chestnut Seed Identity & Plant Part

The species is Aesculus hippocastanum L., a large deciduous tree of the soapberry family. The part used is the seed. Bark, leaf and flower are not used. The edible sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is an unrelated tree, and the two share only the word chestnut. Horse chestnut seed contains triterpene saponins collectively called escin or aescin, together with flavonoid glycosides and the coumarin glycoside esculin. A water extract takes up the saponins, which dissolve well in water and foam on agitation. The seed is harvested in autumn when the spiny husks split, and only the shiny brown kernel inside is used, so horse chestnut extract does not include husk or leaf material.

Horse Chestnut Extract vs Graded Forms

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Seed Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried horse chestnut seed	A whole-seed extract with no declared marker is wanted
Horse Chestnut Extract 10–20% Aescin	Seed extract graded to an aescin content	A labelled saponin content is required
Beta-Aescin 98%	Pure saponin compound isolated from the seed	A single-compound ingredient is wanted

The ratio of 10:1 says how much dried seed went into the extract, and it makes no claim for aescin. The graded extract and the pure compound are different products because they are defined by content, while this one is defined by source part and concentration. Since the seed is rich in saponins, a water extract of it foams readily, a point that matters in production. Horse chestnut extract also behaves differently from the pure compound: saponin mixtures from the whole seed are hygroscopic and sticky, whereas a purified single saponin is a more crystalline powder. Buyers who need a stated aescin level should use the graded version, and those who want a plain seed extract use this powder.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Aesculus hippocastanum
Plant Part	Seed & Grain
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Horse Chestnut Seed
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
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

Application Areas

Capsules with Saponin-Rich Extract

Horse chestnut extract powder is filled into hard capsules alone or in botanical blends. Saponin-rich powders are often light and hygroscopic, so keep filling-room humidity low and test flow first. Light brown fill is easy to mask with an opaque shell, and desiccant in the bottle limits later softening.

Tablets with Moisture Control

Horse chestnut extract compresses at moderate inclusion with a dry binder. Saponins attract water, so tablets can soften in humid storage, and a film coat plus desiccant in the pack keeps the surface firm. Avoid wet granulation where possible.

Foam-Aware Drink Sticks

When stirred into water, the extract foams, which can overflow small shakers or fill stick-pack lines with air. Dissolve it gently in a larger vessel or add an anti-foam agent suited to the product type. Citrus flavors and sweeteners suit its bitter, astringent taste.

Soft Chews and Gummies

In chews, the extract adds a light brown tint and a bitter note that fruit acids and sweeteners cover. Use a moderate inclusion and add it after cooking, as heating a saponin solution can lead to foaming in the depositor.

Formulation Notes

The powder is light brown with a slightly bitter, astringent taste and little aroma. Saponins lower surface tension, so water solutions foam strongly on stirring, and the liquid is hazy rather than clear. Esculin, a coumarin glycoside present in the seed, can fluoresce under ultraviolet light, which is a handy visual check in the laboratory.

Add horse chestnut extract slowly to the liquid and avoid vigorous high-shear mixing. Carry out dry blends in low-humidity rooms. Sieve the powder before it enters a dosing hopper, since saponin-rich particles can bridge and block narrow outlets. Seal opened packs tightly and store them cool and dry; saponin-rich powders pick up moisture from air and become tacky. Seed lots differ in color from cream to tan with drying and shelling, so a retained sample helps with incoming checks.

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.