Arctiin 98%

The glucoside of the burdock seed lignan, arctiin is isolated here from the seed of Arctium lappa by ethanol extraction and purification. It is arctigenin carrying one glucose unit on its phenolic hydroxyl, and it is a white powder that is slightly soluble in water.

The primary grade is 98% arctiin by HPLC, in Food / Dietary Supplement Grade. The sugar is what separates it from arctigenin, and the part used, the seed and not the root, is what separates burdock seed lignans from the fructan-rich root.

SKU: BOT-PHY-0070 Category: Phytochemicals Tags: Burdock, Capsules & Tablets, Dry Blends & Premixes, Ethanol Extracted, Plant Compounds, Seed & Grain

Arctiin Chemical Identity

Arctiin has the molecular formula C27H34O11 and a molecular weight of 534.6, which is the aglycone arctigenin plus a hexose unit. The core is a dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan in the natural (3R,4R) configuration, with a glucose attached by a beta-glycosidic bond to the phenolic oxygen of one benzyl ring. The glucose adds six hydroxyl groups and lifts the polarity of the molecule well above that of the aglycone, so arctiin wets and dissolves in water to a limited extent, while arctigenin does not.

In the seed, the glycoside is the main storage form of the lignan, and the aglycone is released by beta-glucosidase or by acid. The natural source is the seed of Arctium lappa L., burdock, a plant of the family Asteraceae. The part is important, since the root of the same plant is a food material rich in inulin-type fructans and phenolic acids and has no meaningful lignan content. Burdock seed is supplied as Burdock Seed Extract 10–40% Arctiin, the 10:1 Burdock Seed Extract Powder and the milled Burdock Seed Powder. The aglycone is supplied as Arctigenin 98%.

The standardized extract is defined by arctiin as its marker, and the pure compound here is the same molecule at a much higher level. A buyer who needs a defined marker in a full seed matrix chooses the extract, while a buyer who needs the single glycoside chooses this product.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Natural Source	Arctium lappa seed
Plant Part	Seed & Grain
Processing	Ethanol Extraction & Purification
Compound Class	Lignans, Polyphenols
Chemical Name (IUPAC)	(3R,4R)-4-[(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methyl]-3-[[3-methoxy-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]methyl]oxolan-2-one
CAS Number	20362-31-6
Molecular Formula	C27H34O11
Molecular Weight	534.6
PubChem CID	100528
InChIKey	XOJVHLIYNSOZOO-SWOBOCGESA-N
SMILES	COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)CC2COC(=O)C2CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)OC)OC
Purity	98% (HPLC)
Grade	Food / Dietary Supplement Grade
Appearance	White powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Slightly Soluble in Water
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
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

Arctiin Purity Grades & Impurities

The 98% figure is an HPLC result that compares the arctiin peak with the other detected peaks, with detection near 280 nm, where the aromatic rings absorb. Water, ash and any component without a response are outside the figure, so the table limits moisture and ash separately. A single grade is offered.

The related substances of seed arctiin begin with its own aglycone. Arctigenin is less polar and elutes later, and a visible arctigenin peak means the glycoside has partly hydrolyzed during extraction or storage. Matairesinol glucoside, lappaol dimers and other lignan glycosides are close neighbors, and the sugar-bearing forms elute near each other, so column resolution is an identity check. The caffeoylquinic acids and other phenolic acids of the seed are removed by purification and appear as early, well-separated peaks if cleanup is incomplete.

The fatty oil of the seed is the physical contaminant. Burdock seed holds a large share of its weight as oil, and a glycoside that was not fully defatted will feel greasy, clump and carry a yellow tint. A clean arctiin lot is a white, free-flowing powder. Because arctiin is a glycoside with a polar sugar, it is more hygroscopic than the aglycone, and a damp lot cakes before the HPLC peak changes.

Enzymes are a hidden risk for the glycoside. Residual beta-glucosidase from the seed, if not inactivated, can convert arctiin to arctigenin in a moist powder or in solution, and a lot that contains active enzyme drifts over time. Heat inactivation in the production route and dry storage keep the glycoside intact.

Arctiin Solubility & Delivery

Arctiin is slightly soluble in water, more so when warm, and dissolves in methanol, ethanol and dimethyl sulfoxide. The sugar makes it more polar than the aglycone, with a lower logP, so it can be carried in aqueous alcohol and in water-based systems at modest strength, though it is not freely soluble. A warm solution that is cooled may deposit fine crystals if it was close to saturation.

Delivery therefore uses warm aqueous alcohol and dispersion. Dissolving in warm ethanol-water and diluting into the base gives a stable system below the solubility limit, and a suspending agent holds the solid in liquids that are meant to be hazy. Cyclodextrin complexes and hydrophilic carriers raise the dissolution rate. Acid and heat hydrolyze the sugar, so liquids are held at a near-neutral pH and thermal steps are short. In dry blends the powder takes up a little moisture, and a desiccant and a closed container protect the flow. Accurate small weights come from a premix in a dry carrier.

Application Areas

Warm-Dissolved Concentrates

Concentrates start with the glycoside in warm aqueous ethanol and are diluted below the saturation level. Hold the pH near neutral, avoid long hot holds that would cleave the sugar, and check for crystals after a week in the cold.

Capsule Fills of the Glucoside

Capsules take arctiin at low to moderate inclusion. The white powder is slightly hygroscopic, so a dry filling room, a flow agent and a desiccant in the bottle keep the fill weight steady across the shelf life.

Tablet Blends With Dry Binders

Tablets press the glycoside with a dry binder and a lubricant. Moisture lets residual enzyme activity act, so the blend is kept dry, and a month of storage with an HPLC check for arctigenin shows whether the glycoside survives.

Glucoside and Aglycone Comparison Blends

Formulators comparing burdock lignans blend arctiin with arctigenin in fixed ratios. Each ingredient is weighed on its own, and an HPLC trace of the blend confirms that hydrolysis has not shifted the ratio during mixing or storage.

Marker Reference for Seed Extracts

Quality teams that handle burdock seed extracts use the 98% grade as the reference for the marker peak. The standard is stored dry and cold, and a retained sample of each lot keeps the retention record.

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.