1,3-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid 98%

Known in the trade as cynarin, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid is isolated here from the leaf of Cynara scolymus, the globe artichoke, by ethanol extraction and purification. It is quinic acid esterified with two molecules of caffeic acid at positions 1 and 3, and it is a water soluble, off-white powder.

The primary grade is 98% 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid by HPLC, in Food / Dietary Supplement Grade. The locants in the name are the identity, because five positional isomers of the same formula exist, and a specification that leaves them out does not say which compound is in the bag.

SKU: BOT-PHY-0035 Category: Phytochemicals Tags: Artichoke, Ethanol Extracted, Leaf & Herb, Plant Compounds, Polyphenols, Water Soluble

1,3-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Chemical Identity

1,3-Dicaffeoylquinic acid has the molecular formula C25H24O12 and a molecular weight of 516.4. A quinic acid core, a cyclohexane carboxylic acid with four hydroxyl groups, carries two caffeoyl groups, each a caffeic acid ester with its catechol ring and trans double bond. In 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid the esters sit on the C1 and C3 positions, which means that one of them is attached to the tertiary carbon that also bears the carboxyl group. The other four common isomers place the two caffeoyl groups at 1,5, 3,4, 3,5 and 4,5.

All five share the formula and weight, so mass cannot identify 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and identity rests on the locants, the retention time against a reference standard and the ultraviolet and mass spectra. The natural source is the leaf of Cynara scolymus L., where caffeoylquinic acids sit beside the bitter sesquiterpene lactone cynaropicrin and flavonoids. Artichoke is supplied in several forms: Artichoke Extract 0.5–5% Cynarin, the 10:1 Artichoke Extract Powder and the milled Artichoke Leaf Powder. The closest relative of 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid among the pure compounds is the positional isomer 1,5-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid 98%.

Trade names add to the difficulty. The name cynarin usually means 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid, yet product listings sometimes use it for the 1,5 isomer, so the locants are given beside the common name here.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Natural Source	Cynara scolymus leaf
Plant Part	Leaf & Herb
Processing	Ethanol Extraction & Purification
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Molecular Formula	C25H24O12
Molecular Weight	516.4
Purity	98% (HPLC)
Grade	Food / Dietary Supplement Grade
Appearance	Off-White powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
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

1,3-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Purity Grades & Impurities

The 98% figure is an HPLC result that compares the 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid peak with the other detected peaks, usually at a wavelength near 325 nm where the caffeoyl group absorbs strongly. It leaves out water, ash and anything that does not absorb at that wavelength, so the moisture and ash limits in the table are read alongside it. The grade is a single level.

The main related substances of 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid are the other dicaffeoylquinic acids and the monocaffeoylquinic acids of the same leaf. Chlorogenic acid and its isomers elute earlier, and the 1,5, 3,4, 3,5 and 4,5 isomers elute close to the main peak, so column resolution is the first check on a trace. Caffeic acid and quinic acid appear as hydrolysis products. Because the esters are labile, a lot that was heated in water or stored in a damp pack can show a shift in the isomer pattern, with peaks growing that were not in the original powder.

Acyl migration is the chemical reason. In neutral or mildly alkaline solution, a caffeoyl group moves between neighboring hydroxyl groups of the quinic ring, so isomers interconvert, and the position next to the carboxyl is the more stable one. For that reason samples are prepared fresh in a mildly acidic solvent, and results from lots that sat in solution are not comparable. A powder that has absorbed moisture darkens from off-white toward tan before the main peak changes appreciably.

Plant-derived material carries other artichoke constituents as traces, while a synthetic or semi-synthetic route would leave different by-products. The botanical source and part are therefore stated beside the name.

1,3-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Solubility & Delivery

1,3-Dicaffeoylquinic acid dissolves in water and in aqueous ethanol and methanol, and it is poorly soluble in nonpolar solvents. The free carboxyl group and the polar hydroxyls give it a low logP, so it stays in the water phase. Solutions are slightly acidic and pale yellow.

Delivery follows from that behavior. Water-soluble 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid needs no co-solvent, but it needs stability care. In solution the ester bonds hydrolyze and migrate with heat and with rising pH, and the catechol rings oxidize in air, especially in the presence of iron or copper. Formulators keep bases mildly acidic, add a chelating agent where hard water is used, and avoid long hot holds. The powder is hygroscopic, so a desiccant in the pack and a closed container protect flow and assay between uses, and small weights are best handled as a premix with a dry carrier.

Application Areas

Clear Drink Concentrates

1,3-Dicaffeoylquinic acid dissolves clearly in water, so it suits shots and concentrates. Dissolve it in cool water, keep the base mildly acidic, and fill without a long hot hold, since heat moves the caffeoyl groups and darkens the liquid.

Capsule Fills of the Pure Ester

Capsules take the ester at low inclusion. The hygroscopic powder cakes in humid rooms, so a dry filling room, a flow agent and a desiccant in the bottle keep the fill weight steady and the powder free flowing.

Powder Stick Premixes

Sticks carry the ester in dry premixes with a sweetener and an acid. The slightly bitter, astringent taste is rounded by fruit flavors, and the premix is sieved to avoid lumps formed by moisture pickup in the cup.

Humidity-Tested Tablet Blends

Tablets press the ester with a dry binder and a lubricant. Iron-containing fillers discolor the catechol ring, so the full blend is stored for a week under humid conditions and checked for color before the formula is fixed.

Isomer Reference Blends

Analytical teams use the 98% 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid grade to separate isomers on new columns. Each weighing is logged, the standard is stored dry and cold, and a retained sample from each lot lets the isomer pattern be compared at the next order.

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.