Arctigenin 98%

The aglycone of the burdock seed lignan, arctigenin is isolated here from the seed of Arctium lappa by ethanol extraction and purification. It is a dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan, two phenylpropane units joined into a lactone, and it is a white powder that does not dissolve in water.

The primary grade is 98% arctigenin by HPLC, with a 95% grade also supplied, in Food / Dietary Supplement Grade. The seed is the source, since the root of burdock is a different raw material with different chemistry, and the compound name and the part together are the identity.

SKU: BOT-PHY-0069 Category: Phytochemicals Tags: Burdock, Ethanol Extracted, Plant Compounds, Seed & Grain, Softgels & Oil Fills, Sports Nutrition

Arctigenin Chemical Identity

Arctigenin has the molecular formula C21H24O6 and a molecular weight of 372.4. The skeleton is a gamma-butyrolactone ring carrying two benzyl substituents, one a 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl and the other a 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl group. The free phenolic hydroxyl on one ring is the only position that distinguishes arctigenin from its dimethyl ether, and it is also the position at which the sugar is attached in the glycoside arctiin. The two stereocenters of the lactone ring are in the natural (3R,4R) configuration.

In the seed the lignan occurs mainly as arctiin, a glucoside, and arctigenin appears when the sugar is removed by enzymes or acid. The natural source is the seed, the fruit, of Arctium lappa L., known as burdock or gobo, a plant of the family Asteraceae. The seed is the burdock part sold as niu bang zi in Chinese trade. Burdock seed is supplied in other forms: Burdock Seed Extract 10–40% Arctiin, the 10:1 Burdock Seed Extract Powder and the milled Burdock Seed Powder. The glucoside is supplied as Arctiin 98%.

The relationship with the glucoside matters in a catalog. Arctiin and arctigenin differ by the sugar, share the same lignan core, and are often discussed together. A product sheet should say which one is meant, and the formula and weight in the table are those of the aglycone.

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-[(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]oxolan-2-one
CAS Number	7770-78-7
Molecular Formula	C21H24O6
Molecular Weight	372.4
PubChem CID	64981
InChIKey	NQWVSMVXKMHKTF-JKSUJKDBSA-N
SMILES	COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C[C@H]2COC(=O)[C@@H]2CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)OC)OC
Purity	98% (HPLC)
Available Grades	95% · 98% (HPLC)
Grade	Food / Dietary Supplement Grade
Appearance	White powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Insoluble 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

Arctigenin Purity Grades & Impurities

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
95% Arctigenin	HPLC	Premixes and oil dispersions
98% Arctigenin	HPLC	Capsules and reference-grade blends

The HPLC assay reads the arctigenin peak near 280 nm, where the aromatic rings absorb, and the percentage compares it with the other detected peaks. Water, ash and silent matter are not part of the figure, so the table lists moisture and ash as separate limits.

The related substances are the other seed lignans. Arctiin, the glucoside, is more polar and elutes earlier, and a visible arctiin peak shows incomplete hydrolysis. Matairesinol, the 4,4′-dihydroxy analog, and its glucoside, along with lappaol and other lignan dimers, are possible neighbors, and they have a similar spectrum, so column resolution is the identity check. The lactone ring can also open in alkaline solution to give the corresponding hydroxy acid, which elutes much earlier and recloses on acidification.

Seed oils are the physical contaminant. Burdock seed is rich in fatty oil, and a poorly purified lignan retains traces of it, which show as a greasy feel, clumping and a yellow tint. The 95% and 98% grades differ in the share of such companions. A white, free-flowing powder is the sign of a clean lot. Moisture and ash are limited separately, and storage is sealed, dry and cool.

Plant-derived and semi-synthetic arctigenin share a main peak, because the aglycone can be prepared from arctiin by hydrolysis. The botanical source and part are therefore stated, together with the grade.

Arctigenin Solubility & Delivery

Arctigenin is insoluble in water and dissolves in ethanol, methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate and dimethyl sulfoxide. The lactone and the methoxy groups give it moderate lipophilicity, and it partitions into oils and surfactant systems better than the polar glucoside. Without the sugar, the molecule cannot be taken into water by simple stirring.

Delivery therefore uses dispersion. The literature describes fine milling, wetting agents, oil suspensions, cyclodextrin complexes and amorphous solid dispersions. The aglycone is more soluble in lipids than arctiin, so oil-based fills are practical. Alkaline media open the lactone ring and change the compound, so liquids are held at a neutral to mildly acidic pH. As a dry powder it is stable and takes up almost no moisture. Fine powder carries static, and small weights stay accurate with anti-static tools and a two-stage premix in a dry carrier.

Storage of the aglycone is less demanding than that of the glycoside. Arctigenin takes up very little water, it is not light sensitive in the dry state, and it keeps its white color for long periods in sealed bags. The practical risk is cross-contamination with the glucoside in a shared weighing room, since a trace of arctiin in an arctigenin lot changes the HPLC pattern, so the two products are weighed with separate tools and logged separately.

Application Areas

Softgel Oil Suspensions

Softgels suit the lipophilic lignan. The milled powder is dispersed in oil with an emulsifier, settling is checked before encapsulation, and the tank is stirred so that the dose stays uniform from the first shell to the last.

Capsule Fills at the 98% Grade

The 98% grade fills capsules at small weight. The white powder is electrostatic and slightly cohesive, so a flow agent, anti-static scoops and a sieved premix give an even fill weight with little loss to equipment.

Tablet Blends With Wetting Agents

Tablets press the lignan with a dry binder, a lubricant and a wetting agent. A disintegration and dissolution trial on the full blend confirms that the hydrophobic solid releases at the intended rate and is not held back by the lubricant.

Aglycone and Glucoside Comparison Blends

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

Dry Premixes at the 95% Grade

The 95% grade suits dry premixes where the color tolerance is wider. The premix is built in steps with a dry carrier and sieved to remove specks, then packed with a desiccant to protect flow.

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.