Astragalus Root Extract 5–20% Astragaloside IV

Astragalus root extract comes from the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus, the huang qi of Chinese practice, and is standardized to one named saponin, astragaloside IV. Ethanol extraction takes up the glycosides of the root, and the liquor is dried to a brown powder.

The grade range is 5–20% astragaloside IV by HPLC, and the primary grade is the 20% end. The powder is 80 mesh and water soluble. The 5% grade suits bulky blends and drink sticks, while the 20% grade gives a higher marker load per gram for capsules and tablets.

SKU: BOT-STX-0016 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Astragalus, Bars & Bakery, Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Root & Rhizome, Saponins, Standardized Extracts

Astragaloside IV Standardization & Grades

Astragaloside IV is a cycloartane-type triterpene glycoside, a saponin in which a four-ring triterpene skeleton carries sugar units. It is the standardization target because it is characteristic of astragalus root, it is listed beside the polysaccharides as a main constituent, and a pure reference compound is available for quantitation. Other astragalosides and the isoflavonoids of the root travel with it in the extract, but only astragaloside IV is named in the grade. The botanical entity is Astragalus membranaceus, and the part used is the root.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
5% Astragaloside IV	HPLC	Drink sticks and blended premixes
20% Astragaloside IV	HPLC	Capsules and tablets with small fill

Grade choice follows dose and cost per gram of marker. The 20% grade carries four times the astragaloside IV of the 5% grade, so a capsule or tablet reaches its target in a smaller fill. The 5% grade is the choice for sticks and blends where bulk is acceptable and a lower marker load per gram is easier to meter. Astragalus root extract at 20% is the concentrated option, and the 5% grade keeps more of the other soluble solids of the root around the marker. The same root is also supplied for its carbohydrate marker as Astragalus Extract 20–50% Polysaccharides, as a 10:1 ratio extract, the Astragalus Root Extract Powder, and as a milled root, the Astragalus Root Powder.

Astragaloside IV Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by HPLC against an astragaloside IV reference standard. The molecule has no strong chromophore, so a light-scattering or mass detector, or UV at a very low wavelength, is normally used to see the peak. The figure reports one named saponin only. A UV total or a gravimetric saponin figure counts every glycoside that responds in the same way, and it cannot be converted into an HPLC astragaloside IV result. Astragalus root extract of both grades is read against the same reference standard, so the difference between them is concentration, not method.

The root contains several related astragalosides, among them astragaloside I, II and III, together with isoflavonoids such as calycosin and formononetin. A fingerprint therefore shows a cluster of saponin peaks, with astragaloside IV as one member, and the pattern of that cluster is a better check of identity than the single number. Because the detector response is weak, the baseline and the integration of small peaks matter more here than for a strongly absorbing marker.

Purity risks come from botany and from the aglycone. The genus holds well over two thousand species, and North American locoweeds are not a source of huang qi. Roots of other plants may also be sold under a similar trade name, so a fixed species, part and fingerprint are the first checks. Cycloastragenol, the aglycone of the saponin, is a separate compound with its own use, and it is not the same as astragaloside IV in an assay. Extracts built from a different part of the plant would lack the saponin pattern of the root altogether.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Astragalus membranaceus
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Saponins
Common Name	Astragalus Root, Huang Qi
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Astragaloside IV (cycloartane triterpene glycoside)
Primary Grade	20% Astragaloside IV (HPLC)
Available Grades	5% · 20% Astragaloside IV (HPLC)
Appearance	Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
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

20% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 20% grade delivers an astragaloside IV dose in a small fill, which suits capsules and tablets. The brown powder is water soluble but hygroscopic, so fill in a controlled-humidity room and keep a desiccant in the closure of the bottle. Astragalus saponin powder flows poorly when damp, and a fine flow aid restores the hopper feed.

20% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 20% grade need a moisture-tolerant filler and a dry binder, because the saponin powder takes up water and softens compacts. Test hardness after storage, and consider a barrier film coat for humid markets.

5% Grade in Drink Sticks

Sticks use the 5% grade because a lower marker figure is easy to dose by weight, and a larger scoop or sachet keeps the dose accurate. The powder dissolves into a brown, mildly foaming drink. Seal the pack in moisture-barrier film to stop the powder clumping at the seal.

5% Grade in Instant Tea Blends

Instant tea blends take the 5% grade with dried citrus, jujube or ginger solids. Saponin foam forms when the drink is stirred hard, so blend with a flow agent and dissolve with gentle agitation to keep the cup clear.

5% Grade in Gummy Premixes

Gummy premixes accept the 5% grade because the soluble saponin disperses in warm syrup without grit. Add the powder after the main cook, and keep the hold short so the color stays pale and the mild bitterness does not build.

20% Grade in Bar Premixes

Bar premixes use the 20% grade to keep the inclusion small. Blend the brown powder into the dry fraction before the syrup is added, since it will wet quickly and can leave dark specks if it meets the binder first.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a brown powder with a mild sweet-bean odor and a slight bitter edge. It is water soluble, and a solution of the 5% grade is clearer than one of the 20% grade, which shows a little haze. Saponins lower surface tension, so agitated solutions foam. Glycosides of this type are stable in neutral and mildly acidic bases at normal processing temperatures, but long exposure to strong acid or alkali can split the sugar units from the skeleton and change the HPLC pattern.

For scale-up, sieve the powder before blending to break up soft lumps, and add a flow aid for the 20% grade, which packs more densely. Humidity control matters because the powder is hygroscopic: weigh and fill in a dry room, and keep the drum closed between uses. Where foam is a concern in liquid filling, add the powder slowly below the liquid surface or use an antifoam that is compatible with the base.

Compare each lot with a retained sample for color, odor and the saponin pattern in the chromatogram, and check moisture on opening a new drum. Dedicated scoops avoid cross-contact with pale products, because the brown powder stains mixers and hoppers. Moisture uptake is the main handling issue of astragalus root extract, and it shows first as caking at the rim of the drum.

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.