Dihydroberberine 98%

The reduced, uncharged form of berberine is dihydroberberine, and the material here is tied to the rhizome of Coptis chinensis and supplied as a yellow powder that does not dissolve in water. Where berberine is a permanent cation, dihydroberberine is a neutral amine, and that change is the whole story of its handling.

The primary grade is 98% dihydroberberine by HPLC, with a 95% grade also supplied, in Food / Dietary Supplement Grade. It is used where the reduced form, and not berberine chloride or another salt, is the defined ingredient.

SKU: BOT-PHY-0033 Category: Phytochemicals Tags: Alkaloids, Coptis, Ethanol Extracted, Plant Compounds, Root & Rhizome, Softgels & Oil Fills

Dihydroberberine Chemical Identity

Dihydroberberine has the molecular formula C20H19NO4 and a molecular weight of 337.4, one hydrogen more than the berberine cation. The quaternary nitrogen of berberine is converted to a tertiary amine by the addition of a hydride at the carbon beside it, which breaks the full aromatic conjugation of the isoquinolinium ring. The molecule keeps the dimethoxy and methylenedioxy substituents of the parent, so it is recognizably a protoberberine, but it is neutral and much more lipophilic.

That relationship has practical consequences. Dihydroberberine is oxidized back toward berberine by air and light, and the yellow color of the powder reflects the more weakly conjugated system. It is formed in the plant only in trace quantities and is usually prepared by chemical reduction of berberine, so the source statement should be read with that in mind. The botanical origin tied to this record is the rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch. Related materials are Berberine 98%, the mixed Coptis Extract 20–50% Berberine and the unstandardized Coptis Rhizome Extract Powder. Those contain the cationic alkaloid, not the reduced form.

Because the molecule is neutral, it is read differently from the salts of berberine. A salt dissociates in the mobile phase and elutes as the cation, whereas dihydroberberine elutes as itself and shows a different absorption maximum. The two should never be added together in a content figure, and a specification should state which form is being measured.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Natural Source	Coptis chinensis rhizome
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction & Purification
Compound Class	Alkaloids
Chemical Name (IUPAC)	16,17-dimethoxy-5,7-dioxa-13-azapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,8.015,20]henicosa-1(21),2,4(8),9,15(20),16,18-heptaene
CAS Number	483-15-8
Molecular Formula	C20H19NO4
Molecular Weight	337.4
PubChem CID	10217
InChIKey	FZAGOOYMTPGPGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES	COC1=C(C2=C(C=C1)C=C3C4=CC5=C(C=C4CCN3C2)OCO5)OC
Purity	98% (HPLC)
Available Grades	95% · 98% (HPLC)
Grade	Food / Dietary Supplement Grade
Appearance	Yellow 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

Dihydroberberine Purity Grades & Impurities

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
95% Dihydroberberine	HPLC	Premixes and oil-based fills
98% Dihydroberberine	HPLC	Capsules and reference-grade blends

The HPLC assay compares the dihydroberberine peak with the other detected peaks. The method has to keep the sample in the reduced state, because dihydroberberine oxidizes to berberine in solution within hours, especially in the light, and a sample that waited on the autosampler will show a growing berberine peak that was not in the original powder. Fresh preparation, amber vials and a short queue protect the result.

Berberine itself is therefore the main related substance and the key point of the specification. It can be present from incomplete reduction or from oxidation during storage. The protoberberines that accompany berberine in the rhizome, such as palmatine, coptisine and epiberberine, give their own reduced forms in small amounts, and unreduced traces of these alkaloids may remain. Reaction by-products of the reduction step, such as over-reduced tetrahydro forms, are also looked for.

The 95% and 98% grades differ in how much berberine and related material remains. A yellow powder that darkens to orange or brown has oxidized, and the HPLC content falls as berberine rises. Moisture and ash are limited separately, and the powder is stored away from air and light for the same reason.

Dihydroberberine Solubility & Delivery

Dihydroberberine is insoluble in water, because it carries no charge and no strongly polar groups. It dissolves in organic solvents such as chloroform, dichloromethane and, to a useful extent, ethanol, and it is far more lipophilic than the chloride salt of berberine. The neutral amine can be protonated in strong acid, which brings the molecule into water but reverses the reduction on oxidation.

Delivery rests on the lipophilic character. Oil-based fills, lipid carriers, surfactant dispersions and amorphous solid dispersions are the approaches described in the literature, and each must also protect against oxygen. Antioxidants in the oil phase, nitrogen-flushed packaging and opaque containers are standard. In dry blends the powder is stable if kept sealed and shaded, though static and stickiness make small weights difficult to handle, and a two-step premix with a dry carrier improves uniformity. Closed transfer and dedicated tools prevent yellow staining of surfaces.

Handling of the dry powder calls for discipline about air. Each opening of the container admits oxygen and humidity, and the surface layer of a drum can oxidize while the inside stays reduced. Small, well-sealed portions, a nitrogen blanket and an opaque container limit this, and a lot is sampled from several depths before release so that the figure represents the whole.

Application Areas

Oil-Based Capsule Fills

Softgels and oil-filled capsules suit the lipophilic reduced alkaloid. The powder is dispersed in oil with an antioxidant under nitrogen, and settling is checked before encapsulation so that the dose stays uniform across the batch.

Dry Capsule Fills

Dry capsules take dihydroberberine at low inclusion with a flow agent. The yellow powder leaves residue on tooling, so a dedicated line and dust extraction protect the next product, and amber capsules slow oxidation on the shelf.

Lipid Dispersion Systems

Lipid and surfactant dispersions carry the reduced alkaloid where an aqueous salt would not. Particle size and the antioxidant system decide the stability, and an exposure trial under air and light shows how quickly berberine forms in the finished system.

Alkaloid Form Comparison Blends

Formulators comparing berberine forms use dihydroberberine beside the chloride to see how the neutral and cationic forms differ in dispersion and color. Each lot is traced to its HPLC trace, which shows the berberine peak and its growth with time.

Premix Blends at Low Inclusion

Premixes carry dihydroberberine at low inclusion in a dry carrier with an antioxidant. Blend it in a closed mixer, flush the headspace with nitrogen, and pack immediately in opaque containers, because the surface oxidizes within days if the powder is left open to air.

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.