Dong Quai Extract 1–5% Ligustilide

The dried root of Angelica sinensis, known as dong quai or dang gui, is the only part used in this extract, and the leaf, stem and seed are excluded. Extraction takes up the volatile phthalides of the root together with its phenolic acids, and the concentrate is dried to a light brown powder.

Ligustilide is measured by HPLC, with a primary grade of 5% and a lower grade of 1%. The powder is 80 mesh and insoluble in water. The 5% grade fits capsules and softgel-style fills that need a small dose, while the 1% grade fits blends in which the root matrix is wanted.

SKU: BOT-STX-0142 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Dong Quai, Dry Blends & Premixes, Ethanol Extracted, Root & Rhizome, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts

Ligustilide Standardization & Grades

Ligustilide is a phthalide, a lipophilic lactone that is the main volatile compound of the dong quai root and the one that gives the root its characteristic celery-like aroma. Butylidenephthalide, senkyunolide and ferulic acid accompany it in the extract. The botanical entity is Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, and the extract is standardized to ligustilide because it is the defining compound of the species and because HPLC resolves it from the other phthalides of the root.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
1% Ligustilide	HPLC	Blends and oil-based fills, higher inclusion
5% Ligustilide	HPLC	Capsules and softgel-style fills, small dose

Grade choice follows dose and fill weight. The 5% grade carries five times the ligustilide of the 1% grade per gram, so a capsule reaches its target with less powder, while the 1% grade is bulkier, more fibrous and easier to blend dry. Dong quai is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker figure, the Dong Quai Extract Powder, and as milled root, the Angelica sinensis Root Powder, while the same root is also listed as the Angelica Root Extract Powder. When the dong quai extract specification has to state a ligustilide figure, the standardized extract is the one to use.

Ligustilide Analysis & Purity Risks

HPLC separates ligustilide from the other phthalides on a reversed-phase column and quantifies the peak against a reference standard, with UV detection at a wavelength where the phthalide chromophore absorbs strongly. The result is ligustilide specifically. A gravimetric essential oil figure or a UV reading would count other volatile material, and neither can be converted into the HPLC value.

For identity, the fingerprint of the root is read beside ligustilide. Butylidenephthalide, senkyunolide A and ferulic acid appear as neighboring peaks, and the balance between the phthalides and the phenolic acid shows whether the material is root and not an aerial part. The ratio is part of the identity statement.

Purity risks come from both the chemistry of the compound and the botanical group. Ligustilide is unstable: it oxidizes and dimerizes on exposure to light, heat and air, so an aged or poorly stored lot shows a lower assay and new dimer peaks. The stated part and the production date matter. The genus is also large, and the European Angelica archangelica, the Japanese Angelica acutiloba and the Korean Angelica gigas are different plants with different chemistry, sold under similar names.

Sample preparation uses a nonpolar or mid-polar solvent in subdued light, followed by prompt injection. Prepared samples left on the bench lose ligustilide, so the holding time and the temperature of the autosampler belong in the method definition.

Raw material handling also matters. The root is harvested in autumn, washed, bundled and dried at modest temperature, and ethanol extraction of the dong quai root starts from this dried material. Heat drying drives off the volatile phthalides, and a root that is slowly dried or stored warm smells weaker and shows a lower ligustilide content than a carefully dried lot.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Angelica sinensis
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Common Name	Dong Quai, Dang Gui, Chinese Angelica
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Ligustilide
Primary Grade	5% Ligustilide (HPLC)
Available Grades	1% · 5% Ligustilide (HPLC)
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Insoluble in Water
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

5% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 5% grade of dong quai extract reaches a ligustilide target in a small fill, which suits compact capsules. The powder is oily, aromatic and sticky, so fill in a dry room with a flow agent, and use opaque bottles to protect the phthalide from light.

5% Grade in Oil-Based Fills

The 5% grade disperses in an oil carrier, which suits softgel-style or liquid-fill capsules and keeps the phthalide away from air. Choose a fresh, antioxidant-stabilized oil, because peroxides in an aged oil attack ligustilide quickly.

1% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 1% grade need a dry binder and a lubricant, and a film coat contains the celery-like aroma. Aromatic phthalides can migrate into packaging, so foil blisters or glass bottles hold the scent better than thin plastic.

1% Grade in Powder Blends

Dry blends carry the 1% grade at a practical gram weight alongside other root and herb extracts. Add it in stages to a free-flowing carrier, because the sticky, fibrous powder forms lumps that segregate in a large blender.

1% Grade in Sachet Premixes

In sachets, the 1% grade is diluted with a bulking carrier so that the filler can weigh an accurate dose. The extract is insoluble in water, so the label should call for stirring, and a foil laminate holds the aroma.

5% Grade in Stepwise Dilutions

Where a dose is small, the 5% grade is diluted in stages with a bulking carrier before it reaches the filler. Verify uniformity on a test batch, because a concentrated powder at low inclusion segregates easily.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Dong quai extract is a light brown, slightly oily powder with a strong, sweet, celery-like and spicy odor. Water does not dissolve the extract, which means a liquid format calls for a suspension system or an oil carrier. Ligustilide dissolves readily in ethanol and in lipid phases, which is why oily or alcoholic phases give a more uniform dispersion than an aqueous mix.

Ligustilide is the stability-limiting compound. It oxidizes in air, isomerizes in light and dimerizes on heating, giving a lower assay and a darker color over time. Opaque, oxygen-barrier packaging, nitrogen flushing of the drum and cool storage slow these changes, and a retained sample from release shows how the lot ages. Hot processing such as extrusion or a high-temperature coating step also drives off part of the volatile fraction.

Scale-up of the extract benefits from a sieving step directly before blending, since the sticky powder forms soft lumps in storage. Weigh early fills against target, because density varies between lots, and keep drums sealed with a desiccant liner in humid regions. A closed charging system limits the aroma and the tan dust in the packing room.

Compatibility with other ingredients needs a trial. Strong oxidizers, trace metals and peroxide-bearing oils accelerate ligustilide loss, so an accelerated stability study at elevated temperature shows early whether a combination is sound.

The aroma is both a quality cue and a formulation constraint. A fresh dong quai extract smells sweet and celery-like, and a stale lot smells flat or rancid, so odor at the opened drum is a quick incoming check. In a finished beverage the same aroma reads as herbal and slightly medicinal, which citrus, honey and ginger notes soften. Because phthalides are volatile, tablets and capsules are best packed in glass or foil, and thin plastic liners let the scent escape over the shelf life.

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.