Echinacea Extract 4% Polyphenols

Echinacea extract is prepared from the aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea, the purple coneflower, and not from the roots or from the narrow-leaved species. Ethanol extraction takes up the caffeic acid derivatives of the herb, and the liquor is dried to a light brown powder that dissolves in water.

The grade is 4% polyphenols by UV with the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The powder is 80 mesh and water soluble. A single grade is supplied, which suits capsules, tablets, drink powders and lozenge-style products that need a defined polyphenol load from the herb in a form that dissolves easily.

SKU: BOT-STX-0031 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Echinacea, Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Leaf & Herb, Polyphenols, Standardized Extracts

Polyphenol Standardization & Grades

The grade reports total polyphenols, a class figure that sums every phenolic compound in the extract. In the aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea the main phenolics are caffeic acid derivatives, and cichoric acid is the leading member, with caftaric acid and chlorogenic acid beside it. Alkylamides, the fat-soluble compounds responsible for the tingling sensation of the plant, are a different chemical class and are not part of this grade. The botanical entity is Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench, and the part used is the aerial herb, meaning the leaf, stem and flower.

The grade is a single level at 4%, so there is no tier to choose between. The choice is between species and parts, because the genus is traded as three species and as roots or aerial parts. This product is the purple coneflower herb. The same plant is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract, the Echinacea Purpurea Extract Powder, as a milled herb, the Echinacea Powder, and as the purified acid Chicoric Acid 98%. The root extract of the narrow-leaved species is a different material, listed under a separate standardized product, and the two should not be read as interchangeable even though both are sold as echinacea extract.

Polyphenol Analysis & Purity Risks

The polyphenol figure is measured by UV with the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The reagent is reduced by phenolic compounds to give a blue product, and the absorbance is read against a reference phenol. The result counts every compound that reduces the reagent, including phenolic acids, flavonoids and some non-phenolic reducing substances. It is not an HPLC result for cichoric acid, and the two cannot be converted into one another.

The data for this product lists cichoric acid and echinacoside as secondary markers. Cichoric acid is the characteristic acid of the aerial parts of the purple coneflower, and it is the more informative peak in an HPLC fingerprint. Echinacoside is more typical of the roots of the narrow-leaved and pale species, so its presence at a high level in an aerial-part extract would suggest a different part or species.

The two figures answer different questions: the polyphenol total describes the whole phenolic fraction of the extract, while an HPLC cichoric acid figure describes one compound. Echinacea extract with a given polyphenol percentage can therefore carry quite different amounts of cichoric acid depending on the part and the drying route.

Sample preparation affects the number. The powder is dissolved in a polar diluent, and a short reaction time with the reagent is controlled by temperature, because the color keeps developing. A standard phenol such as gallic acid is used, and the percentage is expressed as equivalents of that standard.

Purity risks are botanical. Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida differ in chemistry, and the root and the herb differ again. Cichoric acid is also unstable. It degrades in light, heat and under enzyme action, so a lot that has been dried or stored badly can show a polyphenol figure that hides a low cichoric acid content.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Echinacea purpurea
Plant Part	Leaf & Herb
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Echinacea, Purple Coneflower
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Total polyphenols (caffeic acid derivatives, chiefly cichoric acid)
Primary Grade	4% Polyphenols (UV, Folin-Ciocalteu)
Appearance	Light 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

Single Grade for Capsules

The single grade fills capsules and tablets with a defined polyphenol load. The light brown powder is water soluble and hygroscopic, so fill in a dry room and keep a desiccant in the closure of the bottle.

Soluble Herb Extract in Drink Mixes

Echinacea extract dissolves in water to a clear to slightly hazy brown drink with a mild herbal taste. It suits instant drink mixes with citrus, honey or ginger, and it can leave a slight tingle on the tongue from residual alkylamides.

Herb Extract in Lozenge Bases

Lozenges and chewable bases can use the powder because it dissolves with the sugar mass. Add it at the end of the cook at a low temperature, since heat degrades cichoric acid, and protect the finished lozenge from humidity.

Herb Extract in Gummy Premixes

Gummy premixes accept the powder because it is soluble in warm syrup. Add it after the main cook, keep the hold short, and check the color of the finished gummy, which will turn brown if the polyphenols oxidize at high pH.

Herb Extract in Effervescent Tablets

Effervescent tablets work with a soluble powder. The acid in the tablet keeps the caffeic acid derivatives stable in solution, and a dry compression room prevents early reaction between the powder and the effervescent base.

Herb Extract in Stick Packs

For echinacea, stick packs carry the powder with a flow agent and a sweet carrier. Seal the packs in moisture-barrier film, because the soluble powder clumps at the seal, and keep the sticks away from light and heat.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light brown powder with a mild herbal odor and a slightly bitter, astringent taste. It is water soluble, and solutions are brown and clear to slightly hazy. Caffeic acid derivatives are sensitive to heat, light, alkaline pH and metal ions, and echinacea extract darkens in high-pH bases and on contact with iron or copper. Neutral to mildly acidic systems keep color and the polyphenol figure more stable.

For production, control humidity in weighing and filling, since the powder gains water quickly and cakes. A fine flow aid helps the powder pass through hoppers and feeders, and dedicated scoops avoid cross-contact with pale products.

In liquids, add the powder under agitation to a base that has already been adjusted to the target pH, and avoid long hot holds. Echinacea extract keeps its color best in a sealed liner away from heat, and a cool, dry store protects the powder from caking. Keep the drum sealed and away from light and heat, and compare each lot with a retained sample for color, taste and the polyphenol reading. A stability trial in the real formula, with the final sweetener and flavor, shows whether the color and taste hold through 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.