Echinacea Root Extract 2–4% Cichoric Acid

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

The grade range is 2–4% cichoric acid by HPLC, and the primary grade is the 4% end. The powder is 80 mesh and water soluble. The 2% grade keeps a fuller root profile for blends, while the 4% grade carries the marker at a higher load for compact capsules and tablets.

SKU: BOT-STX-0032 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Polyphenols, Root & Rhizome, Standardized Extracts, Water Soluble

Cichoric Acid Standardization & Grades

Cichoric acid is a dicaffeoyltartaric acid, a compound in which two caffeic acid units are joined to a tartaric acid core. It is the named marker of this grade and a well-known phenolic acid of the Echinacea genus. The root of the narrow-leaved species is also characterized by echinacoside and cynarin, and the data for this product lists echinacoside and total polyphenols as secondary markers. The botanical entity is Echinacea angustifolia DC., and the part used is the dried root.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
2% Cichoric Acid	HPLC	Blended powders and drink mixes
4% Cichoric Acid	HPLC	Capsules and tablets with small fill

The two grades differ by a factor of two. The 4% grade is a marker concentrate that reaches a target dose from a small fill. The 2% grade is closer to the whole root: it carries more of the sugars, the alkylamides and the echinacoside of the root, so echinacea root extract at this level suits blends and drink mixes. The species and the part decide the profile, and the herb of the purple coneflower is a separate material, supplied as the Echinacea Extract 4% Polyphenols. The same root is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract, the Echinacea Angustifolia Extract Powder, and the purified acid is listed as Chicoric Acid 98%. Echinacea root extract at 4% is the more concentrated of the two grades, and echinacea root extract at 2% is the fuller one.

Cichoric Acid Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by HPLC against a cichoric acid reference standard. The caffeoyl groups absorb ultraviolet light strongly, so a UV detector gives a clean peak. A colorimetric polyphenol total counts every phenolic compound in the extract, including echinacoside and chlorogenic acid, and it cannot be converted into an HPLC cichoric acid result.

The chromatogram is read as a pattern. The root of the narrow-leaved species shows echinacoside and cynarin as characteristic peaks beside cichoric acid, and the alkylamides appear as a late group of lipophilic peaks. Research on root material shows that drying soon after harvest at an elevated temperature leaves higher echinacoside and cynarin than undried material, so postharvest handling changes the profile before extraction begins.

Sample preparation is simple, but the sample must be handled with care because cichoric acid is labile. The powder is dissolved in a polar diluent, filtered and injected promptly, and long standing in solution or exposure to light lowers the peak. The result also depends on the diluent pH.

Purity risks are botanical. The three medicinal species, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea pallida, differ in chemistry, and roots and aerial parts differ again. Cichoric acid is most abundant in the herb of the purple coneflower, so a high cichoric acid figure alone does not fix the species. The echinacoside and cynarin peaks are the more specific identity markers of this root.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Echinacea angustifolia
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Narrow-Leaved Echinacea Root, Echinacea Root
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Cichoric acid (dicaffeoyltartaric acid)
Primary Grade	4% Cichoric Acid (HPLC)
Available Grades	2% · 4% Cichoric Acid (HPLC)
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

4% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 4% grade reaches a marker target from a small fill, which suits capsules and tablets. The powder is water soluble and hygroscopic, so fill in a dry room and keep a desiccant in the closure of the bottle to protect the flow of the powder.

4% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 4% grade need a dry binder and a moisture-tolerant filler, because phenolic acid powders soften compacts under humidity. Keep the blend away from iron equipment, which darkens caffeic acid derivatives on contact.

2% Grade in Instant Drink Mixes

The 2% grade dissolves in water to a clear to slightly hazy brown drink with a mild herbal taste. It suits instant mixes with citrus, honey or ginger, and the alkylamides may leave a slight tingle on the tongue.

2% Grade in Lozenge Bases

Lozenge bases can use the 2% grade because it dissolves with the sugar mass. Stir it in at the end of the cook at a low temperature, because heat degrades cichoric acid, and protect the finished lozenge from humidity.

2% Grade in Gummy Premixes

Gummy premixes accept the 2% grade 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 darken if the phenolic acids oxidize at high pH.

4% Grade in Stick Packs

Stick packs carry the 4% grade 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 during storage.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light brown powder with an earthy, herbal odor and a slightly bitter, tingling taste. Caffeic acid derivatives are sensitive to heat, light, alkaline pH and metal ions, and the root extract darkens in high-pH bases and on contact with iron or copper. Neutral to mildly acidic systems keep color and the cichoric acid peak more stable.

A fine flow aid helps the 4% grade pass through hoppers and feeders, and dedicated scoops avoid cross-contact with pale products.

In liquids, add the powder under agitation to a base at a moderate pH, and avoid long hot holds. Keep the drum sealed and away from light and heat, and compare each lot with a retained sample for color, taste and the cichoric acid peak. A stability trial in the real formula shows whether the phenolic acids hold through shelf life.

Taste and sensation set the dose in drinks. The root carries lipophilic alkylamides that cause a tingling feeling on the tongue, and the tingle is stronger in the 2% grade, which holds more of the root matrix. Sweetener and acid help keep the sensation acceptable, and a taste panel on the final drink settles the usable level before scale-up.

Echinacea root is hard and fibrous, so the extraction step turns a tough material into a fine, quick-wetting powder, and the lot should be checked for echinacoside, cynarin and cichoric acid peaks together, not for one compound alone.

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.