Gastrodia Elata Extract 1–20% Gastrodin

The dried tuber of Gastrodia elata, a leafless orchid of East Asian mountain forests known in the Chinese trade as tian ma, is the only part used in this extract, and the stem, flower and fruit are excluded. Ethanol extraction takes up the phenolic glycosides of the tuber, and the concentrate is dried to a light brown powder.

Gastrodin is measured by HPLC, with a primary grade of 20% and a lower grade of 1%. The powder is 80 mesh and water soluble. The 20% grade fits capsules and tablets that need a small fill, while the 1% grade fits drink powders and blends in which the tuber matrix is wanted.

SKU: BOT-STX-0155 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Bars & Bakery, Ethanol Extracted, Gastrodia, Root & Rhizome, Standardized Extracts, Water Soluble

Gastrodin Standardization & Grades

Gastrodin is a phenolic glucoside, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol glucoside, and it is the characteristic compound of the Gastrodia tuber. The tuber also contains 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, vanillyl alcohol and the parishin series, esters of citric acid with gastrodin units, and a polysaccharide fraction. The botanical entity is Gastrodia elata Blume, and the extract is standardized to gastrodin because it is the defining compound of the species and the one that HPLC measures cleanly.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
1% Gastrodin	HPLC	Drink powders and blends, higher inclusion
20% Gastrodin	HPLC	Capsules and tablets, small fill weight

Grade choice follows dose and fill weight. The 20% grade carries twenty times the gastrodin of the 1% grade per gram, so a capsule reaches its target with a fraction of the powder, while the 1% grade is bulkier, richer in polysaccharide and easier to blend dry. Gastrodia is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker figure, the Gastrodia Elata Extract Powder, and as a single compound, Gastrodin 98%. The standardized extract is the choice when the Gastrodia elata extract specification must list a gastrodin figure.

Gastrodin Analysis & Purity Risks

HPLC separates gastrodin from 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and the parishins on a reversed-phase column and quantifies the peak against a reference standard, with UV detection at a wavelength where the phenolic chromophore absorbs. The result is gastrodin specifically. A UV total would count other phenolics, and neither a UV nor a gravimetric glycoside figure can be converted into the HPLC value.

For identity, the fingerprint of the tuber is read beside gastrodin. 4-Hydroxybenzyl alcohol and parishin A, B and C appear as neighbors, and the balance between gastrodin and the parishins shows how the tuber was processed, because parishins hydrolyze to gastrodin and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol on steaming and storage. The ratio is part of the identity statement.

Purity risks follow from the botanical group. Gastrodia is an orchid that lives with a fungus and has no leaves, so cultivated tubers depend on the fungal partner, and quality varies with cultivation. Other tuber and rhizome materials, such as the starchy tubers of unrelated species, have been used as substitutes in the trade, and the stated species and the stated tuber part protect identity better than one percentage does. Gastrodin is also sold as a pure compound, and a very high figure in a tuber extract is a reason to ask about the sample basis.

Sample preparation uses an aqueous alcohol extraction at moderate temperature and a short run, followed by prompt injection. Because parishins convert to gastrodin in warm solution, the holding time and the temperature of the autosampler are part of the method definition.

Raw material handling also matters. Fresh tubers are steamed, sliced and dried, which inactivates enzymes and shifts the balance of the glycosides. Poorly dried or stale slices darken and show a lower gastrodin content.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Gastrodia elata
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Gastrodia, Tian Ma
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Gastrodin
Primary Grade	20% Gastrodin (HPLC)
Available Grades	1% · 20% Gastrodin (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

20% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 20% grade of Gastrodia elata extract reaches a gastrodin target in a small fill, which suits compact capsules. The powder is hygroscopic and slightly sticky, so fill in a dry room and seal the capsules in a desiccated bottle.

1% Grade in Drink Powders

The 1% grade dissolves into a clear to slightly hazy pale brown cup with a mild, faintly sweet and earthy taste. Soy, honey or herbal tea flavors suit it well, and cool water gives the cleanest dispersion.

20% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 20% grade need a dry binder and a glidant, because the hygroscopic powder softens in humid air. Film coating limits water pickup, and hardness is rechecked after a period of storage and before release.

1% Grade in Stick-Pack Blends

Stick packs of the 1% grade carry the extract at a practical gram weight. The polysaccharide content draws water, so a foil laminate with low moisture transmission keeps the powder free-flowing through the full shelf life of the product.

1% Grade in Bar Blends

Cold-pressed bars take the 1% grade in the dry fraction, mixed in before the syrup. The mild, earthy flavor sits under cocoa, nut and date notes, and the pale tan color is invisible in dark bases.

20% Grade in Stepwise Dilutions

For a small dose, the 20% grade of the extract is stepped down with a bulking carrier before the filling run. A pilot lot sampled top, middle and bottom shows whether the concentrate has stayed evenly distributed.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Gastrodia elata extract is a light brown powder with a faint, earthy odor, sometimes described as vanilla-like because of vanillyl alcohol, and a mild, slightly sweet taste. It is water soluble, giving a clear to slightly hazy pale brown solution. Gastrodin itself dissolves freely in water because of its sugar unit, and the lower grade also dissolves polysaccharide that thickens the solution slightly.

Gastrodin is stable at neutral to mildly acidic pH and moderate temperature, but it hydrolyzes under strong acid, strong base and prolonged heat, releasing 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, which is less water soluble and more reactive. Hot-fill and retort processes therefore shift the gastrodin figure and the sensory profile. The polysaccharide in the lower grade makes it hygroscopic, so it cakes in humid air.

For larger runs, the tuber extract is screened, premixed with part of the carrier and checked by weighing early fills. Drums are stored sealed and cool, with a desiccant liner in humid regions, and a closed charging system limits the fine, pale dust.

Compatibility with other ingredients needs a short trial. Acidic ingredients can hydrolyze the glycoside in a liquid format held for months, so an accelerated stability study at the target pH shows early whether a combination is sound.

Flavor in a liquid format is gentle but not neutral. The faint vanilla-like and earthy note of Gastrodia elata extract blends well with soy, oat and nut bases, and it is easily lost under strong citrus or mint. Because the lower grade carries polysaccharide, a drink at higher inclusion feels slightly thicker, and a very cold serving can look cloudy as the polysaccharide associates. A short rest at room temperature and a stir restore clarity before the cup is served.

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.