Ligusticum Chuanxiong Extract 1–20% Ligustilide / Ferulic Acid

The dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong, the umbellifer cultivated in Sichuan and used in herbal trade as chuanxiong, is extracted with ethanol to give this Ligusticum chuanxiong extract. The concentrate is dried and milled to a light brown, 80 mesh powder that does not dissolve in water and carries the strong, celery-like aroma of the rhizome.

Ligustilide and ferulic acid are measured by HPLC and offered as a 1–20% range, with 20% as the primary grade and 1% as the lower grade. A third marker, senkyunolide A, is tracked as well. The higher grade suits compact capsules, while the lower grade suits oil fills and powder blends that can carry more of the rhizome matrix.

SKU: BOT-STX-0182 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Chuanxiong, Ethanol Extracted, Polyphenols, Root & Rhizome, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts

Marker Compounds & Standardization

The rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong S.H.Qiu and colleagues is rich in two chemically different marker families. Ligustilide is a lipophilic phthalide with a conjugated diene, and ferulic acid is a polar hydroxycinnamic acid. Because they sit at opposite ends of the polarity scale, a single extraction solvent favors one or the other, and the profile of the finished extract reflects how the solvent and the cleanup were chosen. Standardizing to both gives a fuller description than either marker alone.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
1% Ligustilide / Ferulic Acid	HPLC	Blends, high-inclusion powders
20% Ligustilide / Ferulic Acid	HPLC	Capsules, small fill weight

The range is wide, so grade choice follows dose and carrier. At 20% the extract carries twenty times the marker of the 1% grade per gram, which allows a compact capsule. At 1% the powder keeps more of the rhizome matrix and handles like a root powder. Chuanxiong is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract without a marker figure, the Chuanxiong Rhizome Extract Powder, and as a milled rhizome, Chuanxiong Rhizome Powder. Where marker figures are required in the specification, this standardized grade is the product to use.

The rhizome is the only part used. Chuanxiong is cultivated in Sichuan, where the small rhizome nodes are dug in early summer, cleaned and dried, and the dried rhizome is sliced or milled before extraction. Stem, leaf and fibrous roots carry other compounds and are not part of this identity. The Ligusticum chuanxiong extract is therefore defined by the rhizome and by the two marker families named in the grade.

Analytical Methods & Purity Risks

HPLC separates ligustilide, ferulic acid and senkyunolide A on a reversed-phase column, using a UV detector in a range where both the phthalide diene and the cinnamic acid absorb. Each is quantified against its own reference standard. The two main markers differ so much in polarity that they are read in a single gradient run, and the quality of the separation depends on a gradient that holds the polar acid early and the phthalide late.

Ligustilide is the unstable partner. It oxidizes and dimerizes in light, heat and air, and it isomerizes in solution, so standard and sample solutions are prepared fresh, protected from light and injected within a short time. A lot that was analyzed on a different day with an older standard can read lower even when it has not changed, which is why analysts use fresh reference solutions.

Identity of the Ligusticum chuanxiong extract is read from the fingerprint. A phthalide cluster including ligustilide, senkyunolide A and related compounds, together with ferulic acid, is characteristic of the rhizome, and the pattern helps to separate it from other umbellifer roots.

The botanical risk for Ligusticum chuanxiong extract is the large set of related roots. Dang gui (Angelica sinensis) also contains ligustilide and ferulic acid, and Gao ben (Ligusticum sinense) and lovage (Levisticum officinale) carry similar phthalides, so a marker figure alone does not prove that the material is chuanxiong. Databases treat the cultivated chuanxiong as a synonym of a related wild species, which is why trade papers vary in the name used. The stated rhizome part and species are part of the identity.

Raw rhizome that is stored damp loses its phthalides to oxidation and mold. Material with a flat aroma and a dark, soft interior gives a weak extract.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Ligusticum chuanxiong
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Chuanxiong, Sichuan Lovage
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Ligustilide; Ferulic Acid; Senkyunolide A
Primary Grade	20% Ligustilide / Ferulic Acid (HPLC)
Available Grades	1% · 20% Ligustilide / Ferulic Acid (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

20% Grade in Aromatic Capsule Fills

The 20% grade of Ligusticum chuanxiong extract delivers a marker target in a small fill, which suits two-piece capsules. The oily, aromatic powder clings to hopper walls and tamping pins, so a flow agent and a dry filling room keep fill weights steady through the run.

20% Grade in Light-Protected Tablets

Tablets of the 20% grade need a dry binder and an opaque film coat. Ligustilide degrades under light, so the coat is more than cosmetic, and an amber bottle with a desiccant holds the marker level through the shelf life.

1% Grade in Herbal Powder Blends

Dry herbal blends carry the 1% grade beside other ground roots and rhizomes. The extract is finer than cut root, so it is premixed with part of the carrier to avoid layering, and the celery-like aroma of the rhizome comes through in blends with sweet spices.

1% Grade in Oil-Phase Fills

The 1% grade disperses in an oil carrier, which suits softgel-style fills and liquid-filled capsules. The phthalides dissolve partly in the oil, so a nitrogen blanket and an antioxidant in the oil phase slow the oxidation of ligustilide during storage.

20% Grade in Stick-Pack Premixes

Stick-pack premixes use the 20% grade in a bulking carrier so the filler can meter an accurate dose of this water-insoluble powder. Label directions should call for shaking, because the powder floats, and an opaque stick film protects the phthalide from light.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Ligusticum chuanxiong extract is a light brown powder with a strong, celery-like and slightly sweet aromatic note. It does not dissolve in water. Ligustilide dissolves in ethanol and in lipids, and ferulic acid dissolves better in warm water and alcohol, so the extract disperses in water without forming a true solution.

Ligustilide is the stability-limiting component. It undergoes oxidation, dimerization and ring-opening in the presence of light, oxygen and heat, and the products darken the powder and weaken the aroma. Ferulic acid is considerably more stable, but it decarboxylates under strong heat. Opaque, sealed packaging, a nitrogen headspace for long storage and a cool warehouse protect the marker profile.

In production, sieve the powder, premix it with part of the carrier and keep processing temperatures low, since heat in a granulator or dryer accelerates ligustilide loss. Closed charging and local extraction limit the aromatic dust, which is irritating to the eyes and nose.

Compatibility trials are worthwhile with oxidizing agents and with strongly alkaline fillers, which attack phthalides and phenolic acids. An accelerated stability run with the intended pack shows early whether aroma, color and marker figures hold across the shelf life.

A quick check at receipt is useful. A light brown, fine powder with a celery-like aroma is expected for Ligusticum chuanxiong extract, while a flat smell and a dark shade point to oxidized phthalides. Both are visible before any assay result arrives, and they are worth noting when the lot is sampled.

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.