Pygeum africanum Extract 2.5–13% Phytosterols

The bark of Prunus africana, the evergreen montane tree of the African highlands sold in trade as pygeum, is extracted with ethanol to give this Pygeum africanum extract. The concentrate is dried to a light brown powder, milled to 80 mesh, that does not dissolve in water and carries the waxy character of the bark lipids.

Phytosterols are measured by GC and offered as a 2.5–13% range, with 13% as the primary grade and 2.5% as the lower grade. The higher grade fits small-fill capsules and softgel-style fills, and the lower grade fits blends. The higher grade suits compact capsules and softgel fills, while the lower grade suits blends that can carry more of the bark.

SKU: BOT-STX-0214 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Bark & Stem, Ethanol Extracted, Phytosterols, Pygeum africanum, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts

Phytosterol Standardization & Grades

Phytosterols are plant sterols, tetracyclic triterpenoid alcohols that resemble cholesterol in structure. In the bark of Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman, beta-sitosterol is the main sterol, with campesterol and stigmasterol as minor members, and the bark also holds long-chain fatty alcohols and ferulic esters of those alcohols. A Pygeum africanum extract is standardized to phytosterols as a group because the sterol fraction is the largest defined, measurable part of the lipophilic extract.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
2.5% Phytosterols	GC	Blends, oil-based fills
13% Phytosterols	GC	Capsules, small fill weight

The span is wide, so grade choice follows dose and carrier. At 13% the extract carries more than five times the phytosterol of the 2.5% grade per gram, which allows a compact capsule. At 2.5% the powder holds more of the bark matrix and is easier to blend at gram-level inclusion. The same bark is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract without a marker figure, the Pygeum Africanum Extract Powder, and as a bark-named extract, Pygeum Bark Extract Powder.

The bark is the only part used. Leaves, fruit and wood of the tree carry little of the sterol fraction and are not part of this identity. The tree is wild-harvested, so documentation of sourcing matters for every order.

The bark is the part used, and the supply chain is specific. Prunus africana bark is stripped from mature trees in the African highlands, dried and sold in strips, and the quality of a lot depends on the age of the bark and the care of the stripping. Pygeum africanum extract is therefore defined by the bark and by the phytosterol figure, and sourcing documentation matters for every order.

Phytosterol Analysis & Purity Risks

Gas chromatography is the standard method for sterols. The extract is saponified to release esterified sterols, the unsaponifiable fraction is extracted into a non-polar solvent, and the sterols are converted to volatile derivatives, usually trimethylsilyl ethers, which are separated on a capillary column and detected by flame ionization. The result is the sum of the identified sterols quantified against reference standards, with beta-sitosterol as the leading peak.

The method counts free and bound sterols after saponification, so the figure reflects total sterol content and does not tell how much was free in the bark. An HPLC or colorimetric result for sterols would use a different principle and would not agree with the GC number, which is why the method is part of the specification. The unsaponifiable fraction also includes the long-chain fatty alcohols, and they elute separately.

Identity is read from the sterol profile and the companions. Beta-sitosterol with campesterol and stigmasterol is common to many plants, so the sterol figure alone does not identify the bark. The pattern of long-chain alcohols and ferulic esters, together with the botanical identity, points to Prunus africana, and added purified beta-sitosterol from soy or tall oil would give a sterol pattern with the wrong companions.

The botanical risk is the bark. Cherry-family barks from other Prunus species are sold in some markets, and they carry different lipophilic profiles. Bark from the African tree is wild-harvested, and the quality of the lot depends on the age of the bark, the trimming and the storage. Bark stored damp develops mold and loses lipids to oxidation.

Sample preparation uses saponification and extraction, followed by derivatization under dry conditions, because moisture destroys the silylating reagent. Incomplete derivatization gives a low result that is easy to mistake for a weak lot.

Sterols are also read for their companions. Campesterol and stigmasterol appear beside beta-sitosterol in a fixed pattern in the bark, and a lot whose sterol ratio departs from that pattern is examined even when the total is in range. The long-chain alcohols that elute after the sterols are a second identity feature.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Prunus africana
Plant Part	Bark & Stem
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Phytosterols
Common Name	Pygeum, African Cherry
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Phytosterols
Primary Grade	13% Phytosterols (GC)
Available Grades	2.5% · 13% Phytosterols (GC)
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

13% Grade in Waxy Capsule Fills

The 13% grade of Pygeum africanum extract reaches a phytosterol target in a small fill, which suits two-piece capsules. The waxy, water-repellent powder clings to hopper walls and tamping pins, so a flow agent and a dry filling room keep fill weights steady.

13% Grade in Softgel Oil Fills

The 13% grade disperses in an oil carrier, in which sterols and long-chain alcohols dissolve better than in water. This suits softgel-style fills and liquid-filled capsules, and a slightly warm oil phase helps the waxy fraction go into dispersion.

2.5% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 2.5% Pygeum africanum grade need a dry binder and a lubricant system that copes with the waxy bark lipids, which stick to punches in humid rooms. A film coat limits dust and keeps the sterol-rich powder from contaminating the tooling.

2.5% Grade in Herbal Powder Blends

Dry herbal blends carry the 2.5% Pygeum africanum grade beside other bark and root powders. The extract is finer than the milled bark, so it is premixed with part of the carrier to avoid layering, and a retained sample helps judge the color of later lots.

13% Grade in Stick-Pack Premixes

Stick-pack premixes use the 13% grade in a bulking carrier so the filler can meter an accurate dose of this water-repellent powder. Because the powder floats on water, shaking before use belongs in the label directions, and a fine grind avoids specks in the glass.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Pygeum africanum extract is a light brown powder with a waxy, faintly woody and slightly astringent character. It does not dissolve in water. Phytosterols dissolve in ethanol, in chloroform-type solvents and in oils, so oil, alcohol-containing and suspension bases give a more uniform product than a plain aqueous mix.

Phytosterols are stable, saturated-skeleton molecules that tolerate heat and moderate acidity and resist oxidation as dry solids. The unsaturated long-chain components and the ferulic esters of the bark are less stable: they oxidize slowly in air, which darkens the powder and brings a stale note. Sealed packaging, low oxygen and a cool warehouse protect the profile, and an antioxidant in the oil phase helps in softgels.

The dry powder is waxy and tends to cake in a warm warehouse. Closed charging and local extraction keep the fine, light brown dust out of the air at the filler.

A receiving check helps: a light brown, fine powder with a faint woody and waxy note is expected, while a rancid smell points to oxidized lipids and a gritty feel suggests bark fiber. Then an accelerated stability run at a moderate temperature in the intended pack shows early whether color, flow and the phytosterol figure hold across 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.