Vitex / Chasteberry Extract 1–5% Flavonoids

The dried ripe fruit of Vitex agnus-castus, the chaste tree, is the only source of this vitex extract, which uses neither the leaves nor other Vitex species. Ethanol extraction concentrates the flavonoid fraction of the small, aromatic berries, and the liquor is dried to a light brown powder.

The primary grade is 5% flavonoids by UV, with 1% as the lower end of the range. The powder is 80 mesh and slightly soluble in water. The higher grade fits capsules and tablets with a limited fill weight, while the 1% grade suits tea-style blends and drink powders in which the fruit character should stay light.

SKU: BOT-STX-0064 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Chaste Tree, Ethanol Extracted, Flavonoids, Fruit & Berry, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts

Flavonoid Standardization & Grades

Flavonoids in chaste tree fruit are a mixed group. The polymethoxylated flavone casticin and the apigenin C-glycosides vitexin and isovitexin are the best known members, and the genus name gave vitexin its own name. The page standardizes to the sum of flavonoids, not to one named compound, because the fruit carries several related structures that respond in the same assay. The botanical entity is Vitex agnus-castus L., and the part used is the fruit.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
1% Flavonoids	UV	Tea-style blends and drink powders
5% Flavonoids	UV	Capsules and tablets with limited fill weight

Grade choice follows dose per serving and how much fruit flavor a format can carry. The 5% grade holds five times the flavonoid load per gram, so a capsule reaches its target with a smaller fill. The 1% grade keeps more of the bulk and bitterness of the whole extract, which suits loose blends where a bigger dose weight is acceptable.

A flavonoid percentage alone does not say which members were counted, so buyers who compare quotes should ask what the figure covers before they compare numbers. A vitex extract that reads 5% by UV can differ in profile from another at the same figure, because the assay cannot tell glycosides from methoxylated aglycones. The same fruit is supplied as the whole-extract Chaste Tree Extract Powder, as a second ratio extract, the Vitex Fruit Extract Powder, and as a milled berry, the Vitex (Chasteberry) Powder, none of which carries a flavonoid figure.

Flavonoid Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by UV, a colorimetric method that reads the whole flavonoid class at once. It gives one summed value, calibrated against a single reference flavonoid, so the number depends on which reference compound the laboratory selects. An HPLC result for casticin or vitexin counts individual peaks and is a different measurement, which means the two cannot be converted into each other.

The fingerprint of the fruit is a pair of chromatographic zones: the polar C-glycosides that elute early and the less polar methoxylated flavones that elute late. A lot rich in the first zone and poor in the second has been extracted with a weaker solvent or from a different part of the plant. Iridoid glycosides such as agnuside and aucubin are also present in the berry and travel with the extract, but they do not react in a flavonoid assay.

Purity risks follow from the botany. The genus contains many species, and Vitex negundo and Vitex trifolia are sold under similar common names. Leaves and twigs carry flavonoids too, so a UV figure alone cannot prove that only the fruit was used. Species, plant part and a chromatographic profile together protect identity better than a percentage does.

Sample preparation matters for the reading. The powder is dissolved in an alcohol, filtered and read against a calibration curve, and any pigment or tannin that absorbs in the same window adds to the result. For that reason a clean, light brown vitex extract with a stable fingerprint is a better indicator of quality than a high figure obtained from a dark, heavily colored powder.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Vitex agnus-castus
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Flavonoids, Polyphenols
Common Name	Vitex, Chasteberry, Chaste Tree Fruit
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Total flavonoids (casticin, vitexin and related flavones of Vitex agnus-castus)
Primary Grade	5% Flavonoids (UV)
Available Grades	1% · 5% Flavonoids (UV)
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Slightly Soluble 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

5% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 5% grade delivers a flavonoid target in a small capsule fill. The light brown vitex extract powder is resinous and a little sticky. A flow agent keeps the hopper feeding evenly, and capsule weight should be checked at the start of each run and again after a pause.

1% Grade for Loose Tea Blends

At 1% the extract is used by weight in herbal tea blends, where it adds a berry-like bitterness and aroma to the cup. Pair it with citrus peel or mint, which cover the resinous edge, and blend in small dry lots before filling bags so the fine powder does not sift to the bottom.

1% Grade in Drink Powders

Instant drink mixes use the lower grade because a larger gram dose spreads the bitter taste thinly across a serving. The powder is only slightly soluble, so expect a hazy, tan suspension, and a sweetener with fruit acid in the base rounds off the bitterness.

5% Grade for Tablet Blends

Tablets of the higher grade need a dry binder, since the resinous extract tends to cling to punches and soften compacts. A short compression trial on the full blend shows whether hardness holds after a week of storage, and a dry room keeps the powder from caking in the hopper.

5% Grade in Softgel Fills

Dispersed in an oil base, the higher grade gives a fill that carries the lipophilic flavones better than water does. The powder should be milled fine before dispersion, and the suspension needs stirring to keep it uniform in the hopper and avoid sedimentation during encapsulation.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light brown powder with a faint aromatic, slightly peppery odor and a bitter taste. It is slightly soluble in water, so a solution looks tan and cloudy and settles on standing. Methoxylated flavones dissolve better in ethanol or oil than in water. The C-glycosides stay more polar, so the choice of solvent decides which part of the profile ends up in a liquid format.

Flavonoids darken slowly in light and in alkaline mixes, so keep the pH near neutral or below and protect finished blends from long exposure to light. Iron and copper from equipment can also deepen the color of a flavonoid solution, which matters in liquid or drink formats made in metal vessels.

For scale-up, sieve the powder before dosing and fold it into a portion of the carrier ahead of the final mix. Weigh with a dedicated scoop, because the aromatic resin leaves a lingering odor on equipment, and compare each lot with a retained sample for color and smell. Plan for a short clean-down between vitex and pale, neutral-tasting products, since the bitter note is easily carried over.

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.