Vitex negundo Extract 0.5% Alkaloids

Vitex negundo extract is prepared from the leaves of Vitex negundo, the aromatic shrub of tropical Asia with five-lobed leaves, and not from the fruit of the related Vitex agnus-castus. Ethanol extraction takes up the nitrogen compounds and other constituents of the leaf, and the liquor is dried to a light brown powder.

The grade is 0.5% alkaloids. The powder is 80 mesh and slightly soluble in water. A single grade is supplied, which suits capsules, tablets and dry blends that need a defined alkaloid fraction from the leaf in a fine powder that blends easily with other botanical extracts.

SKU: BOT-STX-0051 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Alkaloids, Ethanol Extracted, Leaf & Herb, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts, Vitex

Alkaloid Standardization & Grades

Alkaloids are nitrogen-containing plant compounds, and in Vitex negundo leaf they are a minor class beside the iridoid glycosides, such as agnuside and negundoside, the flavonoids, such as casticin and luteolin glycosides, and the essential oil. The grade names the alkaloid fraction as a class and does not name a single compound. The botanical entity is Vitex negundo L., a shrub of the Lamiaceae, and the part used is the leaf. The same genus includes Vitex agnus-castus, whose fruit is used and which is a different species with a different chemistry.

The grade is a single level at 0.5%, so there is no tier to choose between. The choice is between leaf materials. The leaf is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract, the Vitex Negundo Leaf Extract Powder, which carries no marker figure, and as a milled leaf, the Vitex negundo Leaf Powder. A pharmacopoeial-style monograph for the leaf powder names the iridoid glycosides as its markers, so a buyer who is comparing offers should be clear whether an alkaloid fraction or an iridoid glycoside fraction is the specification. The two describe different compounds of the same leaf. Vitex negundo extract at 0.5% alkaloids is therefore a defined fraction of a leaf with many other constituents.

Alkaloid Analysis & Purity Risks

A total alkaloid figure can be produced by several methods, including acid-base titration, isolation and weighing, and colorimetric assays. These are not interchangeable. A titration counts every basic nitrogen compound, a gravimetric method counts what can be separated, and a color reaction responds to the compound classes that give it. The method used for a figure therefore decides what the number means, and a result from one method cannot be converted into another.

For a leaf extract the alkaloid fraction is only part of the picture. The chromatographic fingerprint of Vitex negundo leaf is usually read through the iridoid glycosides, flavonoids and phenolic acids, which are larger peaks than any alkaloid, and these provide the most useful check of identity. A leaf extract that shows the iridoid peaks and the flavonoid pattern of the species is more convincing than an alkaloid percentage on its own.

Sample preparation affects the number. The powder must be dissolved fully in the extraction medium, the pH is controlled, and a blank corrects for non-alkaloid color or turbidity. The reference compound used to calibrate belongs with the result.

Purity risks follow from naming and from the leaf itself. The common name chaste tree is used for Vitex agnus-castus, whose fruit is used, and Vitex negundo, Vitex trifolia and Vitex rotundifolia are different species with different leaf chemistry. A stated species, the leaf as the plant part and the iridoid fingerprint are the first identity checks.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Vitex negundo
Plant Part	Leaf & Herb
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Alkaloids
Common Name	Vitex negundo, Five-Leaved Vitex, Nirgundi
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Total alkaloids (nitrogen-containing constituents of the leaf)
Primary Grade	0.5% Alkaloids
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

Single Grade for Compact Capsules

The single grade fills capsules and tablets with a defined alkaloid fraction. The light brown powder is slightly soluble in water and hygroscopic, so fill in a dry room and keep a desiccant in the closure of the bottle.

Leaf Extract in Tablet Blends

Tablets need a dry binder and a moisture-tolerant filler, because leaf extract powders take up water and soften compacts. A film coat covers the bitter, aromatic taste of the leaf, and a sealed blister limits moisture during storage.

Leaf Extract in Dry Botanical Blends

Dry blends combine the powder with other leaf and root extracts. Pre-blend it with a portion of the carrier to avoid color streaks and lumps, and check the blend for uniformity, since the light brown powder is easy to confuse with its neighbors in a visual check.

Leaf Extract in Tea-Style Mixes

Tea-style mixes use the powder with mint, ginger or citrus peel. The aromatic, slightly pungent leaf note is part of the flavor, and the extract gives a hazy infusion because it is only slightly soluble in water.

Leaf Extract in Stick Packs

Stick packs carry the powder at a low fill with a flow agent and a sweet carrier. Seal the packs in moisture-barrier film, because the powder clumps at the seal, and note the aromatic taste when the stick is dissolved at the target dose.

Leaf Extract in Softgel Fills

For vitex negundo, for vitex negundo, softgel fills can carry the powder as a milled suspension in oil. For vitex negundo, the slightly soluble solid does not dissolve in oil, so particle size and a suspending agent decide whether the fill stays uniform through storage.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light brown powder with a pungent, aromatic leaf odor and a bitter, slightly sharp taste. The iridoid glycosides of the leaf are sensitive to strong acid and heat, which cleave the sugar and change the chromatographic pattern, and the flavonoids darken on contact with iron or copper. Neutral to mildly acidic systems protect color and profile.

For production, control humidity in weighing and filling, since the powder gains water slowly and then cakes. Sieve before blending to break up soft lumps and fold Vitex negundo extract into a portion of the carrier. The aromatic fraction can transfer odor to pale products, so use dedicated scoops and a sealed liner for the powder.

Compare each lot with a retained sample for color, odor and the fingerprint peaks. Clean the line after a run, because the aromatic, slightly sticky residue is persistent. A cool, dry store keeps the powder free-flowing through shelf life, and a taste trial at the target dose shows how much of the pungent leaf note Vitex negundo extract adds to the finished product. Vitex negundo leaf extract is aromatic, and its odor is stronger when the drum is first opened, so open drums in a ventilated area and reseal them promptly. A retained sample from each lot, tested again near the end of shelf life, shows whether the packaging holds the color and the odor.

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.