Plant Extracts

Plant Extracts refer to products derived from whole plants or parts thereof through processes such as extraction, concentration, separation, and drying. These processes aim to selectively obtain and concentrate one or multiple components of the plant without altering the structural characteristics of its original constituents.

Over 300 types of plant extracts have been industrialized, each containing diverse natural active ingredients such as alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, and polysaccharides. Based on their content of active components, plant extracts are classified into three main categories: single-component extracts, standardized extracts, and ratio extracts.

Single-component extracts are products obtained by extracting and isolating a specific active ingredient from a plant, with the active component typically accounting for over 90% of the content. Representative examples include shikimic acid (extracted from star anise), curcumin, 5-hydroxytryptophan (extracted from Griffonia simplicifolia seeds), resveratrol (extracted from Polygonum cuspidatum), hesperidin, rutin, and quercetin.

Standardized extracts are mixtures containing multiple active components, extracted through standardized processes, with consistent proportions and contents of these components. The active ingredient content is generally below 90%. For example, the internationally widely used standardized Ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 appears as a tan-yellow powder and is typically standardized to contain 24% flavonol glycosides and 6% ginkgolides.

Originally serving as key ingredients in herbal medicine formulations, plant extracts have expanded their applications beyond pharmaceuticals due to increased production capacity. They are now widely used in health foods, dietary supplements, food additives, cosmetics, and other industries. Based on their applications, plant extracts can be further categorized into natural pigments, natural sweeteners, pharmaceutical intermediates, dietary supplements, cosmetic ingredients, and more. In China's industry classification, the plant extract sector falls under "Pharmaceutical Manufacturing — Processing of Chinese Herbal Pieces," where it is defined as a raw material component.