Botanicals are plants or plant parts sought after for their medicinal or therapeutic properties. Herbals, also called botanical products, or phytomedicines, are a subset of botanicals. They are made from botanicals that are used to maintain or improve health. Extracts of botanicals are made by soaking herbs or botanicals in liquids such as alcohol, glycerin or water to extract their active ingredients. Its food safety is exceptionally high since botanical extract exhibits low drug resistance, low additive residues, and almost no toxic side effects. Therefore, it has become more and more common to use botanical extracts as raw materials in nutritional supplements and health foods in recent years.
Alfa Chemistry offers a wide range of herbs & botanical extracts. These extracts have nutritional value and provide health benefits due to the retention of the active ingredients in the plant. Our herbs & botanical extracts can be used as raw materials for functional foods and dietary supplements.
Classification
There are many types of plant extracts, and their classification methods are also diverse. According to the various forms, botanical extracts can be divided into vegetable oil, concrete, powder, and crystal. According to different types of compositions, botanical extracts can be classified into glycosides, acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, and other types. These components have been proven to have biological activities, and have a non-negligible effect on human health. Therefore, botanical extracts are mostly used in supplements and health care products. Different extracts have different characteristics and functions, which can be mainly divided into the following categories.
- Extracts as antioxidants: grape seed extract, green tea extract, pine bark extract, and others.
- Extracts as immunomodulators: ganoderma lucidum extract and ginseng extract.
- Extracts as natural pigments: lycopene and purple sweet potato extract.
- Extracts as functional sweeteners: licorice root extract and stevia extract.
- Extracts for cardiovascular effect: ginkgo biloba extract, rhodiola rosea extract, and lotus seed extract.
- Extracts for calming: hops extract.
Typical Botanical Extracts
Bacopa monnieri extract
Bacopa monnieri is a commonly used herb to relieve stress and enhance memory. Studies have shown that Bacopa monnieri and its extracts may boost brain function and alleviate anxiety and stress. This is mainly due to the two active saponins, saponins A and B. Bacopa monniera has been widely used in various supplements to boost brain power.
Hops extract
Hops not only impart flavor to beer but also have excellent pharmacological effects. Hops have antioxidant effects, and other ingredients also lower blood sugar, promote digestion, calm nerves and decompress, and relieve joint pain. Therefore, hops extract can be used in dietary supplements, food, and beverages related to bone and joint health.
Rosemary extract
Rosemary extract can be divided into oil-soluble and water-soluble, and the active ingredient of the latter is mainly rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid is a natural antioxidant. Its antioxidant activity is stronger than that of vitamin E, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and folic acid, which helps to prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. Therefore, rosemary extract can be added to health products and exert its good antioxidant effect.
In addition to the above three plant extracts with health benefits, Alfa Chemistry also provides a variety of herbs & botanical extracts. If you can't find the product you need in the search bar, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Our products and services are for research use only and cannot be used for any clinical purposes.
