Reading a cistanche extract specification, line by line
What we settle before a cistanche specification sheet goes out. Most cistanche enquiries arrive with a competitor label quoting a single echinacoside percentage, so the first thing we establish is the marker basis: echinacoside alone, or the echinacoside-plus-acteoside pair that our standard assay uses. We then ask our manufacturing partner for the most recent lot COA to send alongside the sheet, because the sheet states limits while the COA states results, and on a marginal lot those are two different documents. If the buyer needs an alternative assay, mesh size or carrier system, we confirm feasibility and lead time with the partner within one business day rather than quoting blind.
A cistanche extract specification is a short sheet, and it is read in the wrong order more often than any other document in the tonic-herb category. Buyers open it looking for a single potency percentage, find a two-marker assay line, and are not sure what to negotiate. This article reads the cistanche extract specification in the order that matters: what the assay line actually says, the physical lines that decide whether the powder works in your process, and what the batch COA adds on top. The commercial side — how quotations are compared and what a first order looks like — is covered in our cistanche extract sourcing guide.
What the botanical and process lines tell you
The standard material is an extract of the succulent stem of Cistanche deserticola Y.C.Ma, produced by water or ethanol-water extraction and supplied as a brown fine powder at 80 mesh. Two details matter more than they look. First, the part: the stem rather than the whole plant, which is where the phenylethanoid glycosides concentrate, and the reason the trade name “desert ginseng” carries weight in the category. Second, the supply base: cultivated desert stands, which is what makes the documentation traceable and the annual availability stable enough to build a formula on.
The assay line: echinacoside and acteoside
The standard assay is echinacoside at 20% or more with acteoside at 5% or more, both verified by HPLC. This is a pair, not a single number, and it is the line that decides whether a quotation is comparable to yours. Single-marker echinacoside grades at 10%, 20% and 50% are available on request. Before comparing cistanche extract specifications from different suppliers, settle which basis each one is written on:
- The standard pair (echinacoside ≥ 20%, acteoside ≥ 5%) suits labels and quality files that state both markers, or that need an enforceable potency number per lot.
- A single-marker echinacoside grade suits a label that quantifies echinacoside alone. A 20% single-marker powder and the standard pair are not the same material, and a quotation against one basis tells you nothing about the other.
A cistanche extract specification that quotes only “echinacoside 20%” without stating the acteoside basis is incomplete — ask for the full marker basis before comparing prices.
The physical lines: appearance, mesh and moisture
Appearance is brown fine powder and particle size is 80 mesh, the standard working size for capsule filling and direct compression. Loss on drying is at or below 5.0%. Alternative mesh sizes can be produced on request — tell us your process and we will confirm feasibility and lead time. These lines decide whether the powder flows in your equipment; the assay line decides what the label can state. Read them in that order.
What the batch COA adds to the cistanche extract specification
The specification states limits; the COA states results. The typical values published for a standard lot are echinacoside 21.8% and acteoside 5.6% by HPLC, lead below 1 ppm, total plate count below 1,000 cfu/g, and E. coli and Salmonella negative. The actual COA for your batch is issued with the shipment. If your quality file needs a tighter envelope — for example a stricter internal limit on lead — say so at the quotation stage, because it changes the lot selection, not just the paperwork.
| Line | Standard specification |
|---|---|
| Botanical source | Cistanche deserticola Y.C.Ma, succulent stem |
| Process / solvent | Water / ethanol-water extraction |
| Assay | Echinacoside ≥ 20%, acteoside ≥ 5% (HPLC) |
| Appearance / mesh | Brown fine powder, 80 mesh |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% |
| Packing / shelf life | 25 kg fibre drum, 24 months unopened |
Packing, sample and lead time
Packing is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double PE liner as standard, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs. MOQ is 1 kg and OEM service is available under your label and specification. Samples are supplied in an evaluation quantity agreed by item value, with courier at cost. In-stock items are ready in about 2 days; bulk production takes 3–5 working days after deposit for standard grades. Transit runs Xi'an to Shenzhen consolidation in about 3 days, then air freight about 6 days; sea freight is 18–25 days.
One last note: this material is supplied as a raw ingredient for manufacturing. It is not intended for personal use or direct retail sale, and every specification sheet we issue says so on its face.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard assay in a cistanche extract specification?
The standard assay is echinacoside at 20% or more with acteoside at 5% or more, both verified by HPLC, from the succulent stem of Cistanche deserticola. Single-marker echinacoside grades at 10%, 20% and 50% are available on request.
What does a typical cistanche extract COA show?
Indicative values for a standard lot: echinacoside 21.8% and acteoside 5.6% by HPLC, lead below 1 ppm, total plate count below 1,000 cfu/g, and E. coli and Salmonella negative. The actual COA for your batch is issued with the shipment.
What are the mesh, packing and shelf-life specifications?
The powder is brown and 80 mesh, with loss on drying at or below 5.0%. Packing is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double PE liner, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs. Shelf life is 24 months unopened, stored cool and dry.
Related reading
Related: Cistanche Extract — full specification, grades and documentation.