Natural extracts can provide a source of active ingredients but extraction quality is key to their effectiveness, argues Antoine Dauby, group marketing manager of Naturex
Botanical extracts have long been used as a source of preventive healthcare all over the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates there are at least 20,000 medicinal plants and that more than 200 herbal extracts are used in Europe and the US.1 Geographically, the US, Europe and Japan dominate the global nutraceutical extracts market.
There is growing demand for a broader range of natural ingredients. Customers seek high quality plants from geographically diverse areas, including Asia, South America and North Africa. Herbal extracts are a significant source of active ingredients in the healthcare sector and are rapidly growing in importance. Consumers today are increasingly aware of health and nutrition, and the increase of scientific evidence linking diet and health is a major contributor to market growth.
The market is in a consolidation phase, and research and development investments and the size of manufacturing facilities play increasingly prominent roles in this challenging environment. The companies that cannot afford these investments will face difficulties. There are several challenges for the coming years: legislative issues, building consumer loyalty and developing more and more innovative and safe products.
Legislators worldwide are tightening regulations in an effort to improve the quality of products reaching the market. Educating consumers on the health benefits of nutraceuticals remains a top priority.
Education is fundamental to ensure that consumers are confident in their buying decisions, knowing that their products are safe and backed by credible science. Now more than ever, the ability to effectively communicate a specific health benefit associated with an ingredient will be key to succeeding in a highly competitive market.
The best extracts can be manufactured from only the finest raw materials, so controlling the growing and processing of raw materials is crucial in meeting quality requirements in today's marketplace. Botanical extract manufacturers must conduct their raw materials procurement carefully, and source their materials from reputable vendors.
At Naturex, botanicals are investigated in the field and the company works directly with premier local
growers. Before going into production, botanicals are analysed by a team of scientists and pharmacists who specialise in identification of raw materials .
Mastering the art of extraction means mastering the science of natural chemistry, i.e. having the ability to identify and extract the active compounds contained in plants. If they are improperly extracted, active compounds found in natural products may be unstable and can degrade over time. They are affected by heat, light, moisture and a variety of other conditions.
Once extracted from the botanical, many constituents can degrade rapidly when additional constituents from other botanicals in the blend are present. The expertise in extraction process is therefore crucial to produce the optimum extract. This also requires large-scale equipment that is subject to the highest standards of quality.
Botanical extracts must be standardised with strict quality controls to ensure consistent composition, safety and potency and to be reliable for research purposes. This includes uniform cultivation of the raw materials with controls to monitor for contamination from other species, pesticides, and environmental toxins.
Concentrations of active compounds within the botanicals can then be accurately measured to ensure the delivery of a dependable dose in the final product. Standardisation of botanical extracts can be achieved only when the active compounds are identified and biological activity is confirmed, thus ensuring a consistent finished product.
After extraction, the second area of expertise to produce premium botanical extracts is the formulation stage. This requires an in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing processes to incorporate the extract into final applications. It consists of adjusting the physical-chemical properties of the extracts to suit the specific needs of industrial users. For example, it might involve creating water-soluble powders from raw, liposoluble (fat soluble) liquid extracts.
Naturex is able to develop tailor-made ingredients in different forms (powder or liquid) using high capacity industrial equipment. For example, roller compactors allow for the production of dry granulated extracts with enhanced physical properties, including density, flow rate, particle size and direct compressibility as requested by the customer.
Naturex turmeric extract is a relevant example to illustrate this. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a perennial herb of the ginger family. Native to southern Asia, it is extensively cultivated in India. Turmeric contains curcuminoids, the major representatives of which are curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin.
Curcumin is a major compound of the alcoholic extract of turmeric and has been extensively studied for its therapeutic properties. Curcumin has shown anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive activities,2,3 and several
biological studies have reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergy, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and diabetes.4,5
A two-week, double-blind, crossover study of 18 patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed that patients receiving curcumin (1200mg/day) had significant improvements in morning stiffness, walking time and joint swelling6.
At Naturex we have developed a unique process that combines dry granulation and coating. This process results in a coated powder with particles enhanced by a protective layer. The physical properties of the powder are considerably improved this way: colour stability, better compression ability and water dispersibility. In addition, powder flowability is improved and therefore it significantly reduces ingredients cross-contamination risks (see figure 2).
The granulation process can be combined with other formulation processes. For instance, Naturex has developed an encapsulation process that offers numerous advantages, such as increased heat stability, powder flowability, odour masking, dust reduction and elimination of the risk of ingredients cross-interaction. Shelf-life and stability are also considerably improved.
Naturex's valerian extract is a case in point. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a perennial plant native to Europe and Asia and naturalised in North America. Valerian has been used since ancient times in Europe as a sedative and for relaxation. Valerian contains valerenic acid and its derivatives, which have demonstrated sedative properties in animal studies.7,8
A possible mechanism by which a valerian extract may exert a sedative effect is by increasing the amount of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) available in the synaptic cleft. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and in vitro studies suggested that valerian extract may cause its release from brain nerve endings and then block its re-uptake into nerve cells9. Valerian is a safe herbal choice for the treatment of mild insomnia10; four placebo-controlled studies present evidence of the effectiveness of valerian.11,12
Thanks to its specific encapsulation process, Naturex valerian extract is standardised up to 0.8% valerenic acids without the odour of the other conventional products available on the market. The very unpleasant smell of some valerian preparations when dry is due to the degradation of volatile components such as bornyl isovalerate (a pleasant smell) into isovaleric acid (a strong, pungent, sweaty smell). This deodorisation physical process has no impact on the amount of the active constituents that are responsible for valerian's sedative effect, thus extending its application in more finished products (see figure 3).
conatct
Antoine DAUBY
Group Marketing Manager
Naturex
Site d Euro euro Agroparc, BP1218
84911 AVIGNON Cedex 9
France
T +33 4 90 23 96 89
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