Phytosteroids are a class of Polyhydroxysteroid hormones widely distributed in animals and plants. Ecdysone is one of these plant steroids, so the official product name should be ecdysterone powder. And because its content is mainly β-ecdysone, which promotes molting and growth, it is also called ecdysone. And because there are 20 hydrogen groups in its molecular structure, it is also called 20-hydroxyecdysone.
Ecdysterone is an endogenous hormone of insects. Controls the growth and development of insects during their physiological processes and promotes molting and reproduction. It was originally obtained by Soviet scientists from silkworm chrysalises and was mainly used to produce healthcare products for astronauts. Later, after further development in the scientific community, many similar compounds were obtained from the insect world.
Plant sources are currently found in 80 families and genera that contain this substance, including spinach, dianthus, sinewgrass, yew, podocarpus, verbena, Achyranthes bidentata, reed root, buttercup, etc. However, regarding cost and technological maturity, the best and most widely extracted plant is cyanotis vaga. The natural content of its above-ground parts is around 0.8%. The root content is as high as about 1.8%, mainly β-ecdysone with strong activity.
Beta Ecdysterone Applications and Formulations
Skincare
Ecdysterone has strong permeability. It can be dissolved using ethanol or regular cosmetic solvents. In liquid form, it is quickly absorbed into the skin. It has good exfoliation, spot removal, and whitening effects. It can also be combined with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ginger extract and black pepper extract. This combination has a very good repair effect on facial chloasma, freckles, melanin, etc. In addition, the effect on acne is also obvious.
Therefore, its most common application area is the cosmetics industry, including creams, creams, serums, etc. The recommended dosage of ecdysterone is 0.5-1%. The specifications available for this series of products are Ecdysterone powder HPLC ≥ 98%.
Sports
According to research from the Institute of Pharmacy of the University of Berlin, spinach is the largest host of Ecdysterone. In other words, the highest levels of this steroid-like plant metabolite are found in spinach. Ecdysterone acts like a steroid precursor in humans. It can enhance athletic performance and increase muscle size.
In the experiment, Professor Pal divided 46 athletes into two groups. One group ate normally (control group), and the other added spinach extract (experimental group). Before and after the experiment, the athletes’ muscle mass and bench press strength were measured. The results showed that the group that consumed spinach extract gained significantly more muscle mass than the control group. The highest muscle strength increase in the experimental group was three times that of the athletes in the control group. The spinach extract here is not spinach itself. It is proof enough of the power of ecdysterone in spinach. In addition to ecdysterone, spinach’s omega-3 and folic acid can also increase muscle contraction and improve strength. Among them, folic acid can also speed up blood circulation. Spinach is also rich in magnesium and iron. These can all increase athletic performance.
The widely accepted dose of supplements containing ecdysterone is 5 mg/kg daily. For people who suffer from stress and fatigue due to the high-speed pace of life, the recommended dose can be expanded to 300-400 mg per day. Higher doses, such as 400-600mg per day, are more suitable for people with high exercise needs.
The specifications used in sports series products are generally Ecdysterone powder HPLC ≥60%. Among them, most customers will choose the two purity levels of 90% and 95%.
Breeding
The ecdysterone component in the dew plant extract can cause shrimps and crabs to shed their shells in time and remove harmful parasites from the body, thereby accelerating growth. For example, adding 1-2kg of 50% ecdysterone powder to one ton of feed can promote metabolism and protein synthesis and enhance stress resistance. It can significantly improve the consistency of shrimp and crab shelling and the survival rate. The bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects contained in this ingredient can also effectively improve the ability of shrimps and crabs to resist diseases.
In silkworm breeding, among about 20,000 silkworms, the mixture, that is, 40mg of ecdysterone + a small amount of liquor + 2kg of water, is evenly sprinkled on 12-15kg of mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms. It can reduce the reproductive cycle, make the weeds neat, and promote silkworms to spin silk and form cocoons.
Regarding breeding, the recommended specification of cyanotis vaga extract Ecdysterone HPLC ≥50%.
Agriculture
Ecdysone affects all stages of insect development, from hatched larvae to adults. Therefore, it can be developed and applied as a pesticide to control or kill agricultural pests. It also has certain effects on the physiological processes of crops, such as its application as a crop yield auxiliary.
How To Extract Ecdysterone Powder From Cyanotis Vaga?
- First, crush the raw material, cyanotis vaga, into dry powder.
- Next, add ethanol to the crushed dewgrass. And heated for 4 hours, refluxed twice.
- The crude ecdysterone powder is obtained through filtration, combined filtrate, concentration under reduced pressure, drying, and other processes.
- Grind the crude product, then add organic solvent for heating and filtration. After upper chromatography column chromatography, the chromatographic solution is concentrated.
- Finally, ecdysterone is obtained through purification.
Conclusion
Ecdysterone is found in many plants and animals. In terms of cost and technological maturity, the best and most widely extracted method is to extract the active ingredient from cyanotis vaga. It has various specifications, such as 50%, 60%, 90%, 95%, etc. Different specifications can be used in fields like breeding, agriculture, cosmetics, sports, etc. Nutri Avenue provides high-quality ecdysterone powder of different purity for various products. Welcome to contact us to know more details.
