UNDERSTANDING BOTANICAL EXTRACTS
A simple guide to how botanical ingredients may be presented as extracts, dry equivalents and different plant parts.
1. What is a botanical extract?
A botanical extract is a preparation made from a plant or part of a plant.
Depending on the ingredient and manufacturing process, the extract may come from the:
- Root
- Leaf
- Flower
- Fruit
- Seed
- Bark
- Rhizome
2. Why are extracts used?
Botanical ingredients can be processed into extracts to concentrate selected plant components and make them easier to formulate into tablets, capsules or other complementary healthcare products.
3. What does “dry equivalent” mean?
Dry Equivalent
On some complementary medicine labels, you may see wording such as:
Extract equivalent to dry root 500 mg
This generally refers to the amount of dried plant material represented by the extract used in the product.
Extract amount ≠ dry equivalent amount
4. Different Parts of the Same Plant
Different parts of the same botanical may be used for different purposes.
For example, a label may specify:
Root
Leaf
Fruit
Seed
5. How to Read It on a Label
Botanical Name: Example plant
Plant Part: Root
Extract: 100 mg
Equivalent Dry: 500 mg
This format helps show both the extract used and the amount of dried botanical material it represents.
6. In Simple Terms
Botanical extracts are processed forms of plant ingredients.
When reading a label, look for:
- The botanical name
- The plant part used
- The amount of extract
- The dry equivalent, if listed