What Is Forsythia suspensa Fruit Extract? Applications, Dosage, Alternatives & Specifications

Forsythia Suspensa Extract is a powdered or extract-like product processed from the dried fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, a plant of the Oleaceae family, through extraction, separation, purification, and drying processes. It is a natural plant extract with multiple biological activities. Forsythia suspensa is a deciduous shrub of the genus Forsythia in the Oleaceae family. Its dried fruit is one of the most widely used heat-clearing and detoxifying medicinal materials in traditional Chinese medicine, first recorded in the Shennong Ben Cao Jing and classified as a low-grade herb. The primary producing regions are Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Hubei, and Shandong provinces, with Shanxi and Henan having the largest output. The medicinal part is the dried fruit, which is divided into “young fruit” and “ripe fruit” based on harvest time. The volatile oil content in young fruit is relatively high, and the content of forsythiaside A in young fruit must not be less than 3.5%; the content of forsythiaside A in ripe fruit must not be less than 0.25%. The main active components of Forsythia suspensa extract include phenylethanoid glycosides (forsythiaside A, forsythiaside B, etc.), lignans (forsythin, phillygenin, pinoresinol, etc.), flavonoids (rutin, quercetin, etc.), volatile oils (α-pinene, linalool, etc.), alkaloids, and various trace elements. Among these, forsythiaside A and forsythin are the indicator components specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia for Forsythia suspensa crude drug and extract. The Veterinary Pharmacopoeia of China also includes Forsythia suspensa extract, stipulating that the content of forsythiaside A must not be less than 6.0% and the content of forsythin must not be less than 0.5%. Forsythia suspensa extract appears as a brown-yellow to brownish-brown powder with a characteristic aroma and a bitter taste. It has good water solubility and is available in various specifications, including ratio extracts, forsythin monomers, and forsythiaside A monomers, according to different application requirements.

Component Category

Forsythia suspensa extract uses the dried fruit of Forsythia suspensa as raw material. The primary producing regions are Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Hubei, and Shandong provinces, with Shanxi and Henan having the largest output. The raw material must comply with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia standards, requiring a forsythiaside A content of not less than 3.5% and a forsythin content of not less than 0.15% for young fruit; and a forsythiaside A content of not less than 0.25% for ripe fruit.