Description
The standardized extract of Coleus forskohlii (now reclassified as Plectranthus barbatus) root, containing the diterpene forskolin as the principal active. Used in weight-management, cardiovascular, and respiratory-health dietary supplements as well as ophthalmic and research-reagent applications.
Light brown to dark brown free-flowing powder. Limited water solubility; freely soluble in hydroalcoholic mixtures.
We supply food-grade Coleus Forskohlii Extract from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.
Common market grades include 10 percent Forskolin (the supplement workhorse), 20 percent Forskolin (premium grade), 40 percent Forskolin (high-end concentrated grade), and 95 percent Pure Forskolin (research-reagent and pharmaceutical grade).
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering forskolin content (HPLC), residual solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, and microbiology.
Introduction
Coleus forskohlii has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries under the name pashanabhedi for cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. The diterpene forskolin was isolated in 1974 and rapidly entered pharmaceutical research as a direct activator of adenylate cyclase, making it a critical reagent for cell-biology research.
Industrial production proceeds by ethanol or hydroalcoholic extraction of dried Coleus forskohlii roots, followed by purification and standardization to defined forskolin content. The premium 40 percent and 95 percent grades require additional chromatographic purification.
Recognized as a permitted dietary supplement ingredient in the U.S. and most major markets. EU regulatory status is restrictive (the ingredient is on the EU Botanical Working Group review list pending Novel Food evaluation).
Forskolin acts by direct stimulation of adenylate cyclase, elevating intracellular cyclic AMP. This mechanism has been studied for weight-management (the basis of supplement positioning) with mixed clinical results, for cardiovascular endpoints, and historically as an ophthalmic agent for glaucoma research.
Strategic positioning is dominated by weight-management dietary supplements globally, with secondary applications in sports nutrition and as a research reagent.
Where it is used
- Weight-management dietary supplements (the dominant commercial application)
- Lean-body-composition and pre-workout supplement formulations
- Cardiovascular-support formulations
- Respiratory and asthma-support traditional formulations
- Ophthalmic research applications (forskolin was historically studied for glaucoma)
- Cosmetic skincare: slimming and contouring formulations
- Pharmaceutical research and cell-biology reagent applications (adenylate cyclase activator)
- Veterinary applications
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Light brown to dark brown free-flowing powder |
| Forskolin content (HPLC) | 10% / 20% / 40% / 95% (grade dependent) |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% |
| Residue on ignition | ≤ 5.0% |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Residual solvents | Within ICH Q3C limits |
| Total plate count | ≤ 1000 cfu/g |
| Source | Plectranthus barbatus (Coleus forskohlii) dried roots |
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