The medicinal use of herbal extracts calls for a mix of dose control and scientific compatibility, as the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2023 states that nearly 80% of the global population depends on plant-based medicines to cure underlying diseases. In immune system supplementation, clinical data show that taking 300-500mg of echinacea extract containing 4% alkylamide daily orally can reduce the incidence of colds by 35%, but long-term use for more than 8 weeks can lead to a 12% reduction in white blood cells. The therapeutic dose of Novartis’ curcumin nanoformulation (diameter <100nm, bioavailability enhanced to 85%) is 500mg per day, with black piperitrin (1% piperine) can enhance the anti-inflammatory effect by 7 times, but gastric ulcer patients should not take on an empty stomach (enhanced risk of stimulating gastric acid secretion by 43%). Among Japanese functional foods, 0.8% ammonium glycyrrhizinate liver protection tablets have been tested by 30,000 people and the normalization rate of ALT index has increased to 71%, and the cost is 39% lower than chemical liver protection medicines.
For external use, 2% herbal extract healing gel was EU COSMOS-certified, and through clinical trials was also reported to increase wound healing rate of 1.2mm² per day, 58% more than Vaseline matrix products. At a pH of 5.5±0.2, Kiyar’s Calendula toner (0.05% Calendula extract) has been reported by the Dermscan Group to reduce sebum secretion by 23% in oily skin, but long-term use for more than 6 months can cause cuticle thinning (9μm reduction in thickness). Traditional Chinese medicine directional penetration technology (frequency 1MHz, intensity 0.8W/cm²) supplemented with tripterygium wilforia extract treatment, may reduce rheumatoid factors by 37%, but must maintain strict surveillance on liver function (increase risk of glutamic-pyruic transaminase 5.7%).
In food fortification, Unilever’s 1.2g/100g maca extract energy bar launched in 2024 has been proven by double-blind trials to improve exercise performance by 15%, but chronic daily intake of more than 3g May cause heart palpitations (2.3%). US FDA approved monk fruit sweet side (300 times sweeter than sugar) as an alternative for sugar, where its price per gram decreased by 18% when compared with aspartame, and Coke Zero use will reduce the heat of a can by 139kcal to 0kcal. The supercritical CO2 extraction technology (pressure 35MPa, temperature 45℃) prepared green tea extract (EGCG ≥60%) can preserve 98% polyphenol activity, and 300ml daily intake of 0.05% solution can reduce LDL cholesterol by 12%.
Professional guidance is required for chronic disease management. The German Kommission E guideline advises that an oral dose of 120-240mg daily of Ginkgo biloba extract with 24% flavonoside will increase MMSE scores of patients with Alzheimer disease by 1.8 but should not be used together with warfarin (37% increase in variance in INR value). To treat metabolic syndrome, berberine (at least 97% berberine) 500mg t.i.d. decreased fasting glucose levels by 1.3mmol/L but produced gastrointestinal side effects in 28% of the subjects. The Israeli Institute’s nanoencapsulation technology (50 nm particle size) improved the bioavailability of silymarin from 0.5% to 32%, and the improvement rate of Child-Pugh score in cirrhosis patients increased to 61%.
End production quality control is crucial, ISO 16128 standard requires the residual limit of the herbal extract be less than 0.01ppm, and Buchi, Switzerland’s intelligent chromatography system is able to adjust the deviation in composition to ±2%. Microencapsulation technology (embedding ratio ≥95%) extended the shelf life of vitamin C and acerola cherry extract from 6 months to 24 months, and reduced the oxidation loss rate from 23% to 4.5%. Against the background of tighter global regulation, the cost of GMP certification for herbal extract will increase by 18% in 2025, yet the rate of adverse event reporting can be reduced by 41%, motivating the upgrading of the industry to data-based and standardized uses.