Aescin
Aescin, also spelled escin, is the saponin fraction of horse chestnut seed, Aesculus hippocastanum. It is not a single compound but a complex mixture of triterpene glycosides built on protoaescigenin and barringtogenol C aglycones, acylated with acetyl, tiglic and angelic acid groups, and the composition of a commercial lot is defined by an assay rather than by a structure.
The trade distinguishes two forms with different properties. Beta-aescin is the crystalline, less water-soluble form and is the pharmacologically active material specified in monographs; alpha-aescin is more soluble, less active, and is produced when beta-aescin is heated in solution, which is why processing temperature is a controlled parameter. The activity of interest is venotonic, acting on capillary permeability and venous tone, which is the basis for its use in preparations for leg heaviness, varicose veins and bruising.
Purified aescin is a white to pale cream amorphous or crystalline powder, sparingly soluble in cold water and more soluble in warm water and aqueous alcohol. Its solutions foam strongly, as saponin solutions do, and it is a mucous membrane irritant in concentrated form, so handling controls are part of normal practice.
We source bulk Aescin from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Shaanxi. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
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- Function
- Plant extract
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to pale cream amorphous powder, foams strongly in water |
| Botanical source | Seed of Aesculus hippocastanum |
| Total aescin (HPLC) | 95.0 percent minimum |
| Beta-aescin | 90.0 percent minimum of total aescin |
| Identification | HPLC and HPTLC profile conform to aescin reference standard |
| Esculin | Not detected |
| Loss on drying | 6.0 percent maximum |
| Residue on ignition | 2.0 percent maximum |
| pH (1 percent aqueous solution) | 4.5 to 6.5 |
| Residual solvents (ethanol) | 5000 mg/kg maximum |
| Lead | 1.0 mg/kg maximum |
| Arsenic | 1.0 mg/kg maximum |
| Total plate count | 1000 cfu/g maximum |
| Salmonella | Absent in 25 g |
Common Markets Grades
Two product types are traded. Standardised horse chestnut seed extract is quoted on aescin content, most often 20 percent by an ultraviolet or HPLC method, and is the material used in food supplements. Purified aescin at 95 or 98 percent, and its sodium salt, are pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, and beta-aescin is specified separately from total aescin where the monograph requires it.
Buyers should check the assay method, since colourimetric saponin methods give higher figures than HPLC against a beta-aescin reference. The alpha to beta ratio is a further specification for high-grade material. Related but distinct products include aescin sodium salt for injectable and topical use, and extracts of Aesculus chinensis, the Chinese horse chestnut, which is a different species with a different saponin profile and should be identified as such. Micronised grades and aqueous solution concentrates are used for cosmetic formulation.
Applications
- Venous circulation and leg comfort supplements in capsule and tablet form
- Topical gels and creams for bruising, swelling and tired legs
- Anti-cellulite and body contouring cosmetic formulations
- Eye area products aimed at puffiness and dark circles
- After-sport recovery gels and sprays
- Haemorrhoid and perianal comfort preparations
- Skin care formulations positioned on microcirculation claims
- Foaming and emulsion stabilisation in cosmetic systems, using the surface activity of the saponin
- Analytical reference standard for horse chestnut potency work
Brands Using Aescin
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Aescin on the ingredient label.
- Nature's WayHorse Chestnut ↗A capsule of horse chestnut seed extract standardised to 20 percent aescin, delivering 50 mg of aescin per serving.Label verified 2026-08-31
- Nature's WayHem-Care Premium Blend ↗A blend whose 500 mg of horse chestnut seed extract is standardised to 20 percent aescin, or 100 mg per serving.Label verified 2026-08-31
- SolarayDeep Vein Support ↗The supplement facts list horse chestnut seed extract supplying 49 mg of aescin at 18 percent, with butcher's broom and sweetclover.Label verified 2026-08-31
- SolarayCircuLegs Circulation Support ↗Contains 200 mg of horse chestnut seed extract guaranteed to supply 36 mg of aescin at 18 percent.Label verified 2026-08-31
Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.
China Manufacturers of Aescin
Top Aescin manufacturers in China.
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
Regulatory Status
In the United States horse chestnut seed extract standardised on aescin is sold as a dietary ingredient in supplements, and aescin is used in cosmetics under the general safety and labelling provisions. There is no food additive regulation for aescin and it is not a permitted food additive, so its use is confined to supplements and cosmetics rather than conventional foods. Horse chestnut seed itself contains esculin, a hydroxycoumarin that is not permitted in food, and standardised extracts are prepared and tested to exclude it, which is a specification point rather than an optional check. Claims are structure and function claims with the standard disclaimer.
In the European Union horse chestnut seed has a monograph within the herbal medicinal product framework and standardised aescin preparations are more commonly registered as medicines than sold as food supplements in several member states. Aescin appears in the cosmetic ingredient inventory for topical use. It carries no E number and is not an authorised food additive, and health claims relating to venous circulation are not authorised. Codex has not adopted specifications for aescin, so the general Codex provisions on contaminants and hygiene for plant material apply to the raw seed.
Manufacturing Process
Horse chestnut seeds are collected, dried and dehulled, and the kernel is milled and normally defatted with a light hydrocarbon solvent, since the seed carries a fixed oil fraction that would otherwise interfere with saponin recovery. The defatted meal is extracted with aqueous ethanol or methanol at moderate temperature, and temperature control matters throughout because heating the saponin in solution converts beta-aescin into the less active alpha form.
The extract is filtered and the alcohol recovered under vacuum. The aqueous concentrate carries a large load of starch, sugars and protein from the seed, so it is clarified by cold settling and filtration, and then loaded onto macroporous adsorption resin, which binds the saponins while the sugars and salts pass through; graded alcohol elution recovers a saponin-enriched fraction. For purified grades the eluate is precipitated or crystallised, most often by adjusting the solvent composition so that beta-aescin comes out of solution while the more soluble alpha form and residual impurities remain, and the crude solid is recrystallised to specification. The product is washed, dried under vacuum at moderate temperature, milled and packed. Dust control is applied throughout because the powder irritates mucous membranes.
