Sourcing does not end with authentication and traceability. Traditional knowledge implemented with modern technologies help to choose the right species, right varieties, right plant parts at right maturity for desired efficacy.
Alpinia galanga popularly known as galanga, is an ancient ginger-like spice. It is called laos in Indonesia and is the most common form of galanga used in cooking. It is a basic spice in the Indonesian national dish nasigoreng, a rice dish cooked with vegetables, meat, gravy, fruit and mushrooms. Indian health system of Ayurveda considers Alpinia galanga as having properties of restoring consciousness or alertness and strengthening nervous system. ENovate goes an extra mile to authenticate and procure the best quality roots cultivated in the hilly terrains of South India. The topography of this region has tall hill slopes covered with thick forests and flat lands full of coconut trees. The entire area has poor accessibility, hence no commercial establishments, no pollution and limited human involvement. Farmers here are cultivating galanga for generations. Alpinia galanga is grown without any pesticides. Cultivation and collection process is done manually. Rhizomes are dried on natural high altitude stony land which ensures no fungal plant infection.
RedNite® is made from beetroot grown with specific seed variety cultivated in dedicated fields. Consistent seed variety ensures excellent quality beets with smooth and uniform shape. Beetroots have rich red color free from internal white rings. Optimized conditions ensure no bolting of beets. The farmers who cultivate beetroot are treated fairly and valued for their contribution. Beetroot are harvested manually to prevent beetroot from bleeding their juice.
Two types of Gokshura viz. Tribulus terrestris and Pedalium murex are available. In Ayurveda they are known as Gokshura and Brihat (Big) Gokshura respectively. Both fruits are similar looking. In Tribulus terrestris, the fruit is covered with hair and it is five-angled with five segments and a pair of spines from each segment, whereas it is four-angled with four spines in Pedalium murex. HeezOn® uses extract derived from fruits with five angles – the original Gokshura.
When it comes to roots, there are various grades being used in trade. The thick best quality roots are also referred as ‘angutha’ (thumb) variety, indicating the roots as thick as thumb. Withania should be free from thin inferior quality roots as well as stems.
All the adaptogenic and aphrodisiac properties of the herb are attributed to the root, the leaves and aerial part of the herb finds its way into weight loss products. Usually withania aerial parts are also used in extraction, as it is cost effective method for achieving higher actives. HeezOn® contains withania extract only from the roots. The absence of aerial part (leaves and stem) of Withania somnifera is confirmed by its compliance to USP limits of Quercetin-3-o-robinobioside-7-o-glucoside, Quercetin-3-o-rutinoside-7-o-glucoside and Kaemferol-3-o-robinobioside-7-o-glucoside as tested by HPLC.
Different plant parts and grade of Withania somnifera leaves and roots being used by different suppliers.
Although hugely popular, Withania somnifera is often contaminated with related species Withania coagulans. Withania coagulans is also important plant for its property of coagulating milk. To ensure the best male sexual health benefits HeezOn® uses only DNA authenticated roots of Withania somnifera. DNA finger printing of Withania somnifera roots.
Out of several species of Alpinia, three most commonly grown species are Alpinia galanga, Alpinia calcarata and Alpinia officinarum. The roots of Alpinia galanga and Alpinia officinarum are well identified in trade as greater and lesser galangal respectively. But the roots of Alpinia galanga and Alpinia calcarata appear very similar to the untrained eye and hence any adulteration or substitution can go unnoticed. Because of the close similarities between Alpinia calcarata and Alpinia galanga, a macroscopy, microscopy and DNA testing together helped authenticate EnXtra® raw material.
