Tongkat Ali contains unique bioactive ingredients such as eurycomanone, eurypeptides, polysaccharides and glycosaponins that benefit humans in many ways.
These active ingredients found in Tongkat Ali have been widely researched for their potential wide range of health benefits since its first documented use as a medicinal plant by surgeon-botanist William Jack in 1822.
In this article, we shall deep dive into Tongkat Ali bioactive ingredients where you will learn which active ingredients matter most to your health.
Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia) contains unique ingredients that are not found in other herbal plants. Some of these bioactive ingredients are not well-understood with ongoing research being conducted to assess the effects on human health.
Here is the full list of bioactive compounds found in Tongkat Ali:
There are four main bioactive ingredients of Tongkat Ali that have a profound impact on human health:
The amount of eurycomanone, eurypeptides, polysaccharides and glycosaponins found in Tongkat Ali varies depending on the extraction method and quality of Tongkat Ali plants.
Tongkat Ali supplements which contain high levels of eurycomanone, eurypeptides, polysacharrides and glycosaponin are considered highly potent and effective.
Tongkat Ali Ingredients
| Poor Quality extract | High Quality extract |
Eurycomanone
| <0.6% | 0.7- 3.0% |
Eurypeptides
| <15% | 16- 25% |
Polysaccharides
| <20% | 25% – 33% |
Glycosaponins
| < 40% | 40% – 65% |
Standardized hot water Tongkat Ali extract delivers higher level of eurycomanone, eurypeptides, polysaccharides and glycosaponins; i.e key bioactive ingredients that determines the potency, thus optimizing your health by restoring optimal hormonal balance in the endocrine system.
Related Article : Best Tips In Finding Quality Tongkat Ali extracts
Eurycomanone is the highest concentrated form of quassinoid found in Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia). The percentage of eurycomanone found in Tongkat Ali is higher in the roots and it ranges between 0.5% to 5%.
Eurycomanone is viewed as the biomarker for potency in Tongkat Ali and the amount is largely dependent on the age of the plant, extraction process, soil composition and the species of Tongkat Ali plant.
Eurycomanone
| Availability | Warnings & Tips |
0.5% – 1.5% | Easily available | · Ensure the root extract follows the Tongkat Ali Standard MS2409
|
1.5% – 3.0% | Not common, but available in selected markets
| · HPLC Chromatography test is further required to validate the claims
|
3.1% – 10% | Rare but claims of 10% eurycomanone warrants further investigation and tests | · Inconsistent bioactive ingredients and supply chain issue · HPLC test is further required to validate the claims
|
It is rare to find up to 10% eurycomanone in Tongkat Ali roots. 10% eurycomanone in Tongkat Ali requires further validation from 3rd party tests to ensure the level of eurycomanone is consistent from each batch of production.
Most Tongkat Ali studies showed eurycomanone of 0.5% to 1.5% is sufficient to produce pharmacological effects on health. In fact, randomized controlled Tongkat Ali clinical studies are based on eurycomanone of between 0.5% to 1.5%.
Related Article: Yellow Tongkat Ali, Black Tongkat Ali and Red Tongkat Ali
Eurypeptides are chains of 28 amino acids found in Tongkat Ali roots. These amino acids forms a chain of polypeptides with anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and muscle-building properties.
In fact, our body produces a wide range of peptide hormones too, which circulate in the blood and bind to receptors on targeted organs and tissues.
Eurypeptides in Tongkat Ali are easier to absorb than amino acids in proteins because of the smaller and simpler molecular structure. This makes eurypeptides one of the top plant-based endocrine peptides alongside collagen peptides and creatine peptides found in major health supplements.
Using different types of solvents, the amount of eurypeptides that can be extracted from Tongkat Ali averages between 10% to 30%.
Tongkat Ali with more than 20% eurypeptides (polypeptides) are considered potent and good for health. There are various extraction methods to get the best eurypeptide content from Tongkat Ali.
Tongkat Ali Extraction Method | Eurypeptides
|
Standardized Hot water extract
| 22-30% |
Standardized Ethanol extract
| 19-23% |
Non-Standardized extract
| 15-20% |
Standardized hot water Tongkat Ali extract may generate higher amount of eurypeptides at 22% for every batch of production extract, which makes it highly sought after by health coaches and nutritionists compared to other types of Tongkat Ali root extracts.
Polysaccharides in Tongkat Ali are chains of monosaccharides which comprise of carbohydrates made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
Polysaccharides, also known as glycans; i.e chains of many glucose. There are three common polysaccharides that you should be aware of:
A potent Tongkat Ali contains 20-30% of polysaccharides, including alpha- and beta-glucans. A recent 2019 study showed that Tongkat Ali Polysaccharides has strong potential as a functional supplement for people with compromised immune systems.
Polysaccharides play a big role in their ability to mimic the natural carbohydrate fraction found in the top layer of skin. As a skin-replenishing overachiever, polysaccharides are responsible for the skin’s natural ability to hydrate and retain water
Polysaccharides have emerged as potential chemical entities exhibiting good anticancer activity across a variety of cancer cell lines and can be developed as alternatives of existing cancer chemotherapeutic agents, possessing selective activity against tumor cells with minimal toxic side-effects.
Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30732778/
Glycosaponins or saponins are naturally occurring non-volatile glycosidic compounds found in Tongkat Ali and in other plants such as Panax Ginseng. The percentage of glycosaponin in Tongkat Ali is higher than in Panax Ginseng at between 40 to 65%.
Saponin exhibits strong therapeutic potential as hypolipidemic, hypoglycaemic, anti-asthmatic, antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, and anti-microbial activity. The potential health benefits of saponins in plants and Tongkat Ali are still being investigated by researchers over the years.
Glycosaponin in Tongkat Ali extract is safe for human consumption as long as it adheres to the heavy metal safety limits . Studies on the safe limits of saponins for human from different food sources such as fenugreek, which was 2500 mg/kg of body weight.
Find out more answers on Tongkat Ali bioactive ingredients.
Physta® Tongkat Ali hot water extract offers the best range of bioactive ingredients from standardized extract which contains eurycomanone (0.5 – 1.5%) , eurypeptides (22%) , polysaccharides (30%) and glycosaponins (40%). These highly balanced bioactive ingredients are optimized to deliver maximum health benefits.
Indonesian Tongkat Ali (Pasak Bumi) may contain lower bioactive ingredients than Malaysian Tongkat Ali depending on the maturity and location of where the Tongkat Ali is sourced.
Related Article: Malaysian vs Indonesian Tongkat Ali: Which is better?
Eurycomanone, eurypeptides and polysaccharides gives the most gains to testosterone, energy, libido and muscle growth whilst glycosaponin acts as an antioxidant and anti-microbial activities. Eurycomanone in Tongkat Ali may potentially increase spermatogenesis by inhibiting the activity of phosphodiesterase and aromatase in steroidogenesis.
Eurycomanone is a phytochemical that belongs in the quassinoid family whilst eurypeptides consists of shorter chain of amino acids than proteins. Both eurycomanone and eurypeptides form key essential bioactive ingredients in Tongkat Ali that work harmoniously to deliver maximum health benefits.
Standardized Tongkat Ali hot water extract contains high levels of eurypeptides with an average value of 22% compared to non-standardized using ethanol-based extract.
Not necessary. Other Tongkat Ali bioactive ingredients such as eurypeptides and glycosaponin contribute to the overall effectiveness and potency. Generally, higher eurycomanone of 1.5%, eurypeptides of 22% and glocsaponin of 30% are considered potent.
Nootropics Depot offers Tongkat Ali supplements with 10% eurycomanone. However, it is hard to substantiate the claim as the unregulated herbal industry is filled with marketing claims without 3rd party test reports. On top of that, there has been no published studies on 10% eurycomanone Tongkat Ali extract that is safe for human consumption. Most China-made Tongkat Ali extracts are filled with adulterants with claims of 10% eurycomanone to attract US buyers.
The safety limit of consuming 10% eurycomanone of Tongkat Ali has not been established based on publicly available research studies or clinical trials at this juncture.
Studies on the adverse side effects of consuming high concentration of eurycomanone above 2% is limited. We recommend users to consult your healthcare professional or nearest doctor before consuming Tongkat Ali with 10% eurycomanone.
In conclusion, Tongkat Ali’s potency and efficacy lies in its key bioactive ingredients; namely eurycomanone, eurypeptides, polysaccharides, and glycosaponin. When consumed in moderation, these compounds synergistically contribute to its various health benefits, including improved vitality, enhanced stamina, and hormonal balance.
As science explores further into the potential of Tongkat Ali benefits, please consult your nearest healthcare professionals for further advice on how Tongkat Ali may elevate your overall well-being.
Naressa Khan contributes regularly on AKARALI and is part of the global Tongkat Ali research team. As a writer and journalist, Naressa specializes in nutrition, health supplements, and natural wellness. With this approach always in mind, she explores fact-based and scientific evidence of topics related to health, herbs and natural wellness.
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