The short answer
A 10:1 extract means that roughly 10 g of dried plant was used to make 1 g of extract [1][2]. The ratio describes the yield of the manufacturing process. It is not a measure of strength, and a 10:1 extract is not ten times as strong as the herb [2]. To judge a dose you also need the solvent, any added carrier and the amount of a named compound.
What does 10:1 mean on a supplement label?
It is a drug extract ratio, or DER: the quantity of plant material used, written before the colon, against the quantity of extract obtained, written after it [1]. A dry extract with an average ratio of 10:1 needed about 10 g of dried raw material for every 1 g of native extract [2]. The calculation is made on the dried plant, even when fresh plant was used [2].
The European Medicines Agency uses the term DER genuine, also called native DER, for the ratio between the plant and the pure extract without any added substances [1]. That distinction matters later in this article, because many extracts are sold with a carrier mixed in.
Why is the ratio often a range such as 7:1 to 9:1?
Because every batch of plant yields a different amount of extract. With the same process, one 100 kg lot of plant may give 14 kg of extract and the next lot only 11 kg, which works out at about 7:1 and 9:1 [2]. A single number on a label such as 10:1 is usually shorthand for a range [2]. Regulators expect the range: the EMA examples give ratios such as 3 to 6:1 for valerian root and 35 to 67:1 for ginkgo leaf [1].
Is a 10:1 extract ten times stronger than the herb?
No. Experts from the US Pharmacopeia call this perhaps the most common misconception about extract ratios [2]. For most dried plants extracted with water or water and alcohol, only 10% to 25% of the plant material dissolves at all, which gives ratios between 10:1 and 4:1 [2]. A high ratio mostly tells you that a lot of plant was left behind.
That residue can be the point. A process can be designed to pull out one class of compounds and discard the rest, which raises the ratio. The Australian medicines regulator adds that a high ratio may also simply reflect a partial extraction, and that extracts should not be marketed as "better" because they come from a larger quantity of raw herb [2]. A bigger first number is not a better product.
Why can the same kind of plant give 8:1 or 25:1?
Because the ratio depends on the plant and on the process. A woody root holds little soluble material: eleuthero root has a theoretical native ratio of about 33:1, while Asian ginseng root, with far more extractable matter, comes out near 4:1 [2]. Neither number says which extract delivers more of anything.
Processing moves the ratio as well. A native gymnema extract is about 8:1. When roughly two thirds of that extract is discarded to concentrate certain compounds, the purified extract becomes about 25:1 [2]. Same plant, same starting material, three times the ratio, and a different product.
What does "equivalent to 5,000 mg of herb" actually tell you?
It tells you how much dried plant went into the extract, not what you take in. A label with 500 mg of a 10:1 extract can say "equivalent to 5,000 mg" because 500 multiplied by 10 is 5,000. That figure describes the raw material used, and it assumes nothing was lost or discarded on the way [2].
The arithmetic is legitimate, and regulators use it. Health Canada's own example reads "Black Cohosh (6:1 extract) 40 mg, equivalent to 240 mg" [2]. The EMA allows a valerian capsule to be described either as 160 mg of extract (3 to 6:1) or as equivalent to 480 mg to 960 mg of valerian root [1]. What the equivalence does not tell you is how much of the herb's other constituents survived the extraction.
| Example from the guidance | Extract per unit | Ratio | Plant equivalent | What else is declared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valerian root dry extract [1] | 160 mg per capsule | 3 to 6:1 | 480 mg to 960 mg of root | Solvent: ethanol 70% V/V |
| Ginkgo leaf dry extract, refined [1] | 60 mg per capsule | 35 to 67:1 | 2.1 g to 4.0 g of leaf | 13.2 mg to 16.2 mg of flavonoids; solvent: acetone 60% m/m |
| Black cohosh root extract [2] | 40 mg | 6:1 | 240 mg | No native extract share stated |
Look at the ginkgo row. A capsule with 60 mg of extract corresponds to up to 4.0 g of leaf, yet the label also states the flavonoid content in milligrams [1]. The milligrams of a named compound are the part you can compare between products. The gram figure for the plant is mainly impressive.
How does a carrier change the ratio on the label?
It lowers the ratio without changing the extract. If 4 kg of plant gives 1 kg of native extract, the ratio is 4:1. Mix that kilogram with 1 kg of carrier and the finished powder is 50% extract, so the ratio of plant to finished extract becomes 2:1 [2]. Without the share of native extract, you cannot tell which of the two numbers a label is quoting.
Both conventions are in use. The EMA counts the ratio against the pure extract and declares the added substances separately: its valerian example is a 200 mg capsule that contains 160 mg of genuine extract and 20% other excipients [1]. The American trade convention counts the ratio against the finished extract, carrier included [2]. Two labels that both print 4:1 can therefore describe different amounts of plant.
What is the difference between an extract ratio and a standardised extract?
A ratio describes how the extract was made, while standardisation describes what is in it. The EMA sorts plant extracts into three types: standardised, quantified and other [1]. Only the first two state the content of a named compound, and only for those two can you work out how many milligrams of that compound a portion contains.
- Standardised extract. Adjusted to a set content of constituents with known therapeutic activity, if necessary by adding excipients. The EMA example is a horse chestnut seed extract adjusted to 19% triterpene glycosides [1].
- Quantified extract. Adjusted to a defined range of active markers by blending batches, without added excipients for adjustment. The ginkgo example states 22.0% to 27.0% flavonoids [1].
- Other extract. Defined by its production process. For this type the EMA says the content of analytical markers should not be stated at all [1], because no measured compound is known to account for the effect.
Why does the extraction solvent matter?
Because water, alcohol and acetone dissolve different parts of the plant. The composition of extracts from the same plant can vary significantly with the solvent, the temperature and the duration of extraction [2]. That is why the EMA wants the name and composition of the solvent in the declaration, such as ethanol 70% V/V or acetone 60% m/m [1]. Two 10:1 extracts made with different solvents are not the same extract.
Does "standardised to 24%" guarantee what is inside?
No. A standardisation on the label is a promise, and the testing record is mixed. In a study of 59 echinacea products from US stores, 6 contained no measurable echinacea, and only 9 of the 21 products labelled as standardised met the standard on their own label [6]. The authors concluded that a standardisation claim does not mean a product is accurately labelled [6].
Can a standardisation percentage be faked?
Yes, and ginkgo shows how. Ginkgo extracts are commonly sold at 24% flavonol glycosides, and those flavonoids also occur in cheaper plants. Spiking a weak ginkgo extract with pure flavonoids or with Japanese sophora extract lifts the number to the required level, and analysts found this adulteration to be common [8]. A 24% result can be met without the product being a good ginkgo extract.
In a smaller study, 3 of 8 ginkgo products bought in Australia and Denmark showed compelling evidence of this kind of adulteration [7]. The standard pharmacopoeial assay could not catch it, because it measures the flavonoids after breaking them down [7]. The paper lists a herbal company among the lead author's affiliations. A percentage on a label is only as good as the test behind it, a point we cover in what a certificate of analysis proves.
What does EU law require on a botanical supplement label?
Much less than for a herbal medicine. A food supplement must state the amount of each substance with a nutritional or physiological effect in numerical form, per recommended daily portion [3]. No EU rule requires a supplement to show the extract ratio, the solvent or a standardisation. The detailed declaration rules quoted in this article apply to herbal medicinal products [1].
The supplements directive names "various plants and herbal extracts" as possible ingredients, but its specific rules cover only vitamins and minerals. For other substances it leaves national rules in place until EU rules are adopted [3]. In 2008 the European Commission reviewed the question and did not consider it opportune to lay down specific rules [4]. The line between the two categories is the subject of our article on food supplements versus medicines.
| What the label must show | EU herbal medicine | EU food supplement | US dietary supplement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount of extract | Yes, per dosage unit [1] | Yes, per daily portion [3] | Yes, weight of the dried extract [5] |
| Extract ratio | Yes, for quantified and other extracts, or the plant equivalent [1] | Not required by EU law [3] | Optional, for liquid extracts [5] |
| Extraction solvent | Yes [1] | Not required by EU law [3] | Yes for liquid extracts, on the panel or in the ingredient list [5] |
| Content of a named compound | Yes, for standardised and quantified extracts [1] | Not required by EU law [3] | Optional [5] |
The gap shows up on shelves. A 2026 review of 125 turmeric supplements sold in five countries, Germany among them, found that 34% did not disclose their curcuminoid content [9].
How do you compare two extract labels?
Compare the milligrams of a named compound first and the ratio last. If both labels state a standardisation, multiply the extract weight by the percentage: 300 mg of an extract at 5% gives 15 mg of that compound. If neither label does, the products cannot be compared on strength at all, whatever their ratios say.
- Plant and part. The species and the plant part (root, leaf, seed) should be named, because they differ in composition [2].
- Extract weight per daily portion. This is the figure EU law requires [3].
- The ratio, and against what. Check whether it refers to the pure extract or to a finished extract with carrier [1][2].
- The solvent. If it is missing, you do not know which extract you are buying [2].
- A named compound with a percentage. Without it, a milligram figure is a weight, not a dose. Our article on what a proprietary blend hides shows the same problem from the other side.
- "Equivalent to" figures. Read them as the amount of plant used in manufacture, not as the amount you take in [2].
Can you match a product to the extract used in a study?
Only roughly, and only with full information. Two extracts can be treated as equivalent when the starting material, the solvent, the process and the share of native extract are known, and sometimes only after a chemical comparison of both [2]. A product that shares a plant name and a ratio with a studied extract is not therefore the studied extract.
Does any of this apply to our own products?
Only partly, because we do not sell herbal extracts. Our creatine is a single ingredient at 5 g per serving, so there is no ratio to read. Our shilajit is a purified resin, stated as 600 mg per serving, with no extract ratio, no solvent and no compound percentage on the page.
By the checklist above, the shilajit label therefore answers the weight question and nothing more. We explained in what shilajit and fulvic acid are why we chose not to print a fulvic acid percentage. That choice also means you have less to compare with, and you are entitled to ask us for the batch certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Is a higher extract ratio better?
No. A higher ratio means more plant material was used per gram of extract, which often reflects a selective or partial extraction or a plant with little soluble matter [2]. It says nothing on its own about the content of any compound. The Australian regulator warns against marketing high ratio extracts as better [2].
What does 4:1 mean on a herbal supplement?
It means about 4 g of dried plant was used for each 1 g of extract [2]. Check whether the ratio refers to the pure extract or to a finished extract with carrier, because adding an equal weight of carrier turns a 4:1 native extract into a 2:1 finished extract [2].
Is a standardised extract always better than a non-standardised one?
It is easier to compare, because it states the content of a named compound [1]. It is not automatically accurate: in one study only 9 of 21 echinacea products labelled as standardised met their own standard [6], and ginkgo standardisations can be met by spiking with flavonoids from other plants [8].
What does "equivalent to 5,000 mg of herb" mean?
It is the extract weight multiplied by the ratio, for example 500 mg of a 10:1 extract. The figure describes how much dried plant went into manufacturing [2]. It does not mean you receive what 5,000 mg of the whole plant contains, because an extraction leaves part of the plant behind.
Do EU supplement labels have to show the extract ratio?
No. EU law requires food supplements to state the amount of each active substance per daily portion in numbers [3]. Rules on botanicals are left to national law [3], and the detailed declaration of ratio, solvent and standardisation set out by the EMA applies to herbal medicinal products [1].
The bottom line
An extract ratio such as 10:1 is a record of yield: how much dried plant went into each gram of extract [1][2]. It is not a strength, and a higher ratio is not a better product [2]. What lets you compare extracts is the plant part, the solvent, the share of native extract and, above all, the milligrams of a named compound per daily portion.
This article is general information and not medical advice. If you take medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist before using a herbal product. A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Sources
- European Medicines Agency. Guideline on declaration of herbal substances and herbal preparations in herbal medicinal products/traditional herbal medicinal products (EMA/HMPC/CHMP/CVMP/287539/2005 Rev.1). EMA, 2010.
- Monagas M, Brendler T, Brinckmann J, et al. Understanding plant to extract ratios in botanical extracts. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022.
- Directive 2002/46/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to food supplements, recitals 6 and 8 and Article 8. Official Journal of the European Communities, 2002.
- European Commission. Report on the use of substances other than vitamins and minerals in food supplements, COM(2008) 824 final. 2008.
- US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.36, Nutrition labeling of dietary supplements, paragraph (b)(3)(ii). eCFR, accessed 2026.
- Gilroy CM, Steiner JF, Byers T, Shapiro H, Georgian W. Echinacea and truth in labeling. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2003.
- Wohlmuth H, Savage K, Dowell A, Mouatt P. Adulteration of Ginkgo biloba products and a simple method to improve its detection. Phytomedicine, 2014.
- Avula B, Sagi S, Gafner S, et al. Identification of Ginkgo biloba supplements adulteration using high performance thin layer chromatography and ultra high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2015.
- Rahim-Mahdy H, Seifert R. A market and risk assessment of 125 turmeric supplements available in Australia, Germany, India, UK, and USA. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 2026.
