Bulk Hawthorn Extract Supplier — Standardized Flavonoids & Maslinic Acid (Crataegolic Acid), B2B Wholesale
Valeherb supplies standardized hawthorn extract bulk wholesale in two product lines: total hawthorn flavonoids at 20%, 50%, and 80%, and maslinic acid (crataegolic acid) at 10%, 20%, 40%, and 98% — with custom specifications available for supplement, functional beverage, and cosmetic formulation. We source both European hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laevigata, the species used in the published clinical research) and Chinese hawthorn extract (Crataegus pinnatifida), the dominant commercial source — specify species on your enquiry. Hawthorn is among the most extensively researched botanicals in the European cardiovascular phytomedicine literature; a 2020 review in Frontiers in Pharmacology characterised four research directions for hawthorn extracts — serum-lipid, antioxidant, inflammatory-pathway, and vascular-endothelial activity.[1] The two product lines are chemically distinct — flavonoids and triterpenoid acid — and serve different formulation categories, so the first procurement decision is which marker (and grade) fits your application.
Active Compounds: Flavonoids vs. Triterpenoid Acid
Hawthorn supplies two different marker families. Total flavonoid content and maslinic acid content are measured separately on the COA and are not interchangeable quality indicators:
| Compound | Mechanism Studied in Research | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total Flavonoids (incl. vitexin, hyperoside) | Studied for antioxidant activity (free-radical scavenging, LDL-oxidation inhibition) and vascular-endothelial and coronary-flow research[1] | The standardization basis for hawthorn’s cardiovascular research literature; quantified by HPLC/UV |
| Vitexin / Vitexin-2-O-rhamnoside | The flavonoid marker used in the SPICE and Cochrane-reviewed clinical research on standardized leaf/flower extract[2] | Reported as a sub-fraction within total flavonoid content; specify on COA if required |
| Hyperoside (Quercetin-3-galactoside) | Studied for antioxidant and inflammatory-pathway activity[1] | A flavonol glycoside reported alongside vitexin |
| Maslinic Acid (Crataegolic Acid) | A pentacyclic triterpenoid (C30H48O4, CAS 4373-41-5) studied for antioxidant and inflammatory-pathway (NF-κB) activity, and in metabolic-pathway research[6] | Chemically distinct from the flavonoids; occurs in hawthorn, olive, and loquat — COA should state botanical source |
Available Grades and Specifications
We supply both product lines across multiple grades. Custom specifications and plant-part selection available on request:
| Product Line | Specification | Typical Application Category |
|---|---|---|
| Hawthorn Flavonoids | 20% total flavonoids (HPLC/UV) | General supplement and antioxidant formulations, functional teas |
| Hawthorn Flavonoids | 50% total flavonoids (HPLC/UV) | Standardized cardiovascular-support supplements, functional beverages |
| Hawthorn Flavonoids | 80% total flavonoids (HPLC/UV) | High-standardization supplement formulations |
| Maslinic Acid (Crataegolic Acid) | 10% / 20% / 40% | Enriched triterpenoid fractions for supplement and cosmetic formulations |
| Maslinic Acid (Crataegolic Acid) | 98% (HPLC) | High-purity isolate for precision-dose supplement, sports-nutrition, and research applications |
Published Research
Hawthorn Flavonoid Cardiovascular Research
The largest outcome study of a standardized hawthorn flavonoid extract is the SPICE trial (Holubarsch et al., 2008), which enrolled 2,681 patients with chronic heart failure across European centres and gave leaf/flower extract WS 1442 (900 mg/day) or placebo over 24 months. WS 1442 was well tolerated, with adverse-event rates comparable to placebo, but did not meet its primary endpoint (time to first cardiac event was not significantly different from placebo); a pre-specified subgroup with higher ejection fraction showed a reduction in sudden cardiac death.[3] A Cochrane systematic review by Guo, Pittler & Ernst (2008) pooled randomized controlled trials of standardized hawthorn extract and reported improvements in exercise tolerance and in breathlessness and fatigue symptoms versus placebo among the trials reviewed.[2] More recently, a systematic review and meta-analysis by Szikora et al. (2025) of six placebo-controlled trials (428 participants) reported a reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference −6.65 mmHg) over 10 weeks to 6 months; the authors note the evidence base remains limited in size.[4]
Antioxidant and Vascular Research
Wu et al. (2020) reviewed mechanistic research on hawthorn and atherosclerosis-related pathways, characterising four research directions: serum-lipid, antioxidant (including LDL-oxidation inhibition), inflammatory-pathway, and vascular-endothelial activity.[1] These are described in the literature as research mechanisms at the compound level, distinct from pharmaceutical lipid-lowering therapy.
Maslinic Acid (Crataegolic Acid) Research
Maslinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid distinct from hawthorn’s flavonoids. Published research has characterised it for antioxidant activity and for inflammatory-pathway modulation — including inhibition of NF-κB signalling in cell models — and it is studied in metabolic-pathway research.[6] This research is at the compound level and does not constitute a claim for any finished product.
Application Categories
- Cardiovascular-support and antioxidant supplements (flavonoids): 50% or 80% total-flavonoid extract in capsule/tablet formats; berry-source material is common for antioxidant positioning, leaf/flower for the flavonoid profile used in the cardiovascular research literature.
- Functional beverages and syrups (flavonoids): hawthorn’s natural tart berry profile pairs with pomegranate and hibiscus in wellness RTD formats; specify flavonoid % on COA for label declaration.
- Metabolic-support and sports-nutrition supplements (maslinic acid): 40% or 98% maslinic acid for precision-dose triterpenoid formulations; the 98% isolate supports exact label declaration of crataegolic acid content.
- Cosmetic and topical formulations (maslinic acid): triterpenoid acid used in skin-care actives; supplied as enriched fractions or high-purity isolate.
Doses Used in Published Research
| Research Context | Dose Used in Studies | Material |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiac-function research (SPICE) | 900 mg/day (WS 1442 standardized extract)[3] | Standardized leaf/flower flavonoid extract |
| Blood-pressure research (meta-analysis) | 250–1,200 mg/day[4] | Standardized hawthorn extract |
| General antioxidant research | 300–600 mg/day | Berry or leaf/flower flavonoid extract |
Sourcing Criteria: What to Require from Any Supplier
| Criterion | What to Require |
|---|---|
| Marker & Grade | Specify whether you need total flavonoids (20/50/80%) or maslinic acid (10/20/40/98%) — they are different products. State the target % and assay method on the COA |
| Plant Part (flavonoids) | Specify berry (fructus), leaf, flower, or combined leaf/flower — each carries a different flavonoid profile and research base |
| Flavonoid Standardization | HPLC/UV for total flavonoid content. Request individual vitexin/hyperoside values if your formulation references the cardiovascular research literature |
| Maslinic Acid Verification | HPLC assay for maslinic acid (crataegolic acid) content per batch; confirm botanical source (hawthorn, olive, or loquat) |
| Species Documentation | Confirm Crataegus monogyna or Crataegus laevigata (the species used in published clinical research) or Crataegus pinnatifida (Chinese hawthorn, the dominant commercial source) for the flavonoid lines |
| Third-Party COA | Marker content (HPLC/UV), heavy metals (USP <232>), pesticide residues, microbial limits (USP <2021>), moisture — per batch |
| Certifications | Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal for relevant markets. FDA-registered facility for US supplement supply chains |
Regulatory Background
- US (DSHEA): antioxidant structure/function claims are the most defensible category; cardiovascular and blood-pressure wording is disease-adjacent and must be substantiated by the marketer and carry the FDA disclaimer. Disease treatment claims (e.g., heart-failure or hypertension treatment) are prohibited without drug approval. NYHA classifications are disease terms and should not appear on supplement labels.
- EU (Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products): Crataegus leaf and flower has an EMA/HMPC well-established and traditional-use assessment (EMA/HMPC/691042/2013) — a factual regulatory background for the ingredient that buyers can use to gauge what is supportable in the EU.[5]
- Germany (Commission E): hawthorn leaf with flower has a historical Commission E monograph — factual regulatory background that preceded the EMA assessment.
- Canada (NHPs): hawthorn has a Health Canada NHP monograph; permitted claims are defined within that monograph.
- Maslinic acid: supplied as a botanical/cosmetic ingredient; it does not share hawthorn’s herbal-medicine monographs, and any finished-product claim is the marketer’s responsibility to substantiate in the target market.
References
[1] Wu M, Liu L, Xing Y, Yang S, Li H, Cao Y. (2020). Roles and Mechanisms of Hawthorn and Its Extracts on Atherosclerosis: A Review. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 11, 118. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.00118
[2] Guo R, Pittler MH, Ernst E. (2008). Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 1, CD005312. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005312.pub2
[3] Holubarsch CJF, Colucci WS, Meinertz T, Gaus W, Tendera M. (2008). The efficacy and safety of Crataegus extract WS 1442 in patients with heart failure: the SPICE trial. European Journal of Heart Failure, 10(12), 1255–1263. doi:10.1016/j.ejheart.2008.10.004
[4] Szikora Z, Mátyus RO, Vargáné Szabó B, Csupor D, Tóth B. (2025). Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) Clinically Significantly Reduces Blood Pressure in Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials. Pharmaceuticals, 18(7), 1027. doi:10.3390/ph18071027
[5] European Medicines Agency. (2016). Assessment report on Crataegus spp., folium cum flore. EMA/HMPC/691042/2013.
[6] Fukumitsu S, Villareal MO, Onaga S, et al. (2016). Anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of pentacyclic triterpenoid maslinic acid through NF-κB inactivation. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 60(2), 399–409. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201500465
