Plant extracts have a variety of common uses and functions, which are summarized in detail below:
1. Pharmaceutical industry
APIs: Extracts from plants can be used to obtain pharmaceutical active ingredients, such as paclitaxel, ginsenosides, etc., which have the function of treating diseases.
Health care products: plant extracts can be used to make various health care products, such as regulating blood lipids, improving gastrointestinal function, protecting liver, promoting milk secretion, improving sleep, relieving fatigue, and enhancing immunity.
2. The food industry
Natural sweeteners: Products obtained from the extraction and processing of naturally synthesized sweet components in natural plant bodies are usually called natural sweeteners, such as stevioside, rosmarinic acid sweet glycoside, etc. These sweeteners are characterized by low calorie and high sweetness, and can be used to replace traditional sugar.
Food additives: Plant extracts can be used as antioxidants (e.g., tea polyphenols), natural flavors (e.g., tincture of clove buds), colorants (e.g., beet red), and other food additives to improve the quality and safety of food.
3. Daily chemical and cosmetic industry
Moisturizing and skin care: a variety of plant extracts with moisturizing and nourishing the skin, such as aloe vera extract, ginseng extract.
Whitening and anti-wrinkle: some plant extracts have whitening and anti-wrinkle effects, such as grape seed extract, lemon extract, etc., which can be used to make cosmetics with specific effects.
Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory: some plant extracts have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and can be used to make cosmetics or daily necessities with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, such as honeysuckle extracts, lavender extracts and so on.
4. Feed industry
Adding plant extracts to feed can improve the intestinal health of animals and enhance immunity, such as eucommia leaf extract.
5. Other fields
Natural pigment: The roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, etc. of widely grown plants are used as the initial raw materials, and the color organic matter extracted is known as plant extract-based natural pigment, which can be used for coloring in food, cosmetics and other industries.
Plant essential oils: Aromatic flavored oily liquids extracted from plants are widely used in daily chemicals (perfumes, hand creams, soaps, etc.), pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, feeds (e.g., oregano oil), and pest control, in addition to being used as fragrances.