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Garcinia cambogia
Extract
HCA Calcium Salt — 40% / 50% / 60%
Botanical Source :
Garcinia cambogia (Malabar Tamarind) — dried fruit rind | Western Ghats, India
Standardisation :
HPLC-verified. Calcium-salt form selected for superior stability, lower hygroscopicity, and enhanced bioavailability vs free-acid HCA.
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Mechanism of Action
HCA exerts its primary activity through competitive inhibition of ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), the extramitochondrial enzyme that cleaves citrate into oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA — the rate-limiting step in de novo lipogenesis. By limiting available acetyl-CoA substrate, fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis are attenuated. Secondarymechanisms include modulation of serotonin availability (inhibiting its reuptake in brain cortex, thereby suppressing appetite) and upregulation of hepatic glycogensynthesis (stimulating hypothalamic satiety signals). A meta-analysis of 12 RCTs confirmed a small but statistically significant short-term weight loss benefit for HCA overplacebo (MD: −0.88 kg; 95% CI: −1.75, −0.00). A 2023 study in Food & Nutrition Research further demonstrated significant reductions in HFD-induced body weight gain,improved insulin sensitivity, and attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation.
Top 3 Applications
1 Nutraceuticals / Weight Management — Thermogenic & Anti-Lipogenic Formulations
The calcium-salt form is the industry benchmark for weight-management supplementation. The high-potency 60% grade enables clinically relevant dosing in compactcapsule or tablet formats. Its dual-action mechanism (fat-synthesis inhibition + serotonin-mediated appetite control) supports combination formulations withGymnema sylvestre, Chromium, and Green Coffee Extract for comprehensive metabolic support stacks.
2. Pharma / Functional Medicine — Metabolic Syndrome Adjunct Therapy
A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial confirmed that 12 weeks of HCA administration significantly reduced visceral-fat accumulation (CT-scan-verified) in subjects with visceral fat area > 90 cm². The calcium-salt form offers superior tablet compression characteristics, pH stability across GI conditions, and long shelf life — essential for pharmaceutical-grade oral solid dosage forms.
3. Personal Care / Cosmeceuticals — Topical Anti-Cellulite Formulations
The anti-lipogenic mechanism of HCA is under active investigation for topical applications in anti-cellulite serums and body-sculpting formulas, targeting local inhibition of fatty-acid synthesis in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Pairs well with caffeine and carnitine in lipolytic cosmeceutical matrices.
Specification & Quality Benchmarks
Solvent system: aqueous extraction, neutralised to calcium salt (no residual-solvent risk).
Heavy metals (Low-Lead grade): Pb ≤ 0.5 ppm | Cd ≤ 0.3 ppm | As ≤ 1.0 ppm | Hg ≤ 0.1 ppm (ICP-MS, USP <232>).
Pesticide residues: USP <565> / EU MRL-compliant panel (400+ analytes).
Microbial: TPC ≤ 10³ CFU/g | Yeast & Mould ≤ 10² CFU/g | E. coli absent | Salmonella absent.
Aflatoxins (B1+B2+G1+G2) ≤ 4 ppb.
Shelf life 24 months in HDPE drum with double PE liner at ≤ 25 °C, ≤ 60% RH.
Formulation Intelligence
Typical use: 500–1500 mg extract/day (for 60% grade → 300–900 mg HCA).
Formats: capsule, tablet, effervescent, stick-pack, functional beverage powder.
pH stability window: 3.0–8.0 (calcium salt is acid-stable where free HCA is not).
​Solubility: freely water-soluble; compatible with green coffee CGA, green tea EGCG,
Gymnema, Coleus forskolin, chromium picolinate.
Low hygroscopicity → long-shelf-life tablet compression without overcoating.
Buyer's Quick-Qualify
Synergy Map — Formulation Pairings
With Green Coffee CGA — ACL inhibition + AMPK activation covers both lipogenesis andglucose handling.
With Gymnema sylvestre — appetite/cravings control on two distinct axes (central serotonergic + peripheral sweet-taste-receptor blockade).
With Coleus forskohlii — HCA suppresses fat synthesis, forskolin activates lipolysis (upstream/downstream fat-balance pairing).
With Green Tea EGCG + caffeine — thermogenic stack for premium body-composition SKUs.
MOQ: 25 kg | sample: 50–100 g free on request with TDS & CoA.
Lead time: 3–4 weeks ex-works India for standard grades; 5–6 weeks for Low-Lead or custom specs.
Custom standardisation available (40–60% HCA), plus private-label blended pre-mixes.
Export markets served: US, EU, UK, Japan, Australia, GCC, ASEAN.
Low hygroscopicity → long-shelf-life tablet compression without overcoating.
Market & a Snapshot
Global weight-management ingredient market: ~USD 1.2 B (2024) | projected CAGR 5–7% to 2030. HCA remains the most-recognised consumer weight-management botanical after green tea.Regulatory: US — DSHEA-compliant dietary ingredient; EU — permitted as food supplement (country-by-country label review advised); India — AYUSH- and FSSAI-listed nutraceutical ingredient.
Emerging Applications
Renewed research interest in HCA as a ChREBP/SREBP-1c suppressor for MASLD (metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) — a category that did not exist at scale when theoriginal HCA trials were run. Gummy and stick-pack delivery formats growing fastest inside weight-management.
Key Scientific References
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Heymsfield SB et al. JAMA. 1998;280:1596–1600
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Onakpoya I et al. meta-analysis (PMC3010674)
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Tian Y et al. Food Nutr Res. 2023 (PMC10084504)
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Hayamizu K et al. Curr Ther Res. 2003;64:551–567
Contact & Next Steps
PHELBA Life Sciences · Technical Data Sheets, Certificates of Analysis, HPLC
chromatograms, stability studies, and 50–100 g free samples are available on
request for any SKU.
Website
Markets Served
US, EU, UK, Japan, Australia, GCC, ASEAN
All extracts manufactured at our cGMP- and ISO 9001:2015-certified partner facilities in India.
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FSSAI- and HACCP-licensed. Halal and Kosher certification available on request. Organic (NPOP / NOP / EU-Organic) variants available on select SKUs.