Gleditsia Extract
Gleditsia sinensis Β· Chinese honey locust
The 2,000-year-old Chinese saponin that cleanses without stripping.
Region
Sichuan, China
Form
Water extract of dried pods
Shelf
18 months refrigerated
Class
Herbal extract
Key finding
10%+
Natural triterpenoid saponin content β the source of foaming cleanse
The brief.
Origin
Sun-dried pods of Gleditsia sinensis, sustainably wild-harvested from the mountains of Sichuan and Hubei provinces.
Extraction
Whole dried pods (zΓ o jiΓ‘) are simmered in soft water for 4 hours, filtered, and concentrated. Naturally rich in triterpene saponins that produce a mild, silky lather.
Sustainability
Wild-harvested from mountain hedgerows where the tree grows without cultivation input. Our supplier belongs to a Sichuan cooperative that leaves 40% of each stand unharvested to protect regeneration.
How it works.
Gleditsia's triterpene saponins have an amphiphilic structure β one water-loving end, one oil-loving end. They surround sebum and dirt in the same way modern surfactants do, but because they're gentler and biodegradable, they leave the scalp's lipid barrier intact.
Delivers
- 01Cleanses without stripping the acid mantle
- 02Naturally low-foam β sulphate-free by design
- 03Adds slip and detangling to shampoo formulas
- 04Rooted in 2,000+ years of Chinese hair medicine
Molecular signature.
The bio-active constituents that make Gleditsia Extract work β with standardised percentages where measured by HPLC.
- 01
Gleditsia saponins
Triterpene glycosides β the amphiphilic molecules that lift dirt without denaturing the cuticle.
- 02
Polysaccharides
Add slip and reduce the perceived harshness of the cleanse.
- 03
Flavonoids
Mild anti-inflammatory benefit for the scalp.
Signal profile.
Six-axis assay
A living profile β the vectors that make Gleditsia Extract.
- Evidence52
1 peer-reviewed source
- Potency20
Standardised at 10%+
- Safety92
Broad tolerance
- Heritage79
Documented across 3 traditions
- Sensory76
Herbal extract profile
- Sourcing92
Traceable provenance
Heritage.
The record
Documented as zΓ o jiΓ‘ in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (2nd century BCE), Gleditsia pods were the 'shampoo' of imperial China for over two millennia β court ladies were said to have used them nightly to maintain the lustrous black hair prized in the Tang and Song dynasties.
Traditional use
Chinese imperial hair-and-body wash; Korean traditional scalp rinse; Japanese tea-ceremony hand cleanser.
Naturally found in
- Native to central and eastern China
- Cultivated in ornamental parks worldwide (thornless variety)
- One of the oldest recorded plant saponins in continuous cosmetic use
Field β phial.
Every gram of Gleditsia Extract passes five gates before it enters a Ghori formula. No shortcuts, no re-labels β the paper trail runs from soil to seal.
- π€£01
Stage 01
Harvest
Sun-dried pods of Gleditsia sinensis, sustainably wild-harvested from the mountains of Sichuan and Hubei provinces.
- β02
Stage 02
Extract
Whole dried pods (zΓ o jiΓ‘) are simmered in soft water for 4 hours, filtered, and concentrated. Naturally rich in triterpene saponins that produce a mild, silky lather.
- β03
Stage 03
Assay
HPLC-verified. 10%+ standardised for natural triterpenoid saponin content β the source of foaming cleanse.
- β04
Stage 04
Formulate
3%β10% in cleansing formulas; often blended with modern surfactants for a balanced foam.
- β05
Stage 05
Deliver
Stable 18 months refrigerated. Sealed under nitrogen where required.
Best for. Pairs with.
Best for
- βSensitive scalps that react to modern sulphates
- βColour-treated hair needing a gentle wash
- βAnyone wanting a traditional-medicine active in a modern formula
Pairs well with
People often ask.
Does Gleditsia foam like shampoo?
It produces a mild, silky foam β not the aggressive lather of sulphates. That's the point: less foam means less barrier disruption.
The paper trail.
- [01]Zhang Z, et al. J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 β Traditional uses and phytochemistry of Gleditsia sinensis.
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