Labels sell Tongkat Ali as 50:1, 100:1 or 200:1, and a bigger number looks stronger. A ratio only says how many kilograms of dried root went into each kilogram of extract. It does not measure what came out.
What the testing found
Since 2023, the Biotropics laboratory, accredited by Malaysia’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), has tested extracts sold as Tongkat Ali from suppliers in Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Japan. Each was measured against Malaysia’s national standard for Tongkat Ali extract, MS 2409:2011. Supplier names are not published.
The standard sets levels for four compound groups. Eurycomanone is the compound found only in Tongkat Ali, and the one most labels measure. The other three are peptides, measured as total protein, and two families of plant compounds: polysaccharides and glycosaponins. A well-made extract keeps all four in balance.
- 2 of 22 met all four markers.
- 10 were below the eurycomanone minimum of .8%.
- 6 were above the 1.5% maximum, beyond the research.
- 9 were short on polysaccharides.
The clearest result: an extract sold as 200:1 measured .05% eurycomanone. A 10:1 extract from another supplier measured .98%, nearly twenty times as much.
Two ways extracts fail
Underextraction
Too little of the active compounds reach the powder. These extracts are mostly polysaccharides, often above 80%, with almost no eurycomanone or protein. Most high-ratio extracts in the test looked like this.
Overconcentration
Eurycomanone is pushed to 3%, 5% or more, while polysaccharides drop to single figures. The balance of the root is lost, and no human study has tested extracts this strong.
Labels and lab results did not always match
Extracts labeled 3%, 5% and 8% measured 2.16%, 3.16% and 6.97%. One labeled 10% measured 11.67%. A percentage on a label is only as good as the testing behind it.
The full results
| Sold as | Origin | Eurycomanone % | Protein % | Polysaccharides % | Glycosaponins % | Markers met |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100:1 powder extract | Malaysia | 1.23 | 26.70 | 31.30 | 52.50 | 4 of 4 |
| 1% eurycomanone | China | 1.02 | 23.10 | 33.89 | 62.70 | 4 of 4 |
| 1% eurycomanone | China | 1.09 | 63.98 | 10.65 | 71.00 | 3 of 4 |
| 100:1 water soluble | Japan | 1.40 | 30.00 | 23.24 | 53.60 | 3 of 4 |
| Eurycomanone 2% or more | China | 1.86 | 23.50 | 41.24 | 63.13 | 3 of 4 |
| 10:1, eurycomanone 1% or more | China | .98 | 19.90 | 48.44 | 52.57 | 3 of 4 |
| “One Hundred” | Indonesia | .53 | 25.37 | 46.66 | 30.60 | 2 of 4 |
| 3% eurycomanone | China | 2.16 | 51.61 | 3.00 | 73.00 | 2 of 4 |
| 10% eurycomanone | China | 11.67 | 50.81 | 3.15 | 88.30 | 2 of 4 |
| 2% eurycomanone | China | 1.67 | 42.60 | 5.85 | 67.10 | 2 of 4 |
| 5% eurycomanone | China | 3.16 | 70.06 | 9.60 | 74.00 | 2 of 4 |
| 8% eurycomanone | China | 6.97 | 32.31 | 21.59 | 70.90 | 2 of 4 |
| Eurycomanone 1% or more | China | .61 | 19.30 | 50.54 | 53.19 | 2 of 4 |
| 200:1 | China | .25 | 6.20 | 58.50 | 44.70 | 2 of 4 |
| 10:1 | Indonesia | .15 | .80 | 81.20 | 7.50 | 1 of 4 |
| 20:1 | Indonesia | .20 | .60 | 83.00 | 19.40 | 1 of 4 |
| 50:1 | Indonesia | .51 | 6.92 | 69.20 | 28.30 | 1 of 4 |
| 100 fold concentrated | Japan | .80 | 21.55 | Not tested | Not tested | 1 of 2 tested |
| 200:1 | China | .05 | .10 | 80.80 | 3.70 | 1 of 4 |
| 100:1 | China | .06 | .10 | 81.00 | 3.80 | 1 of 4 |
| .1 to .3% eurycomanone | Malaysia | .07 | 5.44 | 23.09 | 21.70 | 0 of 4 |
| 2 to 3% eurycomanone | Malaysia | .68 | 17.12 | 29.25 | 37.90 | 0 of 4 |
Standard: eurycomanone .8 to 1.5%, total protein 22% or more, polysaccharides 30% or more, glycosaponins 40% or more. Methods: HPLC for eurycomanone, Lowry for protein, anthrone for polysaccharides, gravimetric for glycosaponins.
Why water extraction
The human studies on Tongkat Ali used water extracts, which keep the root’s peptides and polysaccharides alongside eurycomanone. Solvent extracts, made with ethanol for example, pull out a different mix.
What to check instead of the ratio
- A named standard, such as MS 2409:2011, or a eurycomanone percentage.
- The extraction method. Look for water extract.
- Milligrams per serving. 200mg a day is the most studied dose.
- Eurycomanone no higher than 1.5%. Stronger extracts sit outside the research.
Questions
Is a 200:1 extract stronger than 100:1? Not necessarily. In this testing, the 200:1 and 100:1 extracts from one supplier were among the weakest.
Who did the testing? The Biotropics laboratory. Biotropics makes Physta®, a standardized extract, and publishes this guide.