extract
Meaning of extract: An extract is a concentrated preparation drawn from a plant, animal, or microorganism, used either as a medication itself or as an ingredient within one.
Definition of extract
An extract is a preparation made by drawing a particular substance out of its natural source, such as a plant, animal tissue, or microorganism, typically using a solvent such as water, alcohol, or oil. The process concentrates the compounds of interest while removing much of the surrounding bulk material.
Extracts are used in medicine and in dietary supplements in a range of forms, including liquids, tablets, and capsules, and the specific compounds present and their concentration can vary considerably depending on the plant part used, the extraction method, and the manufacturer.
Because an extract typically contains a mixture of compounds rather than a single purified substance, its effects can differ from those of an isolated active ingredient derived from the same source, and standardization of extracts, when it occurs, is intended to make the concentration of key compounds more consistent between batches.
Used in a sentence
The supplement contained a standardized extract intended to provide a consistent dose of the active compound.
Good to know
An extract typically contains a mixture of naturally occurring compounds rather than a single purified substance, so its effects and consistency between products can differ from those of an isolated active ingredient derived from the same source.
Word origin
Where “extract” comes from
Formed from Latin ex-, meaning out, and trahere, meaning to draw or pull, together meaning drawn out.