Reading a Cissus Certificate of Analysis When the Headline Assay Is Class-Based

The Line at the Top

Every cissus certificate leads with a ketosterone percentage. Whether that line is useful depends entirely on whether a method sits next to it.

Because ketosterone is a class of constituents rather than a single compound with a universal reference standard, the figure depends on the method used. Without it you cannot compare suppliers, cannot brief an independent laboratory, and cannot reproduce the result. Ask for the method; a supplier who cannot name it is telling you something.

The Supporting Profile

The second thing to require, and the one most cissus certificates lack:

• Quercetin by HPLC;
• Flavonoid profile;
• β-sitosterol / phytosterol profile.

These constituents are analytically well defined in this plant, so they characterise the material independently of the class assay — and their pattern is what makes crude sterol addition visible. A number can be lifted; a pattern is harder to fake.

Identity and Part

Species substitution is a smaller concern on cissus than on wild-harvested botanicals — the plant is widely cultivated and the quadrangular stem is distinctive — so the part declaration does more work here than the species line.

Ash: Read Both, Separately

High total ash on cissus is expected and consistent with what the plant is used for. High acid-insoluble ash is not, and should not be explained away by pointing at the mineral content.

Contaminants and Microbiology

• Heavy metals by ICP-MS, itemised — lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury. Reject a single combined "heavy metals" line;
• Aflatoxins B1 and total by HPLC-FLD;
• Residual solvent by GC;
• Pesticide residues to EU MRL where the destination requires — see our MRL compliance guide;
• Ethylene oxide non-treatment declaration, LC-MS/MS on request — still a leading cause of EU border refusals on Indian botanicals;
• Full USP microbiological panel — TPC, yeast and moulds, E. coli, Salmonella, S. aureus.

The Sports-Channel Line

If the material enters a tested channel, banned-substance screening by LC-MS/MS belongs on the specification rather than in a conversation. We provide it on request; the reasoning is in our adulteration guide.

Complete Requirement Set

1. Species by binomial and identity by TLC;
2. Ketosterone assay with method named;
3. HPLC profile — quercetin, flavonoids, phytosterols;
4. Aerial-stem-only declaration;
5. Total and acid-insoluble ash, reported separately;
6. Loss on drying, pH, bulk density, mesh;
7. Residual solvent by GC;
8. Heavy metals by ICP-MS, itemised;
9. Aflatoxins B1 and total;
10. Pesticide residues and non-ETO declaration as required;
11. Full USP microbiological panel;
12. Banned-substance screening where the channel requires it;
13. Batch number, manufacturing date, retest or expiry date.

Independent Testing

One practical instruction that prevents a common and entirely avoidable dispute: tell your laboratory which ketosterone method to run. If they choose a different one, the figures will not match and neither party will be wrong — which is a poor way to learn how method-dependent this assay is. We will share our method so the comparison is like for like.

Buyers can nominate Eurofins, SGS or Intertek. Every batch ships with a CoA from a NABL-accredited laboratory; methods are listed on our quality page, and you can request a sample with full documentation.