Method for preparing purified extracts of

1. A method for preparing an extract of Harpagophytum procumbens for consumption as a food product, wherein said extract is in liquid or dry form, and wherein the extract has a harpagoside titer from 5% to 50% w/w, said method comprising:

i.) preparing a crude extract of Harpagophytum procumbens by extracting roots of Harpagophytum procumbens with water and/or ethanol to provide an aqueous crude extract and plant material;

ii.) optionally filtering the plant material from the aqueous crude extract and removing the plant material from the crude aqueous extract to produce a crude filtered aqueous extract; and

iii.) purifying the crude aqueous extract or the crude filtered aqueous extract by liquid-liquid extraction using an ester organic solvent, wherein the crude aqueous extract or the crude filtered aqueous extract is extracted with the ester organic solvent, and the ester organic solvent provides an ester organic phase containing the extract of Harpagophytum procumbens.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ester organic solvent is ethyl acetate.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

iv.) removing the ester organic solvent from the extract of Harpagophytum procumbens obtained in step iii.) to obtain the extract in concentrated liquid form, and optionally converting the liquid form into a dry form to provide the extract in dry form.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the crude extract is obtained by extraction of dried lateral roots of Harpagophytum procumbens with 0 to 90% ethanol to provide an initial extract, combining the initial extract with an ester organic solvent, removing the ester organic solvent by solid/liquid separation to provide the crude extract, and optionally concentrating the crude extract to obtain the crude extract in the form of a liquid containing from 2 to 50% dry matter.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the solvent of water and/or ethanol optionally includes methanol.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein converting the concentrated extract in liquid form to the dry form product comprises removing water in a stream of hot air, by drying, by atomization, by evaporation, by sublimation, by dehydration, or by adsorption on a support.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the purifying the crude extract comprises using continuous centrifugation extraction.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein removing the ester organic solvent by solid/liquid separation comprises separation by filtration.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extract of Harpagophytum procumbens is suitable for incorporation into a foodstuff.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extract of Harpagophytum procumbens is extracted using solvents suitable for inclusion into a foodstuff.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the crude extract of Harpagophytum procumbens comprises extracting by mixing Harpagophytum procumbens with water and/or ethanol to produce an initial extract as the crude extract.