Stevia extract is a substance obtained from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, used as a natural sweetener in many food products and beverages.

The name describes the structure of the molecule.

• Stevia refers to the plant from which the sweetener is extracted. Stevia rebaudiana is a perennial herbaceous plant native to South America, specifically Paraguay and Brazil.
• Extract indicates that the active or desired compounds have been extracted or isolated from the original plant. In the context of stevia, the extract is typically rich in steviol glycosides, which are the compounds responsible for the sweetening power.

Description of raw materials used in production.

• The main raw material for stevia extract is the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It's a small perennial herbaceous plant native to South America.

Step-by-step summary of its industrial production process.

• Leaves are harvested from the Stevia plant.
• These leaves are then dried and subjected to a water extraction process.
• Once extracted, the steviol glycosides are separated from other parts of the leaf.
• The resulting liquid is then filtered and further purified through processes like chromatography and crystallization.
• The extract is then dried, resulting in a concentrated white powder that contains the steviol glycosides.

Form and color.

Stevia extract typically comes in the form of a white powder, but it can also be available in liquid form.

Commercial applications.

Food

Stevia extract is a natural sweetener used in many food products and beverages as an alternative to sugar and other artificial sweeteners. It's particularly popular among those seeking low-calorie or sugar-free options.

Cosmetics

• Flavoring agent. The purpose of this ingredient is to modify the solution to impart a certain flavour. Natural flavouring extracts are rather expensive, so the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries resort to synthesised substances that have sensory characteristics mostly similar to natural flavourings or are naturally equivalent. This ingredient is isolated through chemical processes or is synthesised from chemicals. It is also referred to as Aroma.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a native plant of South America belonging to the Asteraceae family, with a long and dated history of medicinal plant first used in traditional medicine against diabetes and hypertension.

Its leaves are nowadays commercially utilized by the food and pharmaceutical industry as they produce secondary metabolites (diterpene glycosides), which are about 300 times sweeter than sucrose (1).

Its benefits in medicine range from hypertension to diabetes and this study confirms that a treatment with Stevia in 250mg tablets produced a significant improvement in the biochemical parameters of patients with chronic kidney disease (2).

Results suggest that oral administration to rats of a watery extract of dried leaves of Stevia induces systemic and renal vasodilation, causing hypotension, diuresis and natriuresis (3).

Stevia has many pharmacological and therapeutic applications, as suggested by many preclinical studies and some clinical trials; the properties of Stevia are non-toxic and have antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal and anticarcinogenic activities (4).

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni, a Source of High-Potency Natural Sweetener-Biochemical and Genetic Characterization.  Dyduch-Siemińska M, Najda A, Gawroński J, Balant S, Świca K, Żaba A.  Molecules. 2020 Feb 11;25(4). pii: E767. doi: 10.3390/molecules25040767.

Abstract. Stevia rebaudiana is a natural sweetener herb that is increasingly used in herbal medicines in the food and cosmetics industries. Molecular methods can be combined with morphological techniques to identify stevia genotypes as a starting material to produce more reliable bioproducts. This study evaluated the level of the genetic and biochemical diversity in various stevia genotypes using HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) analysis and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Stevia genotypes collected from different locations of the world showed clear variations at the biochemical and genetic level in Polish climate conditions. The influence of the genotypes on the content of steviol glycosides, antioxidants, phenols, flavonoids, and tannins was analyzed using phytochemical assays. Genotypes from Morocco, Poland, Egypt, and Nigeria can be defined as samples of higher quality compared to other genotypes analyzed in terms of the amount of steviol glycosides. Considering the rebaudioside A/stevioside ratio as a selection criterion, genotypes from Australia, China, India, and Pakistan should be considered to be valuable in terms of suitability for obtaining new varieties. The present results of RAPD marker analysis indicated differential banding pattern and considerable polymorphism among all ten stevia genotypes. Genotypes from Morocco, Egypt, Poland, Nigeria, China, and India, as genetically different, can be selected for further stevia breeding programs.

(2) Preliminary analysis of the effect of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) in patients with chronic kidney disease (stage I to stage III).  Rizwan F, Rashid HU, Yesmine S, Monjur F, Chatterjee TK.  Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2018 Aug 21;12:17-25. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2018.08.007.

Abstract. Background: Stevia, Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni), has become an important economic plant for its commercial use as a sweetener. Stevia plays a significant role in the healthcare practice of different cultures and in population. Previous animal and clinical studies demonstrated the efficacy of Stevia against chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the beneficial effect of Stevia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients after three (3) months of treatment along with the conventional antihypertensive and anti diabetic medications.... Conclusion: The initial result demonstrated that Stevia has the potential for a significant improvement of some biochemical parameters in CKD patients. After completion of the nine (9) months clinical trial, the constructive effect of Stevia can be confirmed in this group of patients.

(3) Chronic administration of aqueous extract of Stevia rebaudiana in rats: renal effects.  Melis MS.  J Ethnopharmacol. 1995 Jul 28;47(3):129-34.

Abstract. The effects of administration of Stevia rebaudiana extracts for 20, 40 and 60 days on renal function and mean arterial pressure in normal Wistar rats were evaluated. Results showed that the Stevia rebaudiana treated rats group for 20 days did not significantly differ from the control group. Chronic administration of a crude extract for 40 and 60 days induced hypotension, diuresis and natriuresis with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) constant. An increase of the renal plasma flow (RPF) was exclusively observed for the group treated for 60 days. The results suggests that oral administration to rats of an aqueous extract of Stevia dried leaves induce systemic and renal vasodilation, causing hypotension, diuresis and natriuresis.

(4) Nutritional and therapeutic values of Stevia rebaudiana: A review  Ena Gupta1, Shalini Purwar1, Shanthy Sundaram, G. K. Rai  Vol. 7(46), pp. 3343-3353, 10 December, 2013  DOI: 10.5897/JMPR2013.5276  ISSN 1996-0875 ©2013 Academic Journals

 Abstract. Many non- or low-cariogenic sucrose substitutes are currently available and are found as ingredients of a variety of candy, chewing gum, and drinks. Recently the role of sugar alcohols in promoting remineralisation of enamel has attracted much attention. Thus, the dental profession needs to understand the general characteristics and features of sugar substitutes to provide advice on oral health to patients as well as the general public. There are two critical requirements for sucrose substitutes, namely, being nutritionally appropriate and not being detrimental to the overall general health of the individual. The use of a greater variety of confectionary containing sucrose substitutes and the development of new substitutes with high nutritional value are essential in the battle against caries. In this paper we review in detail the characteristics of sucrose substitutes currently in use, their role in caries prevention and promotion of oral health.