Science

Delightful moments, powered by our mood research.

What is a Delightful moment?

With the intense pace of life taking a heavy toll on our mental and emotional wellbeing, there is a need for a breakthrough in achieving and maintaining happiness & mindfulness. A delightful moment is not just a feeling. It is a measurable biological state. We mapped the emotional landscape and studies the associated hormones linked to each wellbeing state. We then tap into natural botanicals to create moments that are calm, connected, driven, and present, because true delight happens when your hormones are in harmony.

Stress

Cortisol ⬆
Serotonin ⬇

Security, trust and attachment

Oxytocin ⬆
Serotonin ⬇

Motivation and excitement

Dopamine ⬆
Cortisol (optimal)

Happiness and contentment

Serotonin ⬆
Oxytocin (optimal)

Why Botanical Ingredients?

For millennia, Asia’s healing traditions like Japanese Kampo, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Indian Ayurveda, and Javanese Jamu have used botanicals to restore balance and elevate mood. Across rich tribal cultures worldwide, therapeutic remedies derived from natural sources have produced empirical evidence for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Delightex believes this ancient wisdom holds untapped potential for modern wellbeing, and we are pioneering the market that brings naturally derived, physiologically and psychologically beneficial products to consumers who seek safer, more harmonious alternatives to synthetic chemicals.

Our Global Network

Headquartered in Singapore, Delightex taps into a network of renowned universities and research institutes across Asia and beyond. We take traditional botanical knowledge and validate it through science for your mood wellbeing.

Research Approach

We move systematically from exploration to human sensory studies. Each step is designed to detect real changes from mood biomarkers to subjective perception.

[1] Exploration

7 overseas laboratories exploring literature research of traditionally used herbs.

[2] Cell-based Assays

Screening of natural herbs for mood properties.

More than 8000 substances screened in our database.

[3] In-vivo Models

Qualitative detection of changes in animal neuronal system

One of our findings show that Moringa exhibits serotonin-like effects, showing potential change in mood.

[4] Human Trials

Measure change in subject’s perception in relation to their mood hormone biomarkers and pupil response.

Serotonin and oxytoxin increased while cortisol reduced after smelling one of our botanicals.

100% of subjects show pupil constriction (relaxed state) after smelling one of our botanicals.

Our Publications

Our research on natural botanicals and mood biomarkers has been featured in peer-reviewed journals and industry publications worldwide.

Screening of Asian natural materials to promote β-Endorphin synthesis 
Masako Matsumoto, Maki Nagata, Yutaka Kuroki and Kuniyoshi Shimizu
Natural Product Communication 
December 2022

Therapeutic potential of seaweed-derived laminaran: attenuation of clinical drug cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species scavenging 
Hiromi Kurokawa, Thomas Kiran Marella, Hirofumi Matsui, Yutaka Kuroki and Makoto M. Watanabe
Antioxidants 
June 2023

Hawaiian plants with beneficial effects on sleep, anxiety, and mood, etc
Pornphimon Meesakul, Tyler Shea, Shi Xuan Wong, Yutaka Kuroki and Shugeng Cao
Pharmaceuticals 
August 2023

Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) enhances wakefulness during active periods but facilitates sleep during resting periods in C57BL/6 mice
Taisuke Ono, Naoya Nishino, Yusuke Iwai, Yumi Iwai, Noriaki Sakai, Yutaka Kuroki, Seiji Nishino
European Journal of Neuroscience 
November 2023

Phytochemistry and biological studies of endemic Hawaiian plants
Pornphimon Meesakul, Tyler Shea, Roland Fenstemacher, Shi Xuan Wong, Yutaka Kuroki, Aya Wada and Shugeng Cao
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
November 2023

Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) supplementation enhances sleep and wake consolidation in wild-type, but not in narcoleptic mice
Noriaki Sakai, Kazuhiro Komi, Naoya Nishino, Yutaka Kuroki, Seiji Nishino
Sleep Advances
July 2024

Phytotherapeutic Agents for Insomnia: A Scoping Review on the Mechanistic Insights and Evidence from Animal Models
Agnes Llamasares-Castillo, Oliver Villaflores, Kuroki Yutaka, Xinyi Zhu, Aya Wada, Kyle Andrei Cabatit, Janelan Martin, Jonah Joshua Garcia, Ross Dizon Vasquez
Phytomedicine Plus
February 2025

Quassinoids from Malaysian Eurycoma longifolia significantly increased the expression of the melatonin biosynthesis-related enzyme gene (AANAT)
Chunguang Han, Maki Nagata, Masako Matsumoto, Yhiya Amen, Marwa Elsbaey, Liwei Meng, Yutaka Kuroki and Kuniyoshi Shimizu
RSC Advances
May 2025

Medicinal plants for anxiety: Global evidence on species verified in the Philippine flora
Oliver Villaflores, Ross Vasqueza, Yutaka Kuroki, Aya Wada , Xinyi Zhu, Denver Erick Almeria, Kyle Andrei Cabatit, Jonah Joshua Garcia, Janelan Martin, Agnes Llamasares-Castillo
Next Research
March 2026