The present invention is in the field of plant extracts suitable for the use in food, food products or additives for providing a vascular health benefit, and for oral and topical functional benefits. It is therefore object of the present invention to provide a highly active extract from the Inula racemosa (Pushkarmool) for providing a vasodilation and microcirculation benefit. It is a further object to provide active NO potentiating extracts of Inula racemosa with a low level of isoalentolactone, compared to known hexane extracts. It has now been found that an extract of plant material from Inula Racemosa with a solvent with a hydrogen bonding parameter of between 4 and 15, gives higher nitric oxide (NO) production and better vasodilation with less isoalantolactone in the extract