Nutrition Science Update - Herbs (Part Four of
Ten)
There can be no doubt that the field of nutrition has come of age. More than 80 years have passed since the first vitamin was discovered. Today the speed at which laboratory and clinical findings are released is so accelerated that an individual's understanding of nutrition is seriously out-dated if he or she is not abreast of the findings published within even the past year.
This special Nutrition Science Update takes the guesswork out of keeping up-to-date on important nutritional breakthroughs by presenting the following summations of all the most important research released over the past year.
Key Concepts in Herb
Research:
Turmeric Research Heats Up
Curcumin, and extract from turmeric, has documented anti-cancer abilities. Curcumin is an antioxidant that effectively prevents precancerous changes within DNA and may interfere with enzymes needed during cancer promotion. Another way that curcumin may prevent cancer, researchers at Rutgers University suggest, is by blocking the chain reaction set off by inflammation that releases large amounts of cancer-causing free radicals. (Chan, M.M., et al., Cancer Letters, 1995;96:23-29.)
Curcumin may also prevent cataracts. The lenses of the eyes of rats fed a diet supplemented with curcumin are significantly more resistant to free radical damage and the development of cataracts, according to researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. (Awasthi, S.0., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1996;64:761-766.)
Healing the Ailing Mind
Ginkgo biloba, since it benefits the mind in other ways, has been suspected of being a possible therapy for Alzheimer's-type dementia. This function of ginkgo was assessed in more than 700 patients with dementia and it was confirmed that ginkgo is effective in improving this condition. (Kanowski, S., et al., Pharmacopsychiatry, 1996;29(2):47-56.)
St. John's wort is a folk remedy for lifting the spirits of depressed people, and this ability has been confirmed by clinical trials. One group of researchers assert that "extracts of hypericum are more effective than placebo for the treatment of mild to moderately severe depressive disorders. " (Linde, K., British Medical journal, 1996;313(7052):253-258.)
Beta-Sitosterol Good for the Heart
Beta-sitosterol is a common plant sterol found in saw palmetto, pygeum africanum, and many other plants. It's making its mark as one of the most effective therapies for enlarged prostate glands, but new research shows that this plant extract also interferes with cholesterol absorption in the intestine and can reduce total cholesterol by 10-15% and LDL-cholesterol by 19%. (Richter, W, et al., Current Therapeutic Research, 1996;57(7):497-505.)
Spirulina and Immunity
The blue-green algae spirulina contains several essential nutrients, and now researchers have found that a polysaccharide in the spirulina prevents infection with the HIV, flu, mumps, measles, mononucleosis, and herpes simplex 1 viruses by blocking the penetration of the viruses into host cells. (Hayashi, T., Journal of Natural Products, 1996;59:83-87.)
Ginseng's More Than an Energizer
The herb ginseng has been used traditionally for thousands of years as a folk medicine. Researchers at the Shanghai College of Chinese Traditional Medicine in China conducted a laboratory test and found that ginseng prevents the formation of free radicals. "This antioxidant effect of ginseng may be responsible for its wide pharmacological actions in clinical practice," researchers now believe. (Zhang, D., et al., Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 1996;20:145-150.)
Vitamin Retailer - February 1997
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Don't miss Part Five - Phytonutrients in this Ten Part series
