Phytochemical News and Research

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King's researchers create traditional Chinese medicine database

A comprehensive database developed by King's College London researchers that features the chemical components found in traditional Chinese medicines has been released to market this month, allowing researchers to explore age-old remedies in the search for tomorrow's new drugs.

19 Oct 2011

AICR recommends intake of cancer-fighting foods

Colleen Spees has always been interested in the role that diet played in disease, and set her sights on a career where she would counsel patients and train future dietitians. With multiple family members diagnosed with various types of cancer, Colleen decided to make the transition from clinical professional and nutrition educator to research scientist.

18 Oct 2011

Eating blueberries may inhibit breast cancer tumor growth

Eating blueberries may inhibit breast cancer tumor growth, according to a recent study by researchers at the City of Hope in Los Angeles that is published in the October 2011 issue of The Journal Of Nutrition and featured in the September issue of Food Nutrition & Science.

27 Sep 2011

Eating potatoes good for lowering blood pressure, also no weight gain

A new study refutes previous knowledge that potatoes lead to excessive weight gain. The study claims that eating ‘spuds’ daily can help lower your blood pressure; and moreover, there is also no weight gain involved.

2 Sep 2011

AAMPS, ChromaDex sign exclusive marketing agreement for African Herbal Pharmacopoeia

ChromaDex Corporation, a world leader in phytochemical reference standards, botanical reference materials and contract analytical testing services, has signed an exclusive marketing agreement with the Association for African Medicinal Plants Standards (AAMPS) to sell and market the AAMPS African botanical standards and the African Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

30 Aug 2011

Antioxidants may help treat infertility problems in both women and men

A growing body of evidence suggests that antioxidants may have significant value in addressing infertility issues in both women and men, including erectile dysfunction, and researchers say that large, specific clinical studies are merited to determine how much they could help.

29 Jul 2011

Sulforaphane-rich foods safe and effective for preventing cancer

Sulforaphane, one of the primary phytochemicals in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables that helps them prevent cancer, has been shown for the first time to selectively target and kill cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected.

10 Jun 2011

NIST releases suite of green tea reference materials for manufacturers

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a suite of green tea reference materials to help manufacturers evaluate the composition of their products and assure researchers of the accuracy of analytical methods for studying the human health effects of this popular beverage and dietary supplement.

26 May 2011

Strawberries for prevention of esophageal cancer: Study

According to a preliminary study released Wednesday, strawberries have the potential to prevent esophageal cancer. Researchers, led by Ohio State University have shown that freeze-dried strawberries slowed the growth of dysplastic, or precancerous, lesions in about 30 people who consumed the fruit for six months. Study's lead researcher, Tong Chen, an assistant professor in the oncology division of Ohio State University, presented the study at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting.

6 Apr 2011

Modified Atmosphere Packaging can retain polyacetylenes levels in carrots

Polyacetylenes are natural products found in certain plants that have been related to a reduction in the risks of developing diseases such as certain types of cancers and other important diseases.

24 Mar 2011

Old folk remedy revived: How Tansy may be a treatment for herpes

For centuries tansy has been used as a folk remedy, but now scientists from Britain and Spain believe the plant may have medical benefits after all, as a treatment for herpes. The team’s findings, published in Phytotherapy Research, are the result of joint work between two teams to established scientific evidence for traditional medicines.

22 Feb 2011

Scientists believe plant extracts may have medical benefits to treat herpes

For centuries tansy has been used as a folk remedy, but now scientists from Britain and Spain believe the plant may have medical benefits after all, as a treatment for herpes. The team's findings, published in Phytotherapy Research, are the result of joint work between two teams to established scientific evidence for traditional medicines.

22 Feb 2011

Quercetin and resveratrol may play an important role in inflammation and insulin resistance

A study was carried out to examine the extent to which quercetin and trans-resveratrol (RSV) prevented inflammation or insulin resistance in primary cultures of human adipocytes treated with tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a)-an inflammatory cytokine elevated in the plasma and adipose tissue of obese, diabetic individuals. Cultures of human adipocytes were pretreated with quercetin and trans-RSV followed by treatment with TNF-a. Subsequently, gene and protein markers of inflammation and insulin resistance were measured.

24 Dec 2010

Scientists discover a new method to produce gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles, tiny pieces of gold so small that they can't be seen by the naked eye, are used in electronics, healthcare products and as pharmaceuticals to fight cancer. Despite their positive uses, the process to make the nanoparticles requires dangerous and extremely toxic chemicals. While the nanotechnology industry is expected to produce large quantities of nanoparticles in the near future, researchers have been worried about the environmental impact of the global nanotechnological revolution.

30 Nov 2010

Apples lower risk for developing heart disease

Recent research out of the University of Michigan Health System – a premier academic medical center – has found that adding more apples and apple products to your diet may be an easy way to lower your risk for developing heart disease. More than one in three U.S. adults has one or more types of cardiovascular disease (CVD) according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

8 Nov 2010

Some herbal remedies for anxiety disorders effective

Two herbal remedies from passion flower extract and kava have shown to be effective in alleviating anxiety say scientists. The results came from an analysis of 24 studies involving more than 2,000 participants which also showed that combinations of the amino acids L-lysine and L-arginine may be useful anxiety remedies.

10 Oct 2010

Simple tips to prevent breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting American women and may lead to more than 38,000 deaths this year. Medical Doctor, Researcher and Cancer expert, Dr. Isaac Eliaz shares 8 simple tips during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so you can learn more about treating and preventing breast cancer.

7 Oct 2010

Herbal supplements can treat anxiety disorders

A systematic review of research into the use of nutritional supplements for the treatment of anxiety disorders has found strong evidence for the use of extracts of passionflower or kava and combinations of L-lysine and L-arginine. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access Nutrition Journal pooled the results of 24 studies involving a total of more than 2000 participants, showing that some nutritional and herbal supplements can be effective, without the risk of serious side effects.

7 Oct 2010

Peer-reviewed paper on power of iridoids in Tahitian Noni Bioactives published in Wiley Online Library

Tahitian Noni International's Brett West, director of noni benefits research, and his team have recently published another peer-reviewed paper on the power of iridoids in Tahitian Noni® Bioactives™. The paper, published just this month in the Wiley Online Library, concludes that iridoids are the major source of bioactivity in Tahitian Noni Bioactives, and that substantial iridoids can be found in the noni fruit, leaf, root, seed, and flower of noni plants.

24 Sep 2010

Tahitian Noni International wins Excelsis Awards

The Global Quality Foundation announced that Tahitian Noni International (TNI) Mexico is this year's winner of two Excelsis Awards - one for excellence in product quality, and the other for research and development. The Global Quality Foundation is a multifaceted organization that searches for improvements in quality processes, products and services that satisfy the needs of the current global society.

15 Sep 2010