NutraGenesis has high hopes for its new ashwagandha extract, which
it says has already attracted strong interest from multinational
manufacturers eager to use the ayurvedic ingredient, believed to
have stress-reducing properties,...
Green tea extract is able to target cancer cells while leaving
healthy cells alone, researchers have found for the first time,
adding further support to its potential as a cancer prevention
agent.
General Mills has become the first company to introduce a yogurt
product containing cholesterol-lowering plant sterols to US
consumers, through its Yoplait brand.
Plant extracts will increasingly be supplied by specialty chemicals
companies looking to rejuvenate their product lines and offer the
growing supplements and health foods sector ingredients to tackle
today's chronic diseases.
A daily supplement containing plant oestrogens and antioxidants
like selenium and carotenoids may slow the rise in PSA levels, a
marker for prostate cancer progression in some men, report Dutch
researchers.
A St John's Wort extract, produced by German group Schwabe, is at
least as effective in treating moderate to severe depression as a
commonly prescribed anti-depressant, finds new research out today.
Allimax Nutraceuticals is making its garlic-derived Allisure
ingredient available in Canada through an exclusive distribution
agreement with Tempo Canada.
The Asian plant galangal, often used to flavour Thai curries,
appears to both kill cancer cells and boost the cancer-fighting
capacity of healthy cells, say researchers in the UK.
The granting of a new US patent to Japan's Taiyo Kagaku for the use
of pure form L-theanine brand Suntheanine with minerals to
alleviate PMS symptoms will increase its customers' competitive
advantage, says the company.
The kava industry will get a chance to enter the UK market again if
it can produce new evidence supporting the herbal's safety before
the end of April.
More than a third of cancer patients in Europe use complementary
and alternative medicine (CAM), most often to increase their body's
ability to fight the disease, reveals the first Europe-wide study
of alternative medicine use.
Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise, the Coca-Cola-owned orange juice
brand that can help reduce cholesterol levels, has teamed up with
WomenHeart to help raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in
women during American Heart Month.
Sabinsa Corporation has been making sure its manufacturing
processes are up to scratch in anticipation of new FDA requirements
by submitting its products for testing by public health and safety
company NSF International.
Wine drinkers gain more heart health benefits than those who drink
beer or other spirits, and may also live longer, finds a new
analysis of research into this area.
Industry's demand for quality, standardized herbal extracts will
continue to drive new cultivation projects that will also ensure
the sustainability of plant species and biodiversity, claims a
leading supplier.
Israel-based LycoRed said last week that its lycopene-rich tomato
powder has been self-affirmed as GRAS (Generally Recognized As
Safe) by an independent panel, paving the way for its use in
functional foods.
Remington has become the latest company to introduce a
cholesterol-lowering alternative to statin drugs, which can cause
potentially serious side effects.
Acatris is warning customers that they may be wasting their money
if they buy supplements claiming to be 'high lignan' but which
don't list actual amounts on the label.
V-Net Beverage has condemned the drinks industry's lack of
transparency about its use of ginseng and is launching a 'Truth in
Ginseng' campaign which it hopes will force manufacturers to reveal
full information about...
A group of noni juice producers from the Pacific islands has become
the first trade association to gain novel foods approval for their
products to be sold in the EU.
Children with mild to moderate asthma who took supplements of the
pine bark extract Pycnogenol saw improved lung function and a
significant decrease in asthma symptoms, report researchers.
The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) has criticized the American
Journal of Nursing's reminder of the potentially dangerous
interaction between grapefruit juice and certain medications as
unscientific.
Shares in Australian isoflavone specialist Novogen climbed more
than 3 per cent this week on news that the firm had settled a
patent dispute with the leading US supplements retailer GNC over
its red clover product.
Cosmeceuticals, or supplements that target skin health and beauty,
are seeing fast growth in Europe since emerging as a new concept
but much of the growth so far has come from a handful of brands,
reports Dominique Patton.
Little-known plant compounds that can help tackle increasing
prevalence of chronic disease are set to drive future product
development at DSM Nutritional Products, currently better known for
its vitamins range than natural extracts,...
2005 is barely underway but Canadian Forbes Medi-Tech is already
looking forward to a bumper year. The biopharmaceutical company
yesterday announced revenue guidance of C$21 to C$22 million for
the fiscal year ending 31 December 2005...
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has asked the FDA
to take into account relevant information on the traditional use of
herbs when substantiating claims for products that contain them.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased
risk of stroke, finds a new review of trials that aims to clear up
some of the confusion over HRT's side effects.
Cyanotech, a leading producer of natural products from microalgae,
is starting the year one man short after the departure of its
scientific director at the end of December.
New ingredients supplier Valensa, a joint venture between US Nutra
and Israel-based Algatechnologies, has appointed Chesham Chemicals
as its exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland.
Curcumin, the yellow pigment in curry spice, is to be investigated
for its potential in prevention of Alzheimer's disease after tests
on mice found it to be more effective than drugs currently being
investigated for treatment.
Essential oils usually used in aromatherapy have been found to kill
the deadly MRSA bacteria causing increasing numbers of deaths in
hospitals round the world.
The FDA has said it will not issue its decision on the pending
lycopene/cancer health claim until next year, according to
petitioner American Longevity.
Consuming products with plant sterols as well as exercising may
offer additional benefits for those at risk of coronary heart
disease, say Canadian researchers.
Ayurceutics has responded to yesterday's article in JAMA claiming
there was a high risk of finding heavy metals in Ayurvedic herbals,
by highlighting its manufacturing process that it believes removes
any danger of contamination.
SlimFast owner Unilever has gained the exclusive global rights to
an appetite-suppressing compound extracted from the hoodia gordonii
plant by UK-based Phytopharm, reports Dominique Patton.
An analysis of Ayurvedic herbals found that 20 percent contained
metals at potentially toxic levels, according to a study in JAMA,
but the American Herbal Products Association believes the products
tested should not have been on the...
Compounds in the bark of the Scotch pine, more usually used for
Christmas trees, show promising anti-inflammatory action in cell
studies, say Finnish researchers, and could be developed into food
supplements for arthritis patients.
The controversial issue of nutritional profiles will remain one of
the biggest hurdles for EU legislation on health claims but recent
reports suggest that Germany may be ready to concede some elements
of profiling, reports Dominique...
A recent human study confirms punicalagin rich pomegranate extract Pomanox® may enhance cardiovascular health, maintaining normal blood pressure, healthy...
Health has become a top priority recently for consumers, and increasingly, physical activity. For everyday wellness enthusiasts, weightlifting and hardcore...