Plant

Plant power: study suggests mechanism of action behind anti-inflammatory effect of yellow mangosteen extract

25-Jan-2023 By Olivia Brown

A recent study modelling inflammation in both human and rodent macrophage cells in-vitro observed that extract of Garcinia dulcis, aka yellow mangosteen, was able to reduce secretion of pro-inflammatory factors.

Rosy picture for China botanical firms as US exports due to rise despite trade war

27-Aug-2018 By Tingmin Koe

China's botanical exports are expected to continue growing at a rate of 20% this year, with the US remaining its largest market despite the ongoing US-China trade war, Hou Yin Jun, the person-in-charge of commerce at Shaanxi Plant Extract Association,...

Oil palm leaves, Gale-of-the-wind…Malaysia supplement firm to ramp up R&D efforts on local plants with IPO proceeds

08-Aug-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Nova Wellness, a Malaysia supplement firm, is increasing its R&D activities to incorporate local herbs and plants, such as oil palm leaves, in the making of health supplements.

Special edition: Botanicals

Synthetic botanicals standoff likely to continue despite Georgia ruling

22-Jun-2017 By Hank Schultz

Experts expect the existing standoff on synthetic botanicals as voiced by FDA in the most recent draft NDI guidance will continue, despite the consensus from industry being  the agency’s position is not rooted in science.

Continual magic bullet view of DNA barcoding frustrates testing expert

25-Jan-2016 By Hank Schultz

A recently aired media report once again seemed to elevate DNA testing to magic bullet status. It’s a development that dismays Danica Harbaugh Reynaud, PhD, one of the foremost experts in the DNA testing of plants.

There's plenty of room for botanical discovery, especially in finding new ingredients from familiar sources, experts say

04-Jan-2016 By Hank Schultz

What’s the future for botanical ingredient discovery? Experts differ on whether there are wholly new, useful species yet to be discovered, but agree that there are still more ingredients to be derived from source materials already in use.

American Ginseng Advisory Panel formed to preserve the genetic diversity of wild botanical

19-Sep-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals has formed the American Ginseng Advisory Panel, with the development of a national American ginseng germplasm collection a key goal.

Groups devoted to legal ginseng trade blast History Channel show glorifying poaching

13-Jan-2014 By Hank Schultz

A History Channel ‘reality show’ that glorifies illegal ginseng poaching in Appalachia has raised alarms among groups that advocate for the responsible harvesting of the plant, among them United Plant Savers and the American Herbal Products Association.

The medicine hunter: ‘I help to establish trade in plants’

18-Mar-2010 By Shane Starling

Chris Kilham is a perennial of the herbals industry, a man who has for more than 20 years acted as a social, anthropological and botanical conduit between indigenous cultures in places like the Peruvian Amazon and western ingredients suppliers.

New flax lignan hits US market

16-Apr-2008 By Lorraine Heller

Cactus Botanics has launched a new flax seed lignan ingredient in
the North American market, which it hopes will help address a
growing consumer focus on a number of health conditions, including
prostate and heart health.

More herbs being cultivated than wild-harvested, AHPA

22-Feb-2007 By Clarisse Douaud

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has highlighted
sustainability of herbal harvesting as a key movement in the
industry, as part of its 2004-2005 Tonnage Survey of North American
Wild Harvested Plants.

AHPA informs herbal protection body on goldenseal

13-Dec-2006 By Clarisse Douaud

American Herbal Products Association has presented comments to the
US Fish and Wildlife Service on revisions to its list of endangered
wild plant species to be protected from specimen trading -
particulary the natural antibiotic goldenseal.

AHPA tackles US Forest Service's "native plant" definition

31-Aug-2006 By Clarisse Douaud

In a bid to more effectively protect wild herbs used by the natural
products industry, AHPA has found fault with the US Forest
Service's definition of what constitutes a "native plant"
and wants greater emphasis put...

Scientists dig deep into plant extracts

04-May-2005

Scientists at Rutgers University are investigating whether plant
extracts can genuinely cut risk factors for heart disease, stroke,
diabetes or other serious illnesses.

Soybean rust found for first time in US

15-Nov-2004

The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service yesterday confirmed the presence of the
country's first case of soybean rust, found on soybean leaf samples
taken from two plots in Louisiana.

Closures at National Starch

13-Nov-2003

Higher raw material costs continue to eat into margins for National
Starch, the starch ingredients arm of ICI, as third quarter figures
bore out last month. It comes as no surprise this week that the
company announced a 'redesign'...

A step towards drought-resistant crops

13-Aug-2003

As global warming appears to be taking its toll and with German
farmers alone predicted to lose up to 80 per cent of their crops
due to the Europe-wide heatwave this summer, scientists from the
University of Bonn in Germany claim...

Banana extinction rumours unpeeled

18-Feb-2003

A plant pathologist with the American Phytopathological Society has
largely dismissed rumours that bananas could face extinction within
the next decade.