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IN THE NEWS
St. Johns Wort HPLC test method endorsed by USP
The U.S. Pharmacopeia recently published its recommendation in the Pharmacopeial Forum as a way of testing several marker substances in St. John's wort products.
The U.S. Pharmacopeia prefers HPLC to ultraviolet (UV) method tests (also referred to as spectrophotometric methods) because HPLC is a more discriminating, pharmaceutical-standard testing procedure. HPLC allows for quantitation of several marker substances such as hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin while UV methods are unable to separate key ingredients from product excipients.
The issue of St. John's wort testing received national attention in an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times, in which the dietary supplement industry was criticized for a lack of quality control. The paper conducted a check of hypericin levels in 10 brands of St. John's wort products, but used a UV method to perform the test, causing disputes from industry members who said this was not the preferred way to perform the tests.
The National Nutritional Foods Association's TruLabel Random Testing Program used HPLC to test the products featured in the Los Angeles Times article. The NNFA determined that the L.A. Times reported to have lower than claimed levels of hypericin actually had 100% potency or more.
IN THE NEWS
TEA MAY REDUCE HEART ATTACK RISK A cup of tea a day may help your heart, according to a study in the Jan. 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston compared 340 heart attack patients with 340 healthy people. Researchers determined that subjects who drank at least one cup of tea a day had a 46 percent lower risk of heart attack than people who did not drink tea. Coffee did not appear to affect heart attack risk.
Researchers suggest that antioxidants in tea, called flavonoids, may reduce the harmful effects of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the so-called "bad" cholesterol that clogs arteries. They recommend more study to determine whether the tea should be credited for the health benefits, or if tea-drinkers already tend to live healthful lifestyles.
TOMATOES LOWER CANCER RISK Filling up on tomatoes and tomato products can lower the risk of some forms of cancer, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The study reviewed 72 past studies that examined the link between certain cancers and the consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products. It showed that people who eat tomatoes and tomato products are at a substantially decreased risk of prostate, lung, and stomach cancers. The findings also suggest links between tomatoes and lower levels of pancreatic, colorectal, oral, breast, and cervical cancers. Fifty-seven of the studies linked tomato intake with a reduced risk of cancer; 35 of these studies showed the connection was strong enough to be "statistically significant."
How tomatoes lower the risk of cancer is unclear, but Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard Medical School and author of the report, noted that tomatoes are rich in several phytochemicals believed to have anticancer properties. The most prominent of these is a compound that leads to the formation of carotenoids, chemicals that can protect cells from the effects of oxidants.
The study suggests eating tomatoes (including cooked and processed tomatoes) as part of a diet that is rich in other fruits and vegetables.
KAVA-55 AND KAVA-30 Deadlines. Racing to work in rush hour. Sick children.
Most people can identify with at least one of these daily pressures. Kava-55 promotes relaxation during times of anxiety.* Kava-55 is standardized for 55 percent kavalactones, the highest percentage of kava's key compounds available in the United States. Enzymatic Therapy also offers Kava-30, a milder kava extract that is standardized for 30 percent kavalactones. Both Kava-55 and Kava-30 are formulated in accordance with the German Commission E.
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
St. Johns Wort HPLC test method endorsed by USP
The U.S. Pharmacopeia recently published its recommendation in the Pharmacopeial Forum as a way of testing several marker substances in St. John's wort products.
The U.S. Pharmacopeia prefers HPLC to ultraviolet (UV) method tests (also referred to as spectrophotometric methods) because HPLC is a more discriminating, pharmaceutical-standard testing procedure. HPLC allows for quantitation of several marker substances such as hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin while UV methods are unable to separate key ingredients from product excipients.
The issue of St. John's wort testing received national attention in an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times, in which the dietary supplement industry was criticized for a lack of quality control. The paper conducted a check of hypericin levels in 10 brands of St. John's wort products, but used a UV method to perform the test, causing disputes from industry members who said this was not the preferred way to perform the tests.
The National Nutritional Foods Association's TruLabel Random Testing Program used HPLC to test the products featured in the Los Angeles Times article. The NNFA determined that the L.A. Times reported to have lower than claimed levels of hypericin actually had 100% potency or more.
IN THE NEWS
TEA MAY REDUCE HEART ATTACK RISK A cup of tea a day may help your heart, according to a study in the Jan. 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston compared 340 heart attack patients with 340 healthy people. Researchers determined that subjects who drank at least one cup of tea a day had a 46 percent lower risk of heart attack than people who did not drink tea. Coffee did not appear to affect heart attack risk.
Researchers suggest that antioxidants in tea, called flavonoids, may reduce the harmful effects of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the so-called "bad" cholesterol that clogs arteries. They recommend more study to determine whether the tea should be credited for the health benefits, or if tea-drinkers already tend to live healthful lifestyles.
TOMATOES LOWER CANCER RISK Filling up on tomatoes and tomato products can lower the risk of some forms of cancer, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The study reviewed 72 past studies that examined the link between certain cancers and the consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products. It showed that people who eat tomatoes and tomato products are at a substantially decreased risk of prostate, lung, and stomach cancers. The findings also suggest links between tomatoes and lower levels of pancreatic, colorectal, oral, breast, and cervical cancers. Fifty-seven of the studies linked tomato intake with a reduced risk of cancer; 35 of these studies showed the connection was strong enough to be "statistically significant."
How tomatoes lower the risk of cancer is unclear, but Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard Medical School and author of the report, noted that tomatoes are rich in several phytochemicals believed to have anticancer properties. The most prominent of these is a compound that leads to the formation of carotenoids, chemicals that can protect cells from the effects of oxidants.
The study suggests eating tomatoes (including cooked and processed tomatoes) as part of a diet that is rich in other fruits and vegetables.
KAVA-55 AND KAVA-30 Deadlines. Racing to work in rush hour. Sick children.
Most people can identify with at least one of these daily pressures. Kava-55 promotes relaxation during times of anxiety.* Kava-55 is standardized for 55 percent kavalactones, the highest percentage of kava's key compounds available in the United States. Enzymatic Therapy also offers Kava-30, a milder kava extract that is standardized for 30 percent kavalactones. Both Kava-55 and Kava-30 are formulated in accordance with the German Commission E.
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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