[Plant-Derived Ingredients] Vol. 15 No. 10 October 2010 Flower Power By Sandy Almendarez, Editor “Natural” is definitely the new black, as more consumers turn away from conventional over-the- counter (OTC) and pharmaceutical drugs. Synthetic side effects are often thought of as worse than the disease. Botanicals, with a definition of “a medicinal preparation derived from a plant” (according to Merriam-Webster), are just about as natural as consumers can get. And it seems those consumers can’t get enough products made from botanicals. From dietary supplements to cosmeceuticals, not to mention functional foods and beverages, botanical ingredients are found in a wide variety of products. They aren’t sitting on the shelves either. HerbalGram, published by the American Botanical Council (ABC), reported a 14-percent increase in sales of herbal and botanical products in 2010 compared to 2009 in mainstream U.S. food, drug and mass markets (not including Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club). The report, published in July 2010, also noted numerous market data companies have reported growth in herbal dietary supplements, multi-herb formulas, and functional and conventional foods. With increasing sales, the market is rich with opportunities for growth. “As the world of botanicals is largely untapped in the food and beverage industries, product manufacturers have a new wealth of options for ingredients to add to their product’s attributes, and those brands that move first will enjoy this advantage,” said Angela Dorsey-Kockler, R.D., product manager, BI Nutraceuticals. “There is a large consumer trend toward more natural ingredients, or reaping health benefits in natural ways. Botanicals, which include everything from leaves to roots to flowers to berries, offer an extremely natural twist to products.” Botanicals, with their myriad benefits, were just waiting for the rest of us catch on, according to Rudi E. Moerck, president and CEO, Valensa. “Two decades ago, natural botanicals were already addressing some of the hottest trends of personal consumption that are just emerging now, including the natural and green movements, the issue of global sustainability, the vegetarian/vegan and organic movements, as well as increased awareness of side effects coming from the products of the pharmaceutical industry. Today, botanicals are moving beyond specialty health-food stores and into the mainstream as both nutritional supplements and nutrients in functional foods.” Because consumers are so keen on botanicals, product manufacturers have a strong interest in botanical ingredients, especially those that are new or have clinical evidence supporting their effectiveness, according to Christian Artaria, marketing director and head of functional food development, Indena. “Interest from manufacturers relates to a leadership position they are seeking to occupy within a certain segment based on consumer demand for a particular ingredient or health position.” Botanical Benefits Luckily for manufacturers and consumers alike, the list of studies on botanical ingredients is long and established, and covers both new offerings and those that are more established in the market. www.naturalproductsinsider.com Page 1 [Plant-Derived Ingredients] Vol. 15 No. 10 October 2010 To name just a few, taiuiá or tayuya (Cayaponia tayuya, Cucurbitaceae) is a climbing, lignified plant with a large swollen root that has traditionally been used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic agent in the folk medicine of Brazil, Peru and Colombia. An in vivo experiment on tayuya found 22.30 microg/mL of butanol extract of cayaponia inhibited inflammation markers; both iNOS and COX-2 1 expression decreased by 98 percent and 49 percent, respectively. Bilberry juice also reduced inflammation in a February 2010 study.2 Researchers at the University of Oslo, Norway, found a group drinking bilberry juice experienced significant decreases in plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP; which rises when there is inflammation), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15 and monokine induced by INF-gamma compared to placebo. The authors wrote, “These findings suggest supplementation with bilberry polyphenols may modulate the inflammation processes. Further testing of bilberry supplementation as a potential strategy in prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases is warranted.” Billberry, and other dark-colored berries, are high in anthocyanins, which may be behind those anti- inflammation properties; but, one study noted for sure these anthocyanins exhibit interesting antioxidant properties, and could represent a promising class of compounds useful in the treatment of pathologies where free-radical production plays a key role.3 A 2008 study found the antioxidant compounds of one botanical helped cancer treatments. The liver protection afforded by gomisin A, a lignan compound from Schisandra fructus, a fruit native to East Asia, is the result of the reduced oxidative stress and its anti-apoptotic activity.4 Additionally, long-term Schisandrin B (Sch B), a dibenzocyclooctadiene-derivative isolated from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis, treatment could enhance cerebral mitochondrial antioxidant status as well as improve mitochondrial structural integrity, thereby protecting against brain damage.5 Consumers looking for digestive health products can also turn to botanicals, such as pysllium, derived from the husks of the seeds of Plantago ovate, Dorsey-Kockler noted. “While pysllium has been used for years as the ingredient in Metamucil™, it is becoming popular as an ingredient for crackers, breads, smoothies and more because of its ability to increase fiber content, as well as viscosity of foods. As fiber is a hot buzzword now on food labels, and digestive health is a sought-after consumer benefit, psyllium is well positioned to help meet these trends. In fact, psyllium is one of the few ingredients that is qualified for a heart-health claim, according to FDA.” She added other “ancient grains” such as quinoa and chia seeds are well positioned to meet a variety of health benefits and consumer needs, including gluten-free, vegetarian protein source, high fiber and high in antioxidants. “In addition, chia seed delivers a high level of omega-3 fatty acids, which also supports heart health.” Moerck pointed out the plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) aids the heart. “Studies that have focused on the ratio of linoleic acid (LA) to ALA show clear evidence that the nations with high ratios have much greater incidence of mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). In the United States and Europe, where the LA/ALA ratio is 30:1, the CVD mortality is 45/1,000. In Inuit populations where LA/ALA is 1:1, that rate drops to 5/1,000.” He added low levels of ALA supplementation have been reported to have profound effects both before and after myocardial infarction. Chinese red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus) has also shown heart-health benefits with a significant reduction of serum total cholesterol levels, triglycerides levels and low-density lipoprotein ( LDL) www.naturalproductsinsider.com Page 2 [Plant-Derived Ingredients] Vol. 15 No. 10 October 2010 cholesterol levels, and increase of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels compared with placebo in a study from Norway.6 And, in an Annuals of Internal Medicine “Summary for Patients,” designed to help patients better understand “the complicated and often mystifying language of modern medicine,” authors noted a 24-week study of 62 patients with high cholesterol levels and a history of stopping statin therapy because of muscle pain found LDL cholesterol levels decreased more in patients receiving red yeast rice (average decrease, 35 mg/dL) than in patients receiving placebo (average decrease, 15 mg/dL).7 pTeroPure, a trans pterostilbene offered by pTeroPure Inc., is like resveratrol in that it is a natural stilbenoid found in small berries, such as blueberries and grapes, and offers heart-health benefits, according to Jeremy Bartos, Ph.D., ingredients product manager, pTeroPure. “Among other things, there are published reports of the effectiveness of pterostilbene in lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood glucose levels, alleviating oxidative stress and acting as a powerful antioxidant. It also has anti-cancer properties,” he said. Andrographis panaiculata is a botanical native to India and Sri Lanka traditionally used to boost immune function. A Russian outpatient clinic backed that tradition with science when it conducted two randomized, parallel-group clinical studies with a standardized extract (SHA-10) of Andrographis panaiculata (N.), and found significant differences in the duration of sick leave and frequency of post- influenza complications compared to placebo.8 The researchers noted the phytopreparation not only contributed to quicker recovery, but also reduced the risk of post-influenza complications. And, botanicals can help in the bedroom as well. Icariin, commonly known as Horny Goat Weed or Yin Yang Huo, is a compound derived from several species of plants in the Epimedium family. It has testosterone-mimetic properties with the therapeutic potential to manage hypoandrogenism, a deficiency of androgens in the body leading to a lack of virility and sexual potency.9 Indena markets a range of botanical ingredients for specific health conditions. Indena's best-selling offerings, according to Artaria, include bilberry for eye and cardiovascular health; grape seed for anti- aging, cardiovascular heath and joint health;