Japanese Knotweed Benefits and Resveratrol

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Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) is, herbaceous perennial plant, native to eastern Asia in Japan, Korea and China. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the plant is known as huzhang. During the 1800s, Polygonum cuspidatum was introduced to Europe and America as an ornamental plant. Japanese knotweed is used to produce resveratrol supplements because it is easy and quick to grow.

What is Resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a compound produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as fungi or bacteria, and is found in the skin of red grapes. At the same time, is produced by chemical synthesis derived primarily from Japanese knotweed and is sold as a supplement. Resveratrol was first isolated from the roots of white hellebore (Veratum grandiflorum) in 1940, and after, in 1963 from the roots of Polygonum Cupsidatum, a plant used in traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine.

Japanese Knotweed Benefits

• Resveratrol, has antioxidant, anti inflammatory and antimutagenic effects.

• Polyphenols comprise a large class of antioxidants and include flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, stilbenes and lignans. Resveratrol belongs to a class of polyphenolic compounds called stilbenes.

• Free radicals wreak havoc in the human body by damaging cells and causing disease and aging. Antioxidants prevent and repair cell damage caused by free radicals in the body. According to “Whole Foods Magazine Online“, Japanese knotweed contains important concentrations of the powerful antioxidant resveratrol.

• Albert Sun, a professor of pharmacology at “Missouri University“, discovered that resveratrol can absorb free radicals during a stroke and stop them from doing any further damage to the brain or individual cells.

• According to results reported in the “British Journal of Nutrition“, a daily 10 milligram dose of resveratrol was associated with reductions in insulin resistance in type-2 diabetics.

• According to Eleanor G. Rogan, a professor in the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases  “Resveratrolhas the capability to avoid the first step that occurs when estrogen starts the process that leads to cancer by blocking the formation of the estrogen DNA adducts. We believe that this could stop the whole progression that leads to breast cancer down the road.”

• Resveratrol protects from beta-amyloid neurotoxicity. In November 2008, scientists at the “Weill Medical College of Cornell University” reported dietary supplementation with resveratrol important reduced plaque formation in animal brains, a critical part of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Black Grapes Benefits and Inflammation

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Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene) is a strong antioxidant produced by plants such as black and red grapes. This compound is produced in the skin of grapes to protect the plant against fungal diseases and sun damage. In grapes, those that are black or purple in color contain the highest concentration of resveratrol. Grape skin contains about 50 to 100 micrograms of resveratrol per gram, while  wine concentrations range from 1.5 to 3 milligrams per liter. Since a glass of wine is nearly 5 and 1/3 ounces, a person taking 20 mg resveratrol supplement may ingest the equivalent amount of resveratrol found in 41 glasses of red wine.

Black Grapes Benefits

Resveratrol is one of the strong antioxidant, which has been found to play a protective role against cancers of prostate and colon, coronary heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer’s and viral infections. Anti-inflammatory effects have been demonstrated to prevent, delay, or decrease the severity of chronic inflammatory disease in animal models.

Antioxidant

Free radicals are unstable molecules that attack normal cells and damage membranes. Cell death caused by free radicals contributes to a variety of diseases, including heart disease, some forms of cancer and nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer’s. As an antioxidant, resveratrol fights these free radicals to keep the cells and tissues normal and free from damage. Resveratrol, may offer protection against radiation exposure, according to a research by the “University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine“. When changed with acetyl, resveratrol administered before, radiation-exposure proved to protect cells from radiation in mouse models.

Heart

Resveratrol dilates blood vessels to develop blood flow and increases nitric oxide production, which is a important Resveratrolpart of healthful blood flow and heart health. A study, reported in the journal “Biofactors” in September 2010, found that resveratrol triggers the release of nitric oxide, which plays an significant role in relaxation of blood vessels. A “University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center” study suggests grapes may prevent heart health risks beyond the blood pressure lowering effect that can come from a nutrition rich in vegetables and fruits.

Resveratrol helps reduce inflammation and makes it more difficult for platelets to stick together and form the clots that can lead to a heart attack. In a January 2012 placebo-controlled study of forty patients who had suffered a heart attack, scientists at the “University of Pecs“, found that taking 10 mg of resveratrol daily for 3 months boosted endothelial function. Scientists at “Zhejiang University” investigated the influence of injections of resveratrol on the central regulation of blood pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity in animals. Findings suggest that resveratrol strong inhibits blood pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity.

Inflammation

That includes the inhibition of synthesis and release of pro-inflammatory mediators, modifications of eicosanoid synthesis, inhibition of some activated immune cells, or inhibiting the enzymes, such as COX-1 or COX-2, which are responsible for the synthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators through the inhibitory property of resveratrol on transcription factors like nuclear factor kappaB or AP-1. Inflammation is one of main mechanisms of autoimmune illness and a common property of most diseases. Sirtuin1 has been shown to play a role in regulation of inflammation. Resveratrol, a powerful Sirt1 activator, has anti-inflammation feature.

Resveratrol is one of the major antioxidants present in black grapes and might help avoid and reduce inflammation in body. NF-kappaB is a protein that binds to DNA and regulates the genes involved in inflammation and generation of tumors. Resveratrol decreases NFkB (nuclear factor kappa B) activation. That’s why, its inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B may reduce the effects of related chronic illness. In the double-blind a study, scientists gave the patients 40 mg of resveratrol once per day. After 6 weeks of trial activity, blood samples from the resveratrol group far exceeded the placebo group in reduction of free radicals and blood vessel inflammation. (This research, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism)

Anti-Cancer

The antioxidant effect of resveratrol helps to avoid damage to DNA, influences the transcriptions of genes responsible for redox metabolism and inhibits proliferartion of cancer cells. Researches have shown that resveratrol helps avoid cancer during all three phases of the cancer process; initiation, promotion and progression. Resveratrol has  been found to increase expression and activation of one substantial “suicide” pathway known as p53.  Also, was found to inactivate some enzymes of the CYP450 family in tumor cells.

IGF-1  (Insulin-like growth factor) is momentous in growth and healing, but, it also promotes cancer propagation once a malignancy has been initiated. A study showed that dosing with resveratrol at 2.5 grams/day caused a important decrease in circulating levels of IGF-1 and its binding protein, suggesting that suppression of IGF-1 may be involved in one of resveratrol’s anti-cancer mechanisms.

Scientists at the “University of Illinois” showed in lab and animal studies that may interfere with the development of cancer on different levels; by blocking the action of carcinogens, inhibiting the initiation and promotion of tumors and causing precancerous cells to revert to normal.

Resveratrol inhibits breast cancer cell lines via induction of apoptotic cell death, according to a research reported in the May 2005 edition of the Molecular Nutrition & Food Research journal. Apoptosis is a regular process that helps your body get rid of tumor cells. “Resveratrol has the capability to avoid the first step that occurs when estrogen starts the process that leads to cancer by blocking the formation of the estrogen DNA adducts. We believe that this could stop the whole progression that leads to breast cancer down the road.” (Eleanor G. Rogan, professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center)

Scientists at the “University of Leicester” have been researching the levels of resveratrol which can be useful in preventing cancer. Using lab models, they have found that a daily rate of resveratrol equivalent to 2 glasses of wine can halve the rate of bowel tumors. Resveratrol was found to inhibit the self-renewing ability of human pancreatic cancer stem cells in vitro in a research reported in 2011 in PloS One.

Brain

Resveratrol protects brain tissue from ischemia/reperfusion injury. Scientists at “Johns Hopkins” showed that resveratrol induces production of the enzyme heme oxygenase, which is protective against oxidative stress. Resveratrol was shown to help minimize damage to the brain following a stroke in an October 2010 study reported in the “Journal of Neuroimmunology“.

Resveratrol protects brain cells by reducing inflammation in the central nervous system, according to study reported in the August 2010 edition of the journal Neuroinflammation.Neurons are the main building blocks of the nervous system and are responsible for signals sent between cells. Laboratory studies suggest that resveratrol has neuro-protective features.

Alzheimer’s disease, is characterized by a progressive dementia, and is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in the elderly. Symptoms usually begin to appear after age 60. Resveratrol promotes the non-amyloidogenic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein, enhances clearance of amyloid beta-peptides, and reduces neuronal damage. Accumulation of soluble high molecular weight amyloid-beta compounds in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease people leads to the formation of plaques that are believed to be responsible for the memory loss and dementia that occurs with the disease. Amyloid beta triggers oxidative stress and inflammation that directly damages brain cells, particularly in memory centers of the brain. A research published in the November 2005 edition of the “Journal of Biological Chemistry” revealed that resveratrol, reduces amyloid-beta peptide levels produced by specific brain cells.

Antiviral

A cell culture experiment found that resveratrol blocks the influenza virus from transporting viral proteins to the viral assembly site, hence restricting its capability to replicate. The effect was 90 percent when resveratrol was added 6 hours after infection and continued for 24 hours thereafter. Studies in a mouse model of influenza showed that injections after inoculation of influenza increased survival by 40 percent compared with placebo injections. The amount of virus present in the lung six days after infection was 98 percent lower in the resveratrol-treated mice. (The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2005). Also, resveratrol enhances immune response in mice, as well as shown to protect them from infection by herpes simplex virus 1 and 2.

Capsaicin Benefits and Substance P

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Capsaicin (chemical formula C18H27NO3) is the major chemical that makes chili peppers hot. This compound works on pain by binding to the VR 1 receptors and stripping nerves of substance P, a pain-signaling neurotransmitter. Capsaicin is a compound which stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, particularly the mucous membranes. When a capsaicin ointment or cream used on the skin, helps relieve pain.

Capsaicin Benefits

Capsaicin cream and ointments are used externally to treat pain from osteoarthritis, shingles and the skin sensations from pruritus. It is available as a cream in two diverse strengths 0.075% and 0.025%. The stronger cream (Axsain) is licensed for use in postherpetic neuralgia – to be applied after the rash has healed – and painful diabetic neuropathy. The weaker-cream  (Zacin) is licensed for use in the symptomatic relaxation of osteoarthritis.

• Substance P

Capsaicin are felt to help deplete substance P from local nerve endings and relieve pain. Substance P is an significant factor in pain perception. Capsaicin is thought to reduce pain sensation by temporarily depleting a neurotransmitter, substance P (also known as SP), which relays pain signals to the brain. At first actually, the release of substance P causes pain, but eventually the nerve terminals become depleted of substance P, leading to loss of the pain sensation. Effectual use of capsaicin requires topical use 4 or 5 times daily for a period of at least four weeks.

• Capsaicin and Arthritis

Researches have shown that capsaicin can relieve arthritis symptoms and improve flexibility of the joints. Capsaicin has very strong pain-relieving effects when applied to the skin. A study reported in Clinical Therapeutics in 1991 involved 31 rheumatoid arthritis and 70 osteoarthritis patients. Participants were instructed to apply 0.025% capsaicin or placebo to painful knees, 4 times a day. Findings revealed that 80 percent of patients treated with capsaicin experienced pain reduction following 2 weeks of therapy.

• Psoriasis

Psora is a skin illness that affects different areas of the body, including the scalp, knees and elbows. A double-blind evaluation; of topical capsaicin in pruritic psoriasis showed that people with psora who took capsaicin cream had reduced itching, scaling, redness compared with individuals who used a placebo.

• Post-Herpetic Neuralgia

Postherpetic neuralgia is a nerve pain that persists after a shingles rash has cleared. Neuralgia is a term that describes nerve pain. The pain is generally a constant, burning, or gnawing pain. A capsaicin product, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is available for the cure of post-herpetic neuralgia. A study reported in Clinical Therapeutics demonstrated important development in pain from shingles or postherpetic neuralgia in 86% patient treated with capsaicin for up to 2 years.

• Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is a debilitating disorder that occurs in approximately 50 % of patients with diabetes. Excessive blood sugar can harm nerve fibers throughout your body, however diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in your feet and legs. A 1991 study concluded that capsaicin cream reduced the level of pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. A meta-analysis of 4 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of capsaicin in diabetic neuropathy found capsaicin to be more effective than placebo. But, capsaicin’s performance in relieving pain from diabetic neuropathy is extremely variable.  Sometimes it makes the pain worse. If you have painful diabetic neuropathy, it is a good idea to consult physician before.

• Cancer

There have been different clinical trials conducted in China and Japan that shows natural capsaicin directly inhibits the growth of leukemic cells. Capsaicin avoids the replication of prostate cancer cells, according to a 2006 research reported in Cancer Research. Other study carried out at the “University of Nottingham” suggests capsaicin is able to trigger apoptosis in human lung cancer cells.

Guarana Benefits and Dosage

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Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a plant that is native to northern Brazil and Venezuela. Produces bright red fruit with black seeds that are used for several aim. Guarana contains caffeine. Is an efficient stimulus, with 2.5 times more caffeine than coffee. Also contains theobromine and theophylline, which are chemicals similar to caffeine. The German researcher Theodore von Martius performed the first chemical analysis of guarana seeds in the 1700s. He isolated a bitter, white crystalline substance with a striking physiological action. Martius named this substance guaranine. The seeds and the gum of the guarana tree are manufactured and sold as, tablets, capsules, syrups and teas for a variety ofpurposes. Also guarana is often added to energy drinks.

Guarana Benefits

This plant contains phytochemicals such as theobromine, saponins, catechins and tannins. Phytochemicals have anticancer property, reduce the toxicity of some chemicals and help to protect our DNA. Guarana demonstrated antioxidant effects by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

Guarana produces a stimulating property, due to the caffeine, theobromine, theophylline. Caffeine is centrally stimulating, has a positive inotropic and, in high concentrations, has a favorable chronotropic cardiac property. It relaxes the vascular muscles and the bronchial tube.

Some experiments show that guarana decreases platelet thromboxane synthesis and inhibits platelet aggregation. In 1989, a U.S. patent was filed on a guaraná seed extract which was property of inhibiting platelet aggregation. The patent described guaraná’s capability to avoid the formation of blood clots and to help in the breakdown of previously-formed clots. Clinical findings was presented in conjunction with the 1989 patent and anew in 1991 by a Brazilian research group that reported these antiaggregation effects.

By increasing your metabolic process, guarana can speed up the weight loss process. Studies show that has some effect on fat metabolism. This efficacy is associated with the methylxanthine content of guarana.

Guarana was shown to be influential against mental fatigue in young healthy people. One study has shown that extracts of ginseng and guarana, both alone and in combination, can enhance cognitive function. In a double-blind, counter balanced, placebo-controlled study of twenty-eight people aged 18 to 24, the cognitive and mood influences of single doses of ginseng, guarana, a combination of the two, and placebo were assessed. Each participant received 150 mg guarana dry extract, standardized to 11-13% alkaloid concentration, or 400 mg ginseng extract (G115), or a guarana/ginseng combination, or placebo per day. Compared with placebo, both guarana alone and ginseng alone, as well as the two combined, improved the subjects’ scores across the CDR test spectrum. Specifically, speed of attention was developed, with guarana producing the best.

Antibacterial effects against E. coli and Salmonella have been documented as well. Guarana, at a concentration between 16 and 128 microg/ml, showed a important antibacterial property against Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative.

Guarana Dosage

There is no proven effective dose for guarana. People react differently to caffeine, and different guarana products contain varying amounts of caffeine. For energy, some people use between 200 to 800 mg a day. The statutory level not to exceed is 12 mcg/ml of caffeine in the urine. Because guarana and another caffeine-containing products are considered stimulants, the “International Olympic Committee” bans the use of it among its competing athletes.

Side Effects

Greatly caffeine can lead to a fast heart rate, palpitations, anxiety, agitation, headaches, tremors, dehydration, nausea, and trouble sleeping. 10 g of caffeine is considered a lethal dose.

Seizures were reported in 4 healthy adults following consumption of energy drink that contains guarana along with other contents. Guarana has been reported to cause alterations in heart rhythms. A 25 year old woman with a pre-existing heart problem died after consuming an energy drink containing ginseng and guarana extracts. Was suspected to trigger severe fibrillation of the patient’s heart.

Individuals with high blood pressure, heart diseases, epilepsy, overactive thyroid, anxiety, and kidney illness should only use guarana under the supervision of their physician. Caffeine may cause miscarriage or may slow the growth of a developing fetus when given in doses greater than 300 milligrams a day. Therefore, is not recommended for women  who are pregnant or lactating.

SAM-e Dosage for Depression

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SAM-e (S-Adenosyl-L-methionine) is a naturally occurring molecule distributed to virtually all body tissues and fluids. SAM-e helps regulate your brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Using a process known as methylation, S-adenosylmethionine donates methyl groups to other chemical compounds, assisting in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, hormones and more. When S-adenosylmethionine, is low in the body, less dopamine and serotonin is produced. Being insufficient in either methionine, folate or vitamin B12 may reduce levels of SAMe in your body.

Benefits

SAMe was first discovered in 1952 in Italy. In the 1970’s, after an Italian laboratory learned to produce it in cell cultures, SAM-e was researched as an antidepressant. S-adenosylmethionine, known in Europe as the pharmaceutical drug Ademetionine, has been used to cure depression for years. Though reduced levels of serotonin and dopamine are associated with depression, these chemicals cannot be taken as oral supplements. But, S-Adenosyl-L-methionine is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, and may work by enabling the body to make more of these neurotransmitters directly within the brain. Because its encouragement of the methylation pathway, SAM-e may increase serum levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

Massachusetts General Hospital scientists have evaluated the efficiency of oral SAMe in combination with antidepressant drugs. Seventy-three patients with treatment-resistant major depression were randomized to take SAMe  or a placebo. Both groups continued to take their SSRI. Found that SAMe, in combination with standard depression therapy, was more effective than antidepressant treatment alone in improving measures of depression and remission rates of patients with significant clinical depression.

The 2009 Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published that when given by injection, S-adenosylmethionine, has been found to be as effective as some antidepressant drugs and more powerful than a placebo in the therapy of major depression. Nine people given intravenous SAMe and nine given low oral doses of imipramine were compared in a double-blind design for 14 days. The SAMe produced superior results by the end of the first week of therapy. By the end of the second week, 66 percent of the SAMe patients had a clinically important development in depressive symptoms, compared to 22 percent of the imipramine patients.

The researchers studied the antidepressant efficiency of oral SAMe in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for 15 inpatients with major depression.The findings suggest that oral SAMe is a safe, effectual antidepressant with few side effects and a rapid onset of action. S-adenosylmethionine, is a safe, efficient therapy for depression among people living with HIV. A study reported in the November 2004 edition of “BioMed Central Psychiatry” treated depression and anxiety in AIDS patients with dosages starting at 200 mg twice a day, increasing to as much as 1600 mg twice a day over the eight week course of treatment. The researchers concluded that SAMe was safe and efficient for patients living with HIV.

SAM-e Dosage for Depression

A typical recommended dose of SAMe is 400 mg taken 3 to 4 times per day. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), the recommended daily dose for depressed individuals is 800 mg to 1,600 mg per day. Starting with a low dose and increasing slowly helps prevent stomach upset. Some experts recommend taking oral SAMe with folic acid, vitamin B12, methionine and trimethylglycine to enhance absorption.

Side Effects

S-adenosylmethionine is contraindicated in individuals with a history of mania or bipolar disorder.