Category natural supplements

Although there are numerous varieties of chamomile, the flower heads are obtained from two main species: Matricaria recutita L. = Matricaria chamomilla L. (called common chamomile or German chamomile ) Anthemis nobilis L. = Chamaemelum noble L. (called Roman chamomile ). The two types of chamomile have very similar but not exactly superimposable pharmacological actions

Curcumin is the active ingredient characterizing turmeric ( Curcuma longa ), belonging to the family of linear curcuminoids. These are quite complex substances, which consist of two aromatic rings (aryl groups) held together by a chain of seven carbon atoms and having various substituents. Turmeric contains about 2-6% curcuminoids; of these, 80% is represented by curcumin, 18% by demethoxyinscumine and 2% by bis-demethoxyinscumine

Garcinia is a genus of plants from which the fruit is used above all for phytotherapeutic purposes, in particular to reduce the levels of lipids in the blood. What not everyone knows, however, is that in the exocarp of some species (such as gummi-gutta and mangostana ) are contained appetite suppressants, such as Hydroxycut and Leptoprin

There are various types of ginseng, all belonging to the Araliaceae family, but only some of them can be classified within the genus Panax . In fact, although (botanically speaking) the term ginseng indicates a well-defined Species of shrubs, the same name is often used in the common language to mention the Species quinquefolius (belonging to the same genus of ginseng ) and the Specie senticosus (instead, under the Genus Eleutherococcus )

The ancient Greeks loved to chew the resin of the "lentisco" plants ( Pistacia lentiscus L.) grown on the Hellenic island of Chios. The Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides described the medicinal uses of this resin in De Materia Medica , which is useful for gastrointestinal disorders. In addition to cooling the breath, lentisk gum was also chewed to preserve the whiteness of the teeth and cure stomach pains and gum problems

Chronic inflammation is the number one enemy to which a great deal of medical research is concentrated. In fact, numerous evidences have shown that the persistence of a chronic inflammatory process triggers a sort of domino effect, caused by the overactivation of the immune system. The result of this chain reaction is tissue aggression, which can have dramatic consequences, such as the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque or the development of genetic mutations

Inflammation is a physiological response to various stimuli such as pathogens, irritants and tissue injuries, and can be classified as acute or chronic. An acute inflammatory response has a rapid onset and a short duration, and is characterized by a rapid movement of plasma proteins and leukocytes towards damaged tissues

Recently, a large commercial emphasis has been given to red maca supplements. We begin by specifying that - although the species of origin is always the same ( Lepidium meyenii ) - there is a great variability regarding the size and shape of the root, which can be triangular, flattened, spherical or rectangular

Piperine is a known inhibitor of hepatic and intestinal glucuronidation. We recall that glucuronidation reactions are fundamental for the correct metabolization of various xenobiotics (non-nutritive substances of endogenous origin, including drugs and toxic poisons). Its ability to increase blood concentrations of some drugs and other substances metabolised via glucuronidation mechanisms depends on this effect of piperine

Piperine is the alkaloid responsible for the spiciness of black pepper and long pepper. The piperine - curcumin association has been proposed to improve the bioavailability of the latter. In fact, we have seen how piperine can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by 2000% (ie 20 times). In the study in question, 20 mg of piperine was used in combination with 2 grams of curcumin