QUERCETIN

This week we are featuring Quercetin. Quercetin is a flavonoid.  Quercetin is present in seabuckthorn fruit and leaves along with the flavonoids kaempherol and isorhamnetin. You will find Quercetin in our Flavone Capsules & Tea.

Flavonoids are compounds  present in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Polyphenol is a broad class of anti - oxidants including flavonoids and catechins.

The flavonoids have aroused considerable interest recently because of their potential beneficial effects on human health. They have been reported to have antiviral, anti-allergic, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant activities. 

Quercitin is a potent flavonoid and anti-oxidant and has been shown to reduce the risks associated with high cholesterol levels. It may also be the strongest of natures anti-inflammatories. Numerous studies have shown it effective in treating a wide range of problems, including macular degeneration, arthritis, joint inflammation, and asthma. 

Quercetin In The News

Ferulic Acid 

Ferulic Acid is a constituent of the seeds and leaves of many plants, particularly in grains. Concentrations vary widely depending on plant variety and growing conditions. Seabuckthorn leaves contain from 5 to 30 mg/100grams (see analysis).

Ferulic Acid is water-soluble and is well absorbed when used as a supplement. Ferulic acid is a phenolic acid of low toxicity; it can be absorbed and easily metabolized in the human body. Ferulic acid has been reported to have many physiological functions, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombosis, and anti-cancer activities. It acts synergistically with other antioxidants, giving them extra potency. It also protects against coronary disease, lowers cholesterol and increases sperm viability. Because of these properties and its low toxicity, ferulic acid is now widely used in the food and cosmetic industries. Studies in humans, animals, and cell culture have provided evidence for the following actions of ferulic acid:

   

08/03/2005 - 
Further support for the action of omega-3 fatty acids on inflammatory conditions comes from new research on lipids in humans that are triggered by aspirin, as well as fish oil.

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to benefit patients with cardiovascular disease and arthritis, although the mechanism for these actions is not yet fully understood. 


SEABUCKTHORN SEED OIL IS A NATURALLY RICH PLANT SOURCE OF OMEGA 3 AND OTHER VALUABLE NUTRIENTS

Discovery of mechanisms help support the use of nutritional ingredients for prevention of disease and could add to evidence of omega-3’s benefit to joint health. 

Foods containing omega-3s are allowed to make a qualified health claim in the US for their action on heart health. A similar claim is expected in coming weeks from the UK’s voluntary health claims body. However joint health claims have less support. 
 

Makoto Arita from the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and US-based colleagues have recently identified a new class of aspirin-triggered bioactive lipids in humans, called resolvins, that could partly explain fish oils’ anti-inflammatory effects on joints and blood flow. 

Resolvins are made from the omega-3 fatty acids by cellular enzymes and can reduce inflammation in mice. The main bioactive component of this class of lipids, identified in mice, has been named resolvin E1. 


The researchers have now identified this lipid in plasma taken from volunteers given omega-3 fatty acids and aspirin. 


Writing in the 7 March issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine (vol 201, no 5, 713-722), the authors said that human resolvin E1 inhibits both the migration of inflammatory cells to sites of inflammation and the turning on of other inflammatory cells. 

This study also reveals a potential pitfall of COX-2 inhibitors, drugs designed to block inflammation but recently been shown to have negative side effects on the cardiovascular system.
COX-2 is involved in making resolvin E1 and the authors suggest that inhibition of vascular COX-2 by these drugs might block the synthesis of resolvin E1, which would eliminate an important anti-inflammatory pathway.
 

Seabuckthorn oils  have been used for centuries as a skin care remedy, with skin nourishing, revitalizing and restorative actions. They have been used by both Eastern and Western medicine for the treatment of skin conditions, and  have been used internally for the treatment of ulcers of the mucous membranes.

Seabuckthorn oil is widely used to promote the recovery of various skin conditions, including rosacea, eczema, burns, bedsores and poorly healing wounds, as well as the skin damaging effects of sun, therapeutic radiation treatment and laser surgery.

Seabuckthorn Seed Oil and Seabuckthorn Fruit Oil differ considerably in fatty acid composition  While linoleic (18:2n-6) and alpha-linolenic (18:3n-3) acids are the major fatty acids in the Seed Oil, the high level of palmitoleic acid (16:1n-7, up to 50%) differentiates Seabuckthorn Fruit Oil from most other oils of plant origin. Both the Seed Oil and Fruit Oil are rich in tocopherols, tocotrienols and plant sterols. In addition, the Fruit Oil contains especially high level of carotenoids.

 

NUTRITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Seabuckthorn fruit, leaves, and oils contain an astonishing array of valuable nutrients that contribute significantly to internal and external health and beauty. 

In order to acquaint our visitors with the variety of nutritional benefits of seabuckthorn we will be featuring a specific nutrient every two weeks or so. Check back frequently to learn about the amazing assortment of valuable nutrients in our Sea Buckthorn products and 
what they can do for you!.