The
baby boomer generation is now one of the largest, most educated
and most influential groups of people in America today. And
while they become wiser, they are also growing older. And
as they grow older, they are getting more and more concerned
with staying young.
Interestingly,
staying young has long been a subject of great contemplation
in China, where for millennia, emperors ordered their finest
doctors to find some way to usher them beyond longevity to
immortality. While mercury therapy on emperor Shih Huang
Ti (255-207 BC) quickly proved to be fallible, the ancient
Tao herbalists demonstrated their wisdom in systematically
cataloguing a range of plant materials that really would help
keep us alive longer. In a process that took centuries, a
long lineage of practitioners found tried and true herbs with
anti-aging properties.
How
do we know that their work was accurate and valid? Today in
labs around the world, scientists are applying modern analytical,
pharmacological and clinical methods to determine the precise
effects of these plants, to a large extent confirming what
was already known.
Among
the plants discovered, studied and popularized in Traditional
Chinese Medicine, there are several standouts, mostly
adaptogens that have notable anti-aging properties. Herbs
like Reishi Mushroom, Lycii Berry, and Jujube Fruit
have definite proven effects. Resveratrol, an active compound
from Hu Zhang (Polygonum cuspidatum) and other herbs,
has been found to increase cell life span by up to 80%. And
we would be remiss not to mention the great Panax ginseng.
In this 2 part report, we would like to focus on a couple
of China's best longevity herbs. In this installment we'll
discuss the revered tonic herb Foti. In the upcoming
second part, we will share with you our excitement about one
of the most powerful adaptogens to come from Asia: Gynostemma
pentaphyllum.
Foti
Foti
is the common name for Polygonum multiflorum, a perennial
climbing vine with red stems and white or pink flowers, native
to central and southern China.. It can grow to a length of
30ft. In China the herb is known as He Shou Wu after
a legendary hero in Chinese folklore. Sickly and impotent,
He Shou Wu had lived into his 60's without fathering a child
and, suffering a deep depression, he found the herb growing
near his home. He took it to a wise old herbalist who divined
that it had great restorative powers. After a few days of
taking it, his gray hair turned to black and his virility
was restored. Subsequently, he fathered 4 children and lived
to the age of 132.
In
China, Foti is a very popular tonic among middle-aged
and elderly people and is used in clinics for such conditions
as atherosclerosis, hypertension, chronic bronchitis, diabetes,
insomnia with irritability, and senility-related neuroses.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine terms, it tonifies the liver
and kidney and nourishes the blood. Extensive modern pharmacological
and clinical studies have pointed to Foti's ability to lower
serum cholesterol, prevent premature gray hair, promote the
growth of red blood cells, and promote longevity on a cellular
level.
The
active constituents in Foti thought to contribute to
its effects are phospholipids, such as lecithin and phosphotidyl
inositol; anthraquinones in the form of glycosides emodin
and chrysophanol; stilbenes like polydatin and one that is
similar in structure/function to anti-aging resveratrol; and
stilbene glucosides. Additionally, Foti is a good source of
trace minerals like iron, zinc, manganese and copper.
How
does Foti work?
As with many herbs, especially tonics like Foti, the orchestra
of active constituents acts via multiple metabolic pathways
with a wide range of effects. The stilbenes, similar to resveratrol,
are strong antioxidants, helping cells live longer by quenching
damaging free radicals. More specifically, it was found that
the herb helps raise and maintain naturally occurring antioxidant
superoxide dismutase levels in the blood, low levels of which
are correlated with the onset of senility. It also raises
levels of reducing glutathione, helping accelerate the elimination
of damaging peroxides.
In
animal studies, it was shown that Foti is very unique among
plants as a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor. It specifically
inhibits MAO-B activity, which is associated with the onset
of geriatric senility. The primary benefit of MAO-B inhibition
is an up-regulation of dopamine, which declines with age and
is vital for mood, growth hormone release, sexual function,
and coordination. After the age of 45 or 50, MAO-B activity
increases significantly in the tissues of the brain. In one
animal study on Foti, an MAO-B inhibition effect of over 80%
was noted, suggesting that this is one of Foti's important
anti-aging effects. While patients that need an MAO-B inhibitor
can get a prescription for the pharmaceutical drug Deprenyl,
natural herb sources for this effect are uncommon.
The
thymus, an organ in the chest that typically declines in function
with age, plays an important role in the maintenance of a
healthy immune system. It is thought that preserving the function
of the thymus could help ease the immune system's work load,
resulting in greater longevity. Experiments on mice demonstrated
that Foti protected the age related deterioration of the thymus
in older mice and may also maintain its normal functioning
in young mice.
As we age, the humoral immune systems in our bodies tend to
hyperfunction, while cellular immunity actually decreases
over time. The phospholipids in Foti were found to increase
cellular immunity by increasing or maintaining levels
of T-lymphocytes and immunoglobulin in the blood. Foti phospholipids
are also instrumental in maintaining the structure and integrity
of cell membranes.
The
trace minerals in Foti play a role in the prevention of
graying hair. Asian experiments on people with normal
black hair showed a decrease in Calcium, Manganese and Iron
as human hair in elderly people turned gray and finally white.
Foti is rich in these trace minerals. According to TCM, Foti
nourishes the Kidney "organ" in the body, and it
is thought that its trace mineral content plays a positive
role in this function as well.
Foti
also has positive effects on cholesterol and cardiac function.
Experiments have shown that Foti can exert a cholesterol
lowering effect on the blood, thereby assisting in the
prevention of atherosclerosis. It appears that the stilbene
constituents in Foti combine with cholesterol in the digestive
tract, inhibiting its absorption in the intestines. Additionally,
the anthraquinones in the herb can promote peristalsis, inhibiting
intestinal reabsorption of cholesterol in the intestinal tract.
The high levels of lecithin in Foti could help inhibit the
deposition of cholesterol in the liver, allowing the liver
to better perform its cleansing function. Lecithin also helps
inhibit platelet aggregation by slowing the formation
of fibrin in the blood. In the heart, Foti decreases heart
rate while increasing blood flow in the coronary artery.
Foti
improves the functioning of the adrenal cortex, helping with
the body's nonspecific resistance to disease; and protects
the liver, reducing peroxide damage and increasing glycogen
levels.
Remember!
At Draco, all raw plant materials are carefully selected at
peak potency and certified to be free of pesticides and heavy
metals. The extracts are Kosher Certified and processed in
a state-of-the-art ISO9002 Certified facility. If
you would like more information, or if you can't wait to get
started on your next product development idea, don't hesitate
to give us a call at:
(408)287-7871.
Company
News
Draco
Debuts Vital Treasures™ Line at SCC Convention
The
October 21, 2003 Society of Cosmetics Chemists exhibition
in Long Beach, CA was the site for the debut of Draco's new
line of Vital Treasures™ Botanical Extracts for Cosmetics
and Personal Care.
The
unique Vital Treasures™ line features high quality
botanical extract ingredients that can be used either topically
or internally to support and enhance the performance and look
of the skin. With an "inside-out" approach,
a program using Vital Treasures™ extracts can
be employed to effectively treat the skin directly and nourish
the skin internally at the same time. For example, Vital
Treasures™ White Tea extract, which is rich in polyphenol
antioxidants, can be taken in capsule form to aid in the prevention
of damage to the skin. It can also be blended in creams and
lotions for directly applied antioxidant protection of skin
cells.
Vital
Treasures™ herbal extracts are made with the same
attention to quality and detail as our flagship Full Spectrum
Standardized™ line of herbal extract ingredients.
All extracts are carrier free, containing a full spectrum
of plant constituents in their natural proportions. Made in
our own ISO9000 certified facility, our extracts are water
extracted, rigorously tested, and kosher certified. Standardization
to marker compounds is available.
Accompanying
this exciting debut, we have made available several new pieces
of literature, which can assist in the selection of the optimum
program for your product development needs. These include:
a full color presentation folder, a product list
of Vital Treasure™ herbs describing how each can be used
for skin care, and a spreadsheet matrix of applications
for the herbs. For interested parties, a full blown formulary
for the Vital Treasures™ line describes the herbs in
more detail as well as suggesting formulas for a variety of
skin care applications.
Although
the SCC Exhibition is technically a California regional show,
it is actually one of the most important cosmetics ingredients
shows in the US, attracting many of the largest manufacturers.
At our booth, the Vital Treasures™ debut was very
well received, with many companies expressing interest in
our full line of products and custom services.
We
are available to answer any questions you may have about our
Vital Treasures™ line and can help you custom
design your own line of personal care products. Please
call us for additional details.
Draco
Sponsors Industry Rally on Capitol Hill
Draco
Natural Products, Inc. was one of 7 corporate sponsors
to help fund the latest Rally on Capitol Hill. The rally was
organized by Virgo Publishing, AHPA, NNFA, UNPA and Citizens
for Health in an effort to support legislation that would
help better implement the Dietary Supplement Health and Education
Act of 1994 (DSHEA). Rally participants, including Draco marketing
director Matt Humphrey, spent the afternoon lobbying House
and Senate representatives to oppose Senate bill S. 722
and support Senate bill S. 1538.
S.722,
if passed, would severely limit the effective power of DSHEA
by placing the burden of proof for safety on manufacturers,
rather than on the FDA. Effectively, any supplement that is
associated with even 1 adverse event report could be removed
from the market and prohibited from sale until the manufacturer
could offer substantiated proof of safety. This would be a
very large adverse event for the whole industry.
The
pro-industry bill, S. 1538, authored by Senators Hatch
and Harkin in response to S.722, would allow DSHEA to continue
as established, but would allocate increased funding for FDA
to better implement enforcement of the act. It would also
effectively double current funding levels for research and
consumer education to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Thirdly,
the bill, if enacted, would require full written reporting
on the FDA's activities with regard to the regulation of dietary
supplements.
The
rally was well attended, with over 130 industry participants.
Mr. Humphrey noticed that while industry opponents are sharpening
their swords for battle, both grass roots and congressional
support seems to be pro-industry. "With 7 out of 10 consumers
in the US using at least one type of supplement, and the enormous
grass roots support for DSHEA when it was passed, it seems
likely that most representatives, if faithful to constituents,
will support S.1538 and oppose S. 722," he said.
Jean-Philippe
Sidaner Appointed Sales Representative
We
at Draco are happy to announce the addition of Jean-Philippe
Sidaner to our staff at the headquarters office in San
Jose, CA. As our newest Sales Representative, Jean-Philippe
will be responsible for accounts on the west coast as well
as incoming phone calls. He comes to us with a master's
degree in Agrofood Industry from the University of Paris
(Paris, France), and a bachelors degree in Plant Science
and Food Industry from the University of Jules Verne (Amiens,
France). With research assistantships at both University of
California at Davis, and University of Manitoba (Winnipeg,
Manitoba), Jean-Philippe's work experience also includes a
year as Sales Manager for Brucia Plant Extracts in
Sacramento. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Sidaner to Draco
Natural Products, Inc.
©
Copyright 2003, Draco Natural Products, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Draco
Extracts Facts