Botanicals & Herbals

Two supplements to go under the spotlight in diabetes clinical trial

17-Oct-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Researchers are to investigate whether two commonly used dietary supplements can help prevent diabetes.

Neem plant compound could suppress development of prostate cancer: Singapore study

12-Oct-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Nimbolide, a bioactive terpenoid compound derived from Azadirachta indica, more commonly known as the neem plant, could reduce the size of prostate tumours by up to 70 per cent and suppress its spread or metastasis by half, say Singapore academics.

Arjuna to launch amla Indian gooseberry ingredient at Europe showcase

10-Oct-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Arjuna Natural Extracts Ltd is seeking to tap into the Indian gooseberry superfood trend with the launch of a new amla ingredient – TRILOW.

Taiwan kakorot firm Aquavan eyes international expansion

05-Oct-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Taiwan botanical manufacturer and supplier Aquavan is targeting international expansion after establishing an ingredients offshoot to complement its finished products offering.

Green tea compound ‘counteracts’ overeating effect of high-fat diet

03-Oct-2016 By Nathan GRAY

Consumption of the green tea compound EGCG could help to stop daytime overeating brought on by a high-fat diet, claims research backed by Abbott Nutrition.

Four nutrition and health trends shaping functional food and drink innovation in South East Asia

03-Oct-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Functional food innovation in developed Asian economies is increasingly influencing consumers in South East Asia’s emerging nations, with protein products, superfoods, herbal extract powders and fortified breakfast snacks making their presence felt on...

Mice study on Kemin's spearmint and rosemary extract ingredient supports its learning and memory benefits

03-Oct-2016 By Adi Menayang

In a study funded by manufacturer Kemin and the VA Medical Center in St. Louis, spearmint and rosemary extracts improved age-related oxidation markers in brain tissue of SAMP8 mice.

Root 66? Spearmint’s phenolic matrix mapped

29-Sep-2016 By Kacey Culliney

Mass spectrometry techniques have shed light on spearmint’s complex phenolic matrix, according to ‘tentative’ findings from Italy.

‘Plant insulin’ from bitter melon backed for fight against diabetes

28-Sep-2016 By Nathan GRAY

A commercially available ingredient containing bitter melon peptides could help manage blood sugar by binding to insulin receptors, say researchers.

Algae omega-3 wins €1m+ Oz research boost

26-Sep-2016 By Kacey Culliney

Scientists are using metabolic engineering to scale up omega-3 rich algae production in Australia.

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: Could plant-based Traditional Chinese Medicines aid treatment?

26-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

A new study of classical Chinese medical texts has found almost 1500 references to age-related memory impairment similar to Alzheimer's disease, and to several plant-based ingredients that should be assessed further for their treatment potential...

Combining polyphenols boosts anti-cancer properties: Rath rodent review

21-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Combining polyphenols and other compounds can dramatically increase their ability to fight cancers, according to a review from the Dr Rath Research Institute of its own and other studies.

Food affects almond skin polyphenol release: Study

19-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Milk may significantly lower the release of polyphenols from almond skins during digestion, while consuming almond skins with food also has a significant effect on their release, according to a study.

Mango could help maintain gut bacteria at risk from high-fat diets

14-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Mango consumption could help prevent the loss of beneficial gut bacteria caused by a high fat diet, according to research on mice.

Revealed: How Traditional Chinese Medicine plant compounds kill cancer cells

12-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

A complex mix of plant compounds derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine works to kill cancer cells, and researchers from Australia have shown how.

Ginger and chili peppers could combine to cut cancer risk: China research

12-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

New research from China suggests the pungent compound in ginger, 6-ginergol, could counteract capsaicin's potentially harmful effects.

Decoding the secrets of Japan’s fucoidan-rich seaweed

12-Sep-2016 By Nathan Gray

Researchers have begun to decode the genetic secrets of mozuku, a famous fucoidan-rich Okinawan seaweed linked to health and longevity.

False claims risk undermining the Asia market for heart health products

07-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Global and local players in Asia’s heart health sector are adopting radically different strategies – but dubious health claims from some of the latter threaten to undermine the market, according to an industry analyst.

Vinegar a ‘promising functional food’ to combat Asia’s rising cases of type 2 diabetes

07-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Researchers in Singapore suggest vinegar could be a key functional ingredient to help fight the rising number of type 2 diabetes cases in the region.

Green tea EGCG backed to prevent life-threatening ‘artery explosion’

31-Aug-2016 By Nathan Gray

Drinking polyphenol-packed green tea could help to prevent a deadly condition in the body's main artery, according to new research in rats.

Ginger nanoparticles could help alleviate inflammatory bowel disease: Study

18-Aug-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Edible ginger-derived nanoparticles could alleviate symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), researchers claim.

Consuming foods with plant sterols plays a role in managing heart health, says Nestlé Malaysia

15-Aug-2016 By Jim Cornall

Studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and the UKM Medical Centre show that Malaysians in their 30s are now more likely to have arteries similar to a person aged 70 due to their lifestyles.

New Zealand study: Boysenberries help improve lung function

09-Aug-2016 By Gary Scattergood

New research from New Zealand suggests that regular boysenberry consumption may improve lung function by reducing symptoms associated with inflammation of the airways, which can cause conditions such as asthma.

This week Down Under

Fourth time lucky? Aus-NZ officials consider hemp's safety once again

03-Aug-2016 By RJ Whitehead

Australia’s food safety regulators have once again called for submissions on whether to permit the sale of food derived from the seeds of low-THC hemp.

Blackmores voted Australia’s ‘most trusted’ supplement brand

29-Jul-2016 By Nathan Gray

For the eighth year in succession, Blackmores has been awarded Australia’s most trusted vitamin and supplement brand.

Vitafoods Asia heading to Singapore in 2017

25-Jul-2016 By Nathan Gray

Pan-Asian nutraceutical event Vitafoods Asia will move to a new home in Singapore next year, confirm the event organisers.

One in five Aussie sports supplements may be contaminated

18-Jul-2016 By Nathan Gray

A survey of untested sports supplements available in Australia found 19% were contamination with substances banned in sport.

Aflatoxin warning: Study highlights presence of dangerous metabolites in Agelica gigas products

13-Jul-2016 By Nathan Gray

Botanical products and herbal supplements containing Korean Angelica gigas have been highlighted as a potential source of dangerous aflatoxins by new research.

Yuzu peel backed for anti-diabetic functional food promise

04-Jul-2016 By Nathan Gray

Extracts of Citrus junos Tanaka (known as yuzu) peel could be used in functional foods for people with diabetes and pre-diabetes, according to the findings of a new trial.