Herbal Extracts Plus

Red Raspberry Extracts Show Joint Health Potential ~

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Rhode Island indicated that extracts from Red Raspberry (Extract) (RRE) may protect cartilage in joints and influence the severity of arthritis. The Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) fruit contains bioactive polyphenols including anthocyanins and ellagitannins with reported anti-inflammatory properties. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting some twenty-one million adults, and the number is predicted to rise to sixty seven million adults by the year 2030. Using animal models, the scientists investigated the effects of the Red Raspberry Extract on the development of arthritis following an injection to induce the joint disease. Results from these tests showed that doses of the extracts were associated with a “lower incidence and severity of arthritis, compared to control animals. The study findings, demonstrated that a polyphenol-enriched Raspberry extract was associated with a decrease in the rate of cartilage degradation in a cell study, while data from rats indicated a lower incidence and severity of arthritis. Commenting on the potential mechanism, the scientists proposed that the polyphenols in the extract exert anti-inflammatory effects, and the study provides insights into the fruit’s anti-inflammatory effects, adding to the growing body of biological data on polyphenolic-enriched berry extracts. However, future human clinical studies will be required to establish whether regular consumption of Red Raspberry fruit may have beneficial effects on joint health, and the new study, if reproducible in additional studies - and human studies in particular - could also see Red Raspberry extracts added to the list of potential natural products for joint health. Writing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the scientists concluded, “At the higher dose, animals treated with RRE had a lower incidence and severity of arthritis compared to control animals. Also, histological analyses revealed significant inhibition of inflammation, pannus formation, cartilage damage and bone resorption”…and... “suggests that Red Raspberry polyphenols may afford cartilage protection and/or modulate the onset and severity of arthritis.”

Sources:  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and NutraIngredients

Rose Hip Extract May Boost Heart Health in Obese ~

According to a study from Swedish and Norwegian researchers at Lund University, supplemental ROSE HIPS (Rosa canina) may cut blood pressure and cholesterol levels in overweight people. In a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study, thirty-one obese participants were randomly assigned to receive either a daily dose of 40 grams of Rose Hip powder in a drink or a control drink, both of which also contained apple juice, a citric acid solution and sugar. The results, which were published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, indicated that after six weeks of consumption, the Rose Hip group averaged a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 3.4%, while total and LDL cholesterol levels dropped by 4.9 and 6.0%, respectively; and the risk of cardiovascular disease was decreased by 17%in the Rose Hip group, compared with the control group, registered by the Reynolds risk assessment score for cardiovascular disease (a validated prediction score for heart disease risk over a 10-year period ). According to the World Health Organization, there will be 1.5 billion overweight consumers by 2015, and obesity has become a global epidemic with a range of associated conditions, including Type-2 diabetes and heart disease. The mechanisms involved in the improvements in systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels are unclear, but the researchers noted that the current study may have important health implications as a starting point for exploring Rose Hips as a constituent of food portfolios designed to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure and decrease the risk of coronary heart disease and concluded that daily consumption of 40 grams of Rose Hip powder for six weeks may significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in obese people through lowering systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels, adding that detailed follow-up studies of dietary treatment with Rose Hips should not only be performed in hyperlipidemic and hypertensive individuals for efficacy in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, but also in diabetic individuals to further explore possible anti-diabetic effects.

Sources: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Nutraingredients

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