Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
See book keywords and concepts |
 Red grapefruit also contains lycopene, a phytochemical that helps lower the risk of prostate cancer. If you prepare the fruit with the white membrane still intact, it contains galacturonic acid, which can lower blood cholesterol by removing plaque from artery walls.
A word of caution: There is a substance in grapefruit juice that significantly increases the body's absorption of some commonly used drugs, especially certain blood pressure medications, immunosuppressive drugs, and sedatives. Having a higher than normal concentration of these drugs in your body can have serious side effects. |
| Lutein
Lutein is a phytochemical found in broccoli, kale, spinach, and other dark-green leafy vegetables; egg yolks; and peaches and oranges. It is beneficial for the eyes. In a 1995 study conducted by the National Institutes of Health and reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who ate large amounts of lutein-containing foods were found to have a lower than average incidence of cataracts and macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. |
Dianne Onstad
See book keywords and concepts |
 Polyphenols A phytochemical that may help detoxify carcinogens. Research has shown that polyphenols protect against several kinds of cancer, including that of esophageal, rectal, gallbladder, and endometrial. These chemicals are found abundantly in green tea.
Polysaccharide A carbohydrate that can be decomposed by hydrolysis into two or more molecules of monosaccharides (simple sugars).
Polyunsaturated A chemical term used to describe a fatty acid particle with four, six, or more hydrogen atoms missing. |
| Red and yellow onions are a rich source of quercetin, a remarkable phytochemical that is a natural anti-inflammatory and also protects against heart disease and some forms of cancer. Studies have shown that the mote onions we eat, the lower our risk of stomach cancer and heart attack.
Recommended Dietary Allowances (PDA) The base amount of a nutrient needed by normal, healthy people, as determined by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.
Refrigerant An old medical tetm referring to plant drugs that cool the blood and reduce fever. |
| Resveratol A polyphenol phytochemical found in gtapes that may help protect against heart disease.
Rhizome An elongated, thickened, usually horizontal underground plant stem that sends out toots below and shoots above. It is differentiated from ordinary rootstock by the presence of nodes, buds, and occasionally scalelike leaves. One example of a rhizome is ginger.
Rubefacient A substance that increases blood circulation to the atea where it is applied (turning it red), usually on the skin but sometimes internally. Its function is to draw inflammation and congestion from deeper areas. |
| Sulforaphane A phytochemical that stimulates the production of enzymes that disarm free radicals before they can harm healthy cells. Sulforaphane is found in broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale.
Tannins Organic substances of diverse composition with pronounced astringent properties that reacr with protein. One of the best known uses of tannins is in preserving animal hides by turning them into leather; tannins also soothe inflamed mucous membranes and promote wound healing and the formation of new skin. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
See book keywords and concepts |
 Harborne JB, Baxter H. phytochemical Dictionary: A Handbook of
Bioactive Compounds from Plants. London; Washington,
DC: Taylor & Francis, 1993.
POLYPHENOLS
About 8,000 naturally occurring plant phenolics have been identified, and about half of these are flavonoids. There are many structurally simple phenols, such as phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, and phenolic quinones. Several important groups of plant polymeric materials are phenolic: the lignins, melanins, and tannins. Finally, phenolic groups are occasionally found in alkaloids and terpenoids. |
Steven G. Pratt, M.D. and Kathy Matthews
See book keywords and concepts |
 Broccoli is rich in the powerful phytochemical carotenoid antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (as well as vitamin C). Both of these carotenoids are concentrated in the lens and retina of the eye. A single cup of raw, chopped broccoli provides 1.5 milligrams of lutein and zeaxanthin—8 percent of the SuperFoods Rx goal of 12 milligrams daily. One study found that people who ate broccoli more than twice weekly had a 23 percent lower risk of cataracts when compared to those who ate broccoli less than once a month. |
Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson
See book keywords and concepts |
 The 19th century thus saw the integration of ethno-botanical, pharmacological and phytochemical studies, a process that had taken many decades but which allowed the development of a new approach to the study and the pharmaceutical use of plants. Ultimately, herbal remedies became transformed into chemically defined drugs. |
The Editors of FC&A
See book keywords and concepts |
| Dive in with D. By now you know you can help stop OA with antioxidants. But ordinary sunshine? Like the miracle it is, your skin turns sunlight into vitamin D, a nutrient that's "turning out to be incredibly important, especially for elders," says Hobbs.
This vitamin protects your cartilage and bones and helps your body absorb calcium, a mineral essential to building strong joints. Too little vitamin D in your diet raises your risk for OA, particularly in the hips. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
See book keywords and concepts |
 Green tea extract contains a phytochemical known as GMA that also lowers blood pressure. Combining them may have significant effects. Theanine is now available in the United States as a dietary supplement.
Suggested dosage: The suggested dose of theanine to induce a state of relaxation is 100 mg. For those seeking a continuous mood elevating effect, 1 theanine capsule can be taken 4 times throughout the day.
Adaptogens: Herbs for Maintaining Energy and Coping with Stress
An adaptogen is a substance that helps the body deal with and recover from stress. |
Mark Hyman, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Consume Herbal and phytochemical Antioxidants
These are best taken as a regular part of our diet, but sometimes can be added as supplements when extra antioxidant protection is indicated. Some have specific benefits for different systems in the body, such as hawthorn (for the heart), ginkgo (for the brain), or milk thistle (for the liver).
Follow the guidance of an experienced practitioner unless otherwise indicated here for specific problems. Herbal antioxidants include:
• Ashwaganda—(Withania somniferd), an ancient Ayurvedic or Indian ginsenglike herb. |
Patrick Holford
See book keywords and concepts |
 The Vitamin Scandal
1 3 Elemental Health from Calcium to Zinc
1 4 Toxic Minerals from Aluminum to Mercury
1 5 Antioxidants—The Power of Prevention
1 6 Homocysteine—Your Most Important Health Statistic
1 7 Living Food—The phytochemical Revolution
1 8 Your Body Is 66 Percent Water
1 9 Food Combining—Facts and Fallacies
2 0 Eat Right for Your Blood Type
The Myth of the Weli-Baianced Diet
A human being is made up of roughly 63 percent water, 22 percent protein, 13 percent fat, and 2 percent minerals and vitamins. Every single molecule comes from the food you eat and the water you drink. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
See book keywords and concepts |
| Harborne JB, Baxter H. phytochemical Dictionary: A Handbook of
Bioactive Compounds from Plants. London; Washington,
DC: Taylor & Francis, 1993.
LIPIDS
Lipids are a large and diverse class of organic molecules found in living systems. Most are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar solvents, such as alcohol. (This definition excludes the mineral oils and other petroleum products obtained from fossil material.) In a physiological sense, lipids are fundamentally important for both humans and plants. |
| Harborne JB, Baxter H. phytochemical Dictionary:
A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. London; Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis, 1993.
70. Ibid.
71. Ibid.
72. Ibid.
73. Ibid.
74. Lacaille-Dubois MA, Wagner H. A review of the biological and pharmacological activitities of saponins. Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopbarmacology 1996; 2(4):363-86.
75. Hostettmann K, Marston A. Saponins. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
76. Ibid.
77. Ibid.
78. Ibid.
79. Ibid.
80. Lacaille-Dubois MA, Wagner H. |
Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson
See book keywords and concepts |
| Only such endeavour allows the correct identification of a botanical drug, and consequently is the basis for further pharmacological, phytochemical, analytical or clinical studies.
MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF HIGHER PLANTS (SPERMATOPHYTA)
Flower
The flower (Fig. 3.1) is the essential reproductive organ of a plant. It is frequently very showy in order to attract pollinators, but in other instances the flowers are minute and difficult to distinguish from the neighbouring organs or from other flowers. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
See article keywords and concepts |
 Car thieves would be given new jobs stealing phytochemical discoveries from medicinal plants in the Amazon rainforest that could be patented and sold as monopoly drugs. (Explanation: Drug companies frequently exploit natural medicinal compounds in plants, then modify and patent them for manufacturing prescription drugs, even while discrediting the healing potential of the very same medicinal plants. Lovastatin, for example, was stolen from red yeast rice, a natural supplement that lowers LDL cholesterol. |
Josef A. Brinckmann and Michael P. Lindenmaier
See book keywords and concepts |
 The result of this dialogue can be summarized as follows: in principle, a phytochemical equivalency is possible if a standard for the crude drug is considered, the extraction solvent and manufacturing process is comparable, the final extract is prepared according to existing standards and finally, if the equivalency of the extract can be substantiated with appropriate (quantitative and qualitative) methods. For a detailed discussion of the important aspects related to phytoequivalency, see [16]. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
See book keywords and concepts |
| The substance was indole-3-carbinol (IC3), a phytochemical isolated from cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, kale, green cabbage, mustard seed, etc.). I3C was then given to 17 men and women for 2 months. Again, levels of strong estrogen declined, and levels of weak esttogen increased. But more importantly, the level of an estrogen metabolite associated with breast and endometrial cancer (16,alpha-hydroxyestrone) fell (Bradlow et al. 1991). |
Josef A. Brinckmann and Michael P. Lindenmaier
See book keywords and concepts |
| Kotiyal, phytochemical Investigations of Certain Medicinal Plants Used in Ayurveda, New Delhi, Central Council for Research in Ayurveda & Siddha, 216-217 (1990).
[8] Govt, of India, Standardisation of Single Drugs of Unani Medicine, Part I, New Delhi, Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, 109-117 (1987).
Czygan /Hitter
Herniariae herba
Rupturewort
OAB, DAC
\
1 cm
Fig. 1: Rupturewort
Description: All plant parts are very small. |
Andrew Pengelly
See book keywords and concepts |
 Phytochemical Dictionary, Taylor & Francis, London.
Hirano, T, Homma, M. and Oka, K. 1994, 'Effects of stinging nettle root extracts and their steroidal components on the Na+, K+-ATPase of the benign prostatic hyperplasia', Planta Medica 60: 30-33.
Hirotani, M., Tsutomu, F. and Shiro, M. 1985, 'Lanostane derivatives from Ganoderma lucidum\ Phytochemistry 24: 2055-2061.
Hobbs, Christopher 1995, Medicinal Mushrooms. An Exploration of Tradition, Healing and Culture, Botanica Press, Santa Cruz.
Huang, K. 1993, The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs, CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Kako, M. M., Miura, T. |
David Heber, M.D., Ph.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 This phytochemical has been shown in laboratory experiments to combine with other phytochemicals, such as lycopene, from tomatoes, to kill cancer cells. Use rosemary on baked chicken breasts, but go easy, as it has a strong flavor. Rosemary is best dried, and keeps well in a sealed jar.
Sage
Tradition holds that sage is supposed to be harvested on the dawn of Midsummer Day when the first ray of sunlight strikes the highest mountain. There is no scientific reason for this, and sage is picked whenever the plant is fully grown to a diameter of about thirty-six inches. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
See book keywords and concepts |
| In perhaps the most comptehensive study ever, researchers at Hatvatd and the University of Hawaii fed mice thtee diffetent soy products: soy protein without isoflavones, soy phytochemical concentrate (a combination of genistein, daidzein, gly-citein, and othet compounds), and genistein. They discovered that all thtee have a positive effect on hormones as they relate to the growth of prostate cancer. The cancet cells they used are androgen-sensitive. The androgen receptor, which correlates with tumor weight, was reduced 42% by soy protein. |
Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson
See book keywords and concepts |
| Drug identification (verification) using phytochemical methods is generally done using TLC (ethyl acetate/ formic acid/glacial acetic acid/water, 100:11:11:26). This method detects the caffeic acid derivatives, which thus serve as a marker for the pharmaceutical quality and also identify the plant material used for producing the phytopharmaceutical. Some good HPLC methods are available, but have not yet been systematically employed in quality control. As the active constituents are not known, they cannot, of course, be quantified. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
See book keywords and concepts |
| Harborne JB, Baxter H. phytochemical Dictionary:
A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. London; Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis, 1993.
86. Ibid.
87. Ibid.
88. Ibid.
89. He K, Wang HK. Recent development of chemical studies on some medicinal plants of Astragalus spp. Yao Xue Xue Bao 1988 Nov; 23(11):873-80.
90. Lacaille-Dubois MA, Wagner H. A review of the biological and pharmacological activitities of saponins. Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopbarmacology 1996; 2(4):363-86.
91. Hostettmann K, Marston A. Saponins. |
Bill Gottlieb
See book keywords and concepts |
 Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore have already concluded that one phytochemical found in broccoli, sul-foraphane, appears to help protect against breast cancer in animal studies. And another research team found that animals exposed to tobacco carcinogens were half as likely to develop lung cancer when fed a diet rich in watercress compared with those who didn't eat the vegetable.
These phytochemicals stop cancer in different ways. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
See book keywords and concepts |
| Rather, 13C is formed after myrosinase (an enzyme inherent to the plant) is exposed to a phytochemical in the vegetable (glucobrassicin), a glucosinolate that subsequently delivers indole-3-carbinol. This occurs only when vegetable cells are crushed or eaten, a process known as enzymatic hydrolysis. I3C, thus formed, is then broken down in the presence of stomach acid to various byproducts including diindolylmethane (DIM), another powerful defense against cancer (Lukaczer 2001). |
Mark Blumenthal
See book keywords and concepts |
 Binns SE, Livesey JF, Arnason JT, Baum BR. phytochemical variation in echinacea from roots and flowerheads of wild and cultivated populations. J Agric Food Chem
2002;50(13):3673-87. Binns SE, Inparajah I, Baum BR, Arnason JT. Methyl jasmonate increases reported alkamides and ketoalkene/ynes in Echinacea pallida (Asteraceae). Phytochemistry
2001;57:417-20.
Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, Gruenwald J, HallT, Riggins CW, Rister RS (eds.). Klein S, Rister RS (trans.). The Complete German Commission E Monographs—Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
See book keywords and concepts |
| Soy contains the phytochemical genistein that has antiangiogenesis properties (Lutty et al. 1997). Those with wet macular degeneration may want to take two 700-mg capsules 2 times a day of Ultra Soy Extract in order to obtain enough genistein to possibly inhibit blood vessel growth in the eye.
Also, there are several new antiangiogenesis dmgs being developed, primarily to treat cancer. An FDA advisory panel has approved thalidomide to treat leprosy. |
Josef A. Brinckmann and Michael P. Lindenmaier
See book keywords and concepts |
| Further studies to verify these findings are desirable. For phytochemical constituents of the genus Carlina, see [3].
Indications: The drug is now only rarely used in folk medicine as a diuretic, diaphoretic and stomachic, and occasionally as a gargle for catarrh. Externally, acetic extracts of the root are used as a wash for skin eruptions, suppurative skin diseases (pyodermia),
Carlinaoxide and other skin conditions as well as against toothache. In folk medicine, extracts prepared with wine and water are considered to be a good remedy for washing out wounds and ulcers. |
Email this page to a friend
