Session 11A- Basic Science Behind Botanic Dietary Supplements

What is the gold standard method of divulging new basic scientific or clinical knowledge?

through peer reviews

What are some examples of major current active research areas on BDS in the US?

studies on bioavailability, metabolic fate, safety, etc of selected phytochemicals present in BDS

interactions of the components of BDS and their metabolites with prescription medications

investigation of effects of phytochemicals and their metabolites produced by microbial flora in the gut

chemistry method development to determine exact phytochemical composition of BDS and their in vivo metabolites

clinical effects on resilience and a recent focus on whole-person health

What has been used as a measure of possible efficacy of BDS?

antioxidant activity

common antioxidant assays are based strictly on chemical reactions in vitro and therefore should not be used to make any claims about bioactivity of BDS

Each manufacturer has the responsibility of informing the FDA of any adverse event reports for their own products. When must this be done?

within 15 days of the adverse event

What are some methods of determining the safety of BDS?

can be monitored through calls to regional poison control centers

in vivo and in vitro experimental methods can be carried out

Botanical Safety Consortium to evaluate literature on safety and toxicity of botanical ingredients and to assess applicability of analytical methods on complex mixtures of compounds

What are 3 examples of helpful scientific reports on the major constituents of three BDS?

A flavonoid found in cocoa, chocolate, and green tea

Resveratrol, sold as both a pure compound and in selected products

Mangosteen juice with xanthone constituents

What was the conclusion of the cocoa flavonoid scientific report?

observed improvements in vascular function by the cocoa extract was due only to the unmodified simple catechins and their sulfated and glycosylated metabolites

What was the conclusion of the Resveratrol study?

it inhibits tumorigenesis and showed anti-inflammatory activity

2 of resveratrol’s metabolites- dihydroresveratrol and lunularin are more potent anti-inflammatory agents than resveratrol

What was the conclusion of the study on Mangosteen?

xanthones in mangosteen juice are absorbed when ingested with a high fat meal

xanthones have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and possible cancer chemo preventive activities