Hello Toivonen,
Thank you for your question regarding the ingredients in JuveLine. Much of what is published about ingredients, particularly about botanical extracts, describes traditional uses and beliefs and more scientifically-oriented attributes. In what follows, I hope to bring to your attention the larger scope of attributes and when possible to separate between traditional and scientific considerations. This is also a good opportunity to emphasize the complexity of “simple, natural” botanical ingredients, each of which is actually a complex combination of chemical structures with their own interactions, attributes, and uses.
The material I present here is only for the purpose of summarizing available data about certain ingredients. I would also like to stress that our use of these ingredients in JuveLine or other products is not related to any medicinal or functional claims about those ingredients.
Ingredients in JuveLine:
cacti (Opuntia sp.) There are many cacti species and their constituents vary in quantity and distribution. Species which are commonly consumed such as Opuntia have been found to contain malonic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, phorbic acid, piscidic acid, eucomic acid, and also oxalic acid, malic acid, citric acid. Among their phenolic constituents are isorhamnetin 3-glucoside, isorhamnetin, 3-galactoside, quercetin 3-rhamnoside, myricetin, vitexin, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin, methyl-3-quercetin, methyl-3-kaempferol, taxifolin (dihydroquercetin) and aromadendrine (dihydrokaempferol). Special fatty acids such as methyl-oleate (x-9) and methyl-linoleate (x-6) and the triterpenes alpha-amyrin, 3-beta-acetyl-taraxerol, friedeline, and lupenone are also found.
Cactus mucilage is reported to have some remarkable properties supporting skin maintenance, wound healing, and collagen building.
Opuntia polyphenols are reported to modulate intracellular calcium concentrations and T-cell activation, while this cactus pectin is also reported to affect hepatic cholesterol metabolism in guinea pigs. Polysaccharides from this source have been effective in the healing dermal wounds in rats. Raw extracts and juice have a hypoglycemic action, protect the liver from injury induced by some chlorinated solvents, and attenuate neuronal injury in both in-vitro and in-vivo systems. The mucilage is also reported to be cytoprotective of gastric mucus and to reverse gastric mucosal alterations during ethanol-induced chronic gastritis in rats. Anti-oxidants from Opuntia inhibit endothelial ICAM-1 expression and lower blood plasma lipid levels through scavenging of intracellular radicals. This cacti extract is also reported to improve platelet function.
nettle root (Urtica dioica) Nettle root extracts have been extensively studied in human clinical trials as a treatment for symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As compared to placebo, these extracts have been shown to help relieve symptoms both by themselves and when combined with other herbal medicines.
Because it contains 3,4-divanillyltetrahydrofuran, certain extracts of the nettle are used by bodybuilders in an effort to increase free testosterone by occupying sex-hormone binding globulin.
In medicines, extracts of nettle root express strong anti-aromatase and anti-reductase activities.
Nettle constituents include:
- Acids: carbonic, caffeic, caffeoylmalic, chlorogenic,formic, silicic, citric, fumaric, glyceric, malic, oxalic, phosphoric, quinic, succinic, threonic and threono-1,4-lactone
- Amines: acetylcholine, betaine, choline, lecithin
- Flavonoids: flavonol glycosides (e.g. isorhamnetin, kaempferol, quercetin)
- Inorganic minerals: calcium, potassium, silicon
- Lignans: several, including 7-secoisolariciresinol
- Other constituents: choline acetyltransferase, scopoletin, beta-sitosterol and
tannin, lectin, coumarin, beta-sitosterol and its glucoside, stearyl derivatives, and phenylpropane derivatives
Extract of nettle showed powerful anti-oxidant activity and almost complete inhibition of peroxidation of linoleic acid, and expressed free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and also metal chelating abilities. Nettle extract also showed antimicrobial activity against many micro-organisms, anti-ulcer activity against ethanol-induced ulcerogenesis, and iImmuno-stimulation and anti-inflammatory effects at the same time. Certain extracted lectins were shown to be promising immunomodulatory agents, having also anti-viral and fungistatic effects.
Nettle is believed to possess strong anti-inflammatory, anti-haemorrhagic, and hypoglycaemic properties. In Germany, it was approved for internal use as supportive therapy for rheumatic diseases and for inflammatory diseases of the lower urinary tract. The root was approved to help with difficulty in urination from benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Anti-inflammatory activities have been shown from nettle extract. Nettle inhibited the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid in vitro and also inhibited 5-lipoxygenase-derived biosynthesis of leukotriene B4 and the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-derived prostaglandins. The same extract significantly reduced tumour-necrosis-factor-a (TNFa) and interleukin 1b (IL-1b) which were pre-stimulated to be released in excessive quantities.
A nettle extract displayed inhibitive activity on some routes related to platelet-activating factor and in inhibiting the inflammatory cascade in auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. It has been proposed that part of the anti-inflammatory effects of nettle may be due to its inhibitory effect on NF-kB activity.
pygeum bark (Pygeum africanum) In medicines, extracts of pygeum bark express strong anti-aromatase and anti-reductase activities. Its synergy with nettle is in part (in my opinion) because nettle’s active constituents are mostly from the water-soluble fraction and pygeum bark’s active constituents are mostly from the oil-soluble fraction. Combined, the extracts provide for a broad range of targeting across oil and water barriers, making them very powerful together.
The lipid-soluble constituents within the bark of the pygeum tree are (as I already stated) the most active; these include triterpenes (oleanolic, crataegolic, and ursolic acids), ferulic acid esters such as N-docosanol and N-tetracosanol, and phytosterols (sitosterol, and campesterol).
Triterpenes have some anti-inflammatory activity. They inhibit enzymes involved in the destruction of connective tissue and reduce prostaglandin formation in the prostate. Some effects attributed to extracts of pygeum include normalization of glandular epithelium, an increase in prostatic secretions, and inhibition of fibroblast proliferation which is theorized to be an important part of prostatic hyperplasia. This last activity--inhibition of fibroblast proliferation--is very significant in maintaing proper functionality of vital tissue and organs. Inhibition of fibroblast proliferation is a unique aspect of controlling an almost-universal marker of aging (a possible lead to fibrosis). This makes pygeum an important candidate for anti-aging treatments which can be used in targeting a core parameter associated with aging.
smilax root (Smilax glabra)Smilax root (also known as sarsaparilla) contains ingredients which have anti-viral activities (including against the HIV virus), anti-bacterial activities, anti-scaling of skin, and many other properties.
Smilax contains acetyl-parigenin, astilbin, beta-sitosterol, caffeoyl-shikimic acids, dihydroquercetin, diosgenin, engeletin, essential oils, epsilon-sitosterol, eucryphin, eurryphin, ferulic acid, glucopyranosides, isoastilbin, isoengetitin, kaempferol, parigenin, parillin, pollinastanol, resveratrol, rhamnose, saponin, sarsaparilloside, sarsaponin, sarsasapogenin, shikimic acid, sitosterold-glucoside, smilagenin, smilasaponin, smilax saponins A-C, smiglaside A-E, smitilbin, stigmasterol, taxifolin, and titogenin.
The majority of smilax 's properties are attributed to these steroids and saponins. The saponins have been reported to be adaptogenic, facilitating the body's absorption of other drugs and phytochemicals, which accounts for its history of use in herbal formulas as an agent for bio-availability and for enhancement of the power and effect of other herbs.
Flavonoids in smilax have been reported to have immune modulation and liver protective activities. Sarsasapogenin and smilagenin were patented for the ability to treat senile dementia, cognitive dysfunction, and Alzheimer's disease. However, The studies, on which this patent is base have not been published in any peer-reviewed journals, only in the context of the patent, and so should be considered with some reservations.
Smilax roots have had a long history of use against syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases throughout the world. With its reputation as a blood purifier, it was registered as an official herb in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as a syphilis treatment from the early 17 century to early 18 century. From the 14 century to the our time, smilax has been used as a blood purifier and general tonic and more specifically for gout, syphilis, gonorrhea, rheumatism, wounds, arthritis, fever, cough, scrofula, hypertension, digestive disorders, psoriasis, skin diseases, and cancer.
Clinical research has validated some traditional use of sarsaparilla for skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, and leprosy. In the middle of the 20 century it was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine to improve the condition of psoriasis dramatically.
phosphatidylcholine Phosphatidylcholine is the most powerful anti-aging ingredient if applied in the physical form of Nanosomes™ which can interchange it with cell membrane lipids. In a way, it is an ingredient which can be formed into a most effective delivery system to deliver itself and in the process, to deliver other beneficial ingredients to their targets. A detailed, illustrated discussion of the role of phosphatidylcholine in membrane structures is central to our “Introduction to Nanosomes” document, available from
http://www.elsomresearch.com/learning/default.htm.
cyclodextrin Cyclodextrin participates in our nano-enclave technologies for encapsulation of individual molecules of selected ingredients, keeping the selected ingredients sequestered from the other ingredients (ingredient individualization).
Vitamin E (D-alpha-tocopherol) Vitamin E is a very effective anti-oxidant, which can fight free radicals and can also reverse oxidative damage and is also very important for wound healing and maintenance of healthy-looking skin. A detailed, illustrated discussion of the relationship between anti-oxidants (including Vitamin E) and cellular aging is available in the Journal of Topical Formulations at
http://www.topical-formulations.com/topical/200503/antioxidants.htm.
Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) Retinyl palmitate displays certain anti-aging activities similar to those of retinoic acid, but without any of the side-effects of retinoic acid when formulated properly and in significant quantities.
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) MSM is used in many topicals for skin healing and in topicals for aching muscles and joints, and is generally praised for its ability in repairing skin. It is a popular ingredient in topicals for psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. It is also an organic sulfur source which can be utilized in collagen building and in attenuating collagen cross-linking in aging skin.
arginine L-arginine is the building block for nitric oxide, a crucial gaseous substance that increases blood flow by relaxing smooth muscle and expanding blood vessels. In 1998 the Nobel Prize for physiology was given for the discovery of the relationship between L-arginine and nitric oxide.
ribose As a component of RNA which is used for genetic transcription, ribose is critical to living creatures. It is related to deoxyribose, which is a component of DNA. It is also a component of ATP, NADH, and several other chemicals that are critical to metabolism and life.
zinc oxide (nano-zinc oxide) Zinc is a key mineral found in high concentration in the human reproductive system. Studies have linked reduced zinc levels with sexual dysfunction. Zinc oxide is also commonly used in over-the-counter sunscreens.
niacin Niacin is also known as nicotinic acid or Vitamin B3. Nicotinamide is a derivative of niacin and is used by the body to form the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP).
In large oral or topical doses it may cause skin flushing due to its vasodilation effect on tiny blood vessels.
As a vitamin, it is very important for biochemical redox cycles. About 200 enzymes depend on niacin as their coenzyme, which clearly indicates the critical importance of this ingredient.
Niacin deficiency results in pellagra, a serious disease.
copper chloride We have developed a stabilized form of copper to minimize its interactions with pro-oxidants.
menthol Menthol can generate a cooling sensation on the skin. It is also monographed as a topical analgesic over-the-counter drug.
Menthol may work in synergy with niacin to increase dilation of tiny blood vessels.
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