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What people say makes us excited::
From The July 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News
In the body, blood pumps from the heart via arteries and returns back to the heart through veins. Down in the legs, venous blood must work against gravity; to prevent backflow, intermittent valves open for the blood and close behind it. A vein becomes varicose when valves break down or weaken, thereby putting more pressure on other valves. This can cause a cycle of damage that tends to increase with time. When valves no longer prevent backflow of venous blood, the abnormal pressure inflames the veins, blood pools, and veins become permanently dilated.
More than half the middle-age population in the United States has enlarged, twisted or bluish varicose veins. For reasons not wholly known, the condition occurs about four times more frequently in women than in men.1
The underlying causes of varicose veins are multifaceted and can include pregnancy and chronic constipation, both of which can increase venous pressure in the legs and lead to varicose veins. Overweight individuals who have less muscle and tissue tone are more likely to have weakened vein walls. Other factors are a hereditary predisposition, a lack of exercise and age. All these can be compounded by a lack of muscle tone and degenerative changes in supporting connective tissue. People in service positions who must stand on their feet for hours are most affected because their work conditions increase venous pressure.
Most varicosities are close to the skin's surface and, though they are not a severe threat to health, may hint at chronic circulatory problems. If ignored, they can become painful. Spider-web veins are tiny, dilated blood vessels just under the skin. They don't bulge like varicose veins and, though unsightly, are harmless. Deeper varicose veins can lead to stroke, heart problems or thrombophlebitis, a vein inflammation in conjunction with an obstructive blood clot formation.
Varicose veins are not confined to the legs. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins in the rectum and are much more common, frequently affecting pregnant women because of the extra pressure and weight in the perineal area.
If a customer is concerned about varicose veins, you can recommend a number of healing herbs. The herbs can be even more effective when integrated with appropriate dietary and lifestyle changes. Some examples include increasing dietary fiber intake to prevent constipation, raising the legs for 10-minute intervals throughout the day to relieve pressure and pain on the varicosities, and raising the foot of the bed one to three inches to relieve pressure at night.
Phytotherapy
Teas or tinctures can be taken internally three to four times a day to help heal varicose veins from the inside. The actions of the medicinal plants listed here can increase vein elasticity, reduce blood-vessel fragility, stimulate circulation and reduce water retention.
Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) strengthens blood vessels and is an effective astringent that tones and tightens tissues.2 The herb reduces capillary fragility and swelling by regulating capillary permeability, and it helps strengthen and repair blood vessels that have lost their elasticity.3
The shiny brown fruits of this ornamental shade tree have a long history of treating varicose veins. As is the case with many herbs, horse chestnut's historical uses are being affirmed by modern research, and now some animal, clinical and in vitro studies give evidence of the herb's benefit.4
At least two classes of compounds in horse chestnut, aesculin and aescin, may affect circulation. Both are coumarin glycosides; coumarins slow the onset of blood coagulation and are found in more than 150 species of medicinal plants.
Aesculin thins blood and improves blood viscosity, so is thought to be endowed with vascular-protective properties.5
Aescin is a complex mixture of saponins, which are soaplike agents found in plants such as potatoes and beans that foam when cooked. Saponin compounds reduce the surface tension of liquids, and aescin itself increases the permeability of the inner vascular walls, making it easier for tissue fluids to drain into capillaries. Aescin, present at up to 13 percent in horse chestnut, is reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-swelling and anti-exudative (oozing of fluids) properties.5 Rutin, the key flavonoid in buckwheat, and other flavonoids have long been used to treat weak capillaries and veins—and aescin is 300 times more potent than rutin.6
Commercial extracts of aescin from horse chestnut seeds also have been shown to reduce excessive clotting. Researchers at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Wash., conducted a double-blind, randomized, single-dose trial on 71 healthy individuals to assess the effects of a topical 2 percent aescin gel on experimentally induced bruises (broken blood vessels). The aescin gel reduced inflammation and tenderness in all cases over the recorded 10-hour period.7
Horse chestnut is most often used as a tincture rather than a tea and can be applied externally. It is also sold in a massage oil. The tincture and the massage oil can be combined with essential oils.
Horse chestnut is a fairly toxic herb that can cause vomiting and sometimes paralysis. However, cautionary notes on the internal use of this herb are conflicting. Although horse chestnut is often included in References on poisonous plants, it has high therapeutic value with low acute and chronic toxicities noted, except in children, who don't normally have varicose veins anyway. Nevertheless, this tincture should be used carefully when taken internally because the potency of commercial preparations varies widely. Some German pharmaceutical companies offer compounds specifically for internal use, often in combination with supportive herbs or nutritional substances including vitamins B and C. Since strengths and formulations vary, it is best to follow the recommended dosage on the label. Pregnant women should consult their health care practitioners before taking horse chestnut products, though the external use of gels, ointments, teas or tinctures poses no harm. Customers already using prescription anticoagulant medications should consult their health care practitioners because horse chestnut is also a weak blood thinner.
Butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus) has been used historically to treat varicose veins because it is believed to improve vein tone and encourage blood flow. Research shows that both internal and topical applications may improve symptoms of poor circulation such as blood pooling in the legs, swelling and constricted blood vessels. The pharmacological activity is attributed to steroidal saponins, mainly the sugar-derivative glycosides called ruscogenin and neoruscogenin, which have vasoconstricting and anti-inflammatory effects.
In a double-blind clinical trial of 20 healthy people, a combination of ruscus extract and the flavonoid hesperidine improved the tone of varicose vein walls; the herb also reduced foot swelling.8
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study was conducted on 30 females and 10 males between the ages of 28 and 74. The trial involved two treatment periods of two months, with a 15-day washout period. Participants took two capsules three times a day. Each capsule contained either placebo or 16.5 mg Ruscus aculeatus extract, 75 mg hesperidine and 50 mg vitamin C—a daily total of 99 mg ruscus, 450 mg hesperidine and 300 mg vitamin C. Researchers noted a significant decrease in swelling in the supplement group.9
A tea or tincture of butcher's broom can be taken internally up to three times a day, or applied directly. Internal use should be avoided by pregnant women.
Other astringent herbs include white oak (Quercus alba) bark and witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). The healing and anti-inflammatory actions of calendula (Calendula officinalis) are also well suited for treating varicose veins. These herbs can be taken as teas and used in sitz baths or used as compresses with a few drops of the essential oils added for their synergistic effects. A salve can be made of any of these herbs for treating hemorrhoids.
Other herbs stimulate peripheral circulation, thereby aiding blood flow in the legs. These include ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), ginger (Zingiber officinalis), cayenne (Capsicum frutescens), and prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum). Garlic (Allium sativum), either fresh cloves or odorless standardized capsules, and bromelain from pineapple both contain enzymes that improve circulation by dissolving blood vessel fibrin that forms lumpy deposits around the veins.10-11 If water retention causes ankle or leg swelling, a diuretic such as dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) or yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is also helpful. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) is said to improve circulation by safely toning the heart muscle. Hawthorn also contains proanthocyanidins and anthocyanidins, which increase capillary strength and tone veins.12-14
Liver tonic and cleansing herbs such as Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium), milk thistle (Silybum marianum), dandelion and burdock (Arctium lappa) are important for varicose vein treatment. A popular remedy is yellow dock (Rumex crispus); though not for varicose veins specifically, it is a helpful liver tonic and cleanser, and is a safe, mild laxative.
Finally, nonherbal methods can also ease the discomfort of varicose veins. Sitz baths (for hemorrhoids) or hot and cold compresses (for varicose veins in the legs) often provide the greatest immediate pain relief. Hot and cold water added to a bath in one- to three-minute intervals improves circulation and helps decongest the veins. Compression stockings also relieve the pain of varicose veins, but the stockings themselves can be a nuisance. Also, using a slantboard to raise the legs above the level of the head for 10-minute intervals several times a day can bring relief.
Even though chronic venous insufficiency is one of the more common health conditions of the adult population, it's nice to know nature offers effective remedies for its treatment.
References
1. Berkow R, editor. The Merck manual of diagnosis and therapy. 14th ed. Rahway (NJ): Merck & Co.;1982. p 560-6.
2. Annoni F, et al. Venotonic activity of escin on the human saphenous vein. Arzneim-Forsch 1979:29;672-5.
3. Duke J. The green pharmacy. Emmaus (PA): Rodale Press; 1997. p 539.
4. Pittler MH, et al. Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency. Arch Dermatol 1998 Nov;134:1356-60.
5. Weiss, R. Herbal medicine. Beaconsfield (UK): AB Arcanum; 1988. p 188.
6. Crawford AM. Horse chestnut. The Herbalist 1996 Nov;7-8.
7. Calabrese P. Report of the results of a double blind, randomized, single-dose trial of a topical 2% aescin gel versus placebo in the acute treatment of experimentally induced hematoma in volunteers. Planta Medica 1993:59.
8. Rudofsky G. Improving venous tone and capillary sealing: effect of a combination of ruscus extract and hesperidine methyl chalcone in healthy probands in heat stress. Fortschr Med 1989;107(19):52, 55-8.
9. Cappelli R, et al. Use of extract of Ruscus aculeatus in venous disease in the lower limbs. Drugs Exp Clin Res 1988;14(4):277-83.
10. Bordia AK, et al. Effect of garlic oil on fibrinolytic activity in patient with CHD. Atherosclerosis 1977;28:155-9.
11. Ako H, et al. Isolation of a fibrinolysis enzyme activator from commercial bromelain. Arch Int Pharmacodynamics 1981;254:157-67.
12. Gabor M. Pharmacologic effects of flavonoids on blood vessels. Angiologica 1972;9:355-74.
13. Kuhnau J. The flavonoids. A class of semi-essential food components: their role in human nutrition. World Rev Nutr Diet 1976;24:117-91.
14. Pourrat H. Anthocyanidin drugs in vascular disease. Planta Med Phytothera 1977;11:143-51.
Drugs With Plant Origins Ethnobotanical research led to the discovery of at least 50 drugs. Here's a sampling.
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From The December 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News
Bacterial balance can be the most significant factor influencing gut ecology and health
Colitis, or irritable bowel disease (IBD), is a group of conditions characterized by gut-wall inflammation. Conventional medicine generally addresses IBD symptoms with steroids and other drugs. Probiotics, or "friendly" bacteria, address the root cause, most importantly by acting antagonistically toward pathogenic bacteria that cause intestinal inflammation. Valuable probiotics include various species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. In addition, certain foods have been shown to initiate or aggravate IBD symptoms.
Many people with serious medical conditions seek solutions at health food stores and from complementary health care practitioners. The reasons why people look beyond the HMO and Western medicine are varied, but certain conditions tend to send sufferers searching more than others. One such condition is colitis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A recent review of patients with IBD by researchers at the University of Calgary found that more than half of them were using complementary therapies, with vitamins and herbal products the most commonly reported.1
The reason individuals with IBD look for an alternative is simple: In conventional medicine, the most common symptom-control strategy involves steroids, immunosuppressive drugs and salicylic acid derivatives such as sulfasalazine and mesalamine. However, accompanying these drugs are adverse effects including anemia, easy bruising, frequent infections and mood swings. Thus, many people prefer the disease symptoms to side effects. Also, complementary medicine is seen as a way to be more involved with one's own health and treatment as well as a modality that goes to the root of the problem rather than just treating symptoms.
IBD is a general term for a group of diseases involving gut-wall inflammation. Chronic IBD is generally divided into two major groups: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Although some significant differences exist in their location and the way they affect the bowel wall, they both cause abdominal pain and cramping with frequent, urgent, loose bowel movements marked by blood, mucus and pus. Fatigue is more common in Crohn's patients, while ulcerative colitis patients may have tenderness along the colon. Complications of both can include abscesses and infections, fistulas, hemorrhoids, intestinal wall perforations, malabsorption of nutrients and weight loss. IBD in general can increase the risk for gastrointestinal cancer. Additionally, the disease can have systemic effects including arthritic symptoms and fatigue. IBD can be a chronic, relapsing and debilitating condition. It can affect one's lifestyle and mental state and cause social embarrassment and isolation. Many patients with IBD face the possibility of long-term drug use with significant side effects, multiple hospitalizations and surgery to remove diseased sections of the intestine.
IBD should be differentiated from the less-serious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBD involves actual physical changes associated with intestinal wall inflammation that can be noted on diagnostic laboratory tests. IBS can be a painful and perplexing condition, but there is no known anatomical cause, and it is therefore considered a diagnosis of exclusion — that is, if everything else can be ruled out, IBS may be diagnosed.
The best way to diagnose IBD accurately is with a barium swallow for Crohn's disease or barium enema for ulcerative colitis. These tests allow the clinician to observe the characteristic inflammatory changes of the bowel wall. Although it is not as prevalent as IBS, IBD in the United States affects about 250,000 individuals, or approximately one case for every 1,000 people.2
Considerable debate has centered on IBD's underlying etiology. Because 20 percent of IBD patients have a relative with the disease, some researchers suggest genetic predisposition plays a significant role in its onset. In children who develop IBD, the likelihood of another immediate family member having the diagnosis is greater than 40 percent.2 However, the etiology of IBD is obviously more complicated than simple genetic inheritance. Environmental factors undoubtedly contribute. One theory proposes that changes in the bacteria residing in the gut lumen may lead to an improperly regulated immune response. When the intestine's immune defenses are chronically stimulated, a cascade of chronic inflammation results. Another theory suggests an intake of dietary allergens contributes to IBD development. These allergens disrupt immune system function, again resulting in inflammation. In both scenarios, a defective mucosal barrier leads to uptake of bacteria or allergens and results in a chronic inflammatory response. Therefore, understanding the possible causative role of these bacteria and allergens begins with an evaluation of how the intestinal lining may be compromised.
Impaired Mucosal Integrity
The integrity of the gut barrier is influenced by three categories of factors: genes, nutrition and toxic load. Challenges in any of these areas can lead to poor nutrient absorption, increased intestinal permeability or both. Genetics plays a role in gut health not only through the genes present at birth, but also in how those genes are expressed during life's circumstances. Genetic impairments in the physical, chemical or immunological processes in the gut can result in compromised mucosal integrity to the point where pathogens penetrate into systemic circulation. Nutrition and toxic burden undoubtedly influence how the genes are expressed. Poor nutrient intake or absorption cannot support the regeneration of healthy epithelia and therefore can profoundly affect gut integrity. Impaired nutrition can further decrease absorption and accelerate loss of mucosal integrity. Lastly, internal and external toxins — such as bacterial by-products and food additives — also affect the gut.3,4
Fortunately, the gastrointestinal system has physical and chemical defenses to prevent systemic antigenic exposure. First, for an antigen to pass across the intestine's epithelial lining, it must overcome a complex array of interdependent and complementary host defense mechanisms ranging from tight cellular junctions, a thick mucosal coat, intestinal peristalsis, acidic secretions and proteolytic enzymes as well as immunologically mediated defenses. The combination of these physical and chemical barriers helps defend the body against an excessive antigenic load.
Second, proper digestive function is key. This digestion starts in the mouth and continues through the stomach, which is appropriately acidified; then food moves into the duodenum where digestive enzymes and bile further reduce the antigenic load. Individuals who are hypochlorhydric or achlorhydric, have pancreatic insufficiency, or have bile acid insufficiency may consequently deliver more unprocessed antigens into systemic circulation.
The third barrier of antigenic exclusion is the gut-associated immunological defense. The intestine is generally recognized as the largest lymphoid organ in the body, encompassing the greatest number of lymphocytes and generating almost 70 percent of the antibodies.5 When potentially deleterious substances penetrate the gastrointestinal barrier, the result is an immune reaction from the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. This reaction helps limit antigenic penetration through the gastrointestinal barrier without compromising the function or integrity of the intestinal tract.
Research suggests that malfunction or impairment in these processes can lead to a variety of diseases, among them inflammatory bowel disease.6 The link between IBD and compromised intestinal integrity is clear. Small intestinal and colonic epithelial cells are the first host cells to interact with ingested food antigens or bacterial organisms. This interaction can result in immune activation and secretion of proinflammatory molecules. These molecules, as well as molecular messengers classified as cytokines, initiate mucosal damage resulting in the death of epithilial cells, poor regereration and increased permeability. This further activates exposed immune cells clustered in the tissue surrounding the exterior intestinal wall, and a vicious inflammatory cycle ensues.7 The two areas of focus in IBD, then, are bacterial balance and food allergens.
Probiotics and Bacterial Balance
With more than 400 microorganism species residing in the human gastrointestinal tract, their overall balance can profoundly influence gut ecology and health. Intestinal bacteria produce toxins and antitoxins, alter chemical composition of foods and drugs, produce and degrade vitamins, degrade dietary toxins and inhibit the growth of certain pathogens. Gut-derived products may also play a role in increasing the systemic immune inflammatory response.8 Bacterial lipopolysaccharides found in the cell walls of gram-negative bacteria, for example, have been shown to initiate immune responses and elevate pro-inflammatory cytokines.9
A fundamental question is whether people with IBD have pathogenic flora, an unbalanced amount of flora, or simply an overly aggressive, improperly regulated immune response toward some of the normal bacteria. Recent studies in animals with experimentally induced IBD indicate that the amounts of normal resident bacteria are a significant factor in the onset and chronic nature of IBD. In humans with Crohn's disease, the bacterial balance can be quite different than that of a normal gut, with some resident bacteria increased and some decreased.10 Other animal studies support the idea that resident bacteria — and not necessarily pathogenic foreign germs — are to blame for the development of chronic intestinal inflammation.11 Additionally, and just as importantly, all intestinal bacterial species do not exhibit equal abilities to induce colitis.12 So although the trigger may be unknown, the protective qualities of "friendly" probiotic bacteria may provide an important approach to treatment.
How might probiotics work in this situation? Perhaps the most important function of probiotics is their antagonistic activity toward pathogens and other resident bacteria, which probiotics perform in a variety of complementary ways.
The first activity has been called colonization resistance — the ability of normal flora to protect against the unwanted establishment of pathogen populations.
Second, probiotics may produce various antimicrobial substances. For instance, Lactobacillus casei GG (LGG) has been shown to produce substances inhibitory toward a broad spectrum of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens.13 Other probiotics have demonstrated antimicrobial activity as well.14
Competition for nutrients is a third activity. By competing for available nutrient substrate, beneficial bacteria can inhibit the growth of other, less favorable flora.
Competition for bacterial adhesion sites is probiotics' fourth strategic activity. For instance, Lactobacillus acidophilus inhibits the adhesion of several enteric pathogens to human intestinal cells.15 A related activity is enzymatically modifying a toxin receptor. Studies using Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast, indicate that its interactions with host cell receptors may be important in reducing the pathological effects of infections.16
A fifth activity involves a systemic effect. Human LGG, administered orally, has been shown to increase various markers of immune response.17
These varied activities may also decrease the likelihood that pathogens will develop resistance against probiotic agents. Thus, probiotics may be viewed as a vehicle to neutralize or inhibit other bacteria in the gut, and increase or stimulate host immune stimulant activities as well.18
Human studies suggest beneficial bacteria have a positive effect in IBD patients. A small trial at Tampere University Hospital in Finland measured the effect of LGG in patients with Crohn's disease. Despite the short duration of treatment (10 days) and the small number of subjects (14 children), the authors found LGG promoted a positive immune response and concluded it may have the potential to promote and fortify the gut immunological barrier.17
More recently, a double-blind comparison trial at the University of Cologne, Germany, tested a specific, beneficial, oral E. coli preparation and the drug mesalamine for maintaining remission in patients with ulcerative colitis. This 12-week study included 120 patients and compared the effect of 500 mg mesalamine three times/day or an oral preparation of a viable E. coli strain. Relapse rates were not statistically different in either group, and the authors concluded that probiotics offered another option for maintenance therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission.19 In another study, at the University of Bologna, Italy, 15 patients with ulcerative colitis were treated with a combination of probiotics. After one year, 80 percent of the patients (12 of 15) were in remission.20
From these human trials, it is clear that gut bacteria play a major role in initiating and perpetuating chronic inflammatory bowel disease. While research is not conclusive, there appears to be enough preliminary evidence to suggest probiotics produce beneficial effects in IBD patients.
Beneficial bacteria are present in foods including yogurt and kefir, but supplements are also helpful and more concentrated. Frequently supplemented species include Bifidobacterium bifidus, B. longum, B. breve, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. thermophilus, L. sporogenes, L. casei GG and Saccharomyces boulardii.
Supplementing with what are referred to as prebiotics is also important. Prebiotics are generally defined as food sources that friendly bacteria preferentially choose. Prebiotics are really a subset of fiber. Some important prebiotics include fructooligosaccharides and inulin, derived from foods such as asparagus, chicory, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke and onion. All support this indirect bolstering process.21,22
Another interesting fiber source is arabinogalactan, a naturally occuring fiber found in carrots, tomatoes and other vegetables, and in particularly high concentrations in the larch tree (Larix occidentalis). Certain strains of beneficial bacteria appear to preferentially feed off of arabinogalactans.23
Food Allergy and Intolerance
During the course of a lifetime, the gastrointestinal tract processes more than 25 tons of food, which represents the largest antigenic load confronting the human immune system.24 During digestion, proteins and large peptides are broken down into amino acids or small peptides within the intestinal lumen, which also removes or decreases their antigenic potential.25 In a healthy intestinal tract, more than 98 percent of ingested food proteins are blocked from entering circulation by the gastrointestinal barrier functions previously described. This means a healthy gut absorbs only a small proportion of whole food proteins intact.26 In a compromised gastrointestinal environment, with impaired digestion or increased intestinal permeability, significantly more antigens can penetrate into the systemic circulation and cause reactions. Individuals may also be genetically predisposed to food reactions. In any case, food allergies or intolerant reactions may occur.
Can identifying a food allergy or intolerance be useful for treating IBD? Are there specific foods or food groups that can be linked to the initiation or aggravation of IBD? In both cases, the answer seems to be a qualified yes. A review article on the use of elemental diets, which limit many possibly allergenic foods, showed remission rates of 85 percent with Crohn's disease patients.27 Effects are noted generally within two to four weeks.28 Elemental diets seem to be particularly effective in children.29
Several studies identify foods that cause reactions in some IBD patients. The culprits include beans, citrus fruits, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, wheat and salicylate-rich foods such as certain berries and other fruits.30 Unfortunately, the prevalence of these sensitivities among IBD patients varies. For instance, dairy may account for only 20 percent of the food allergic reactions in patients with IBD.31
Managing IBD symptoms is challenging, but sustaining remission is also quite difficult. A 199193 multicenter British study compared the results of steroids to an elimination diet on remission qualities. After the two-year study on 136 patients, researchers observed a significant difference in improvement and length of remission with diet vs. steroid therapy.32 However, other studies do not reach the same conclusions.33 It does appear possible, through trial and error, to establish diets on which individual patients achieve long-term remission. However, there is no universal diet that will help all patients with IBD.34
IBD is a serious, chronic, perplexing health disorder. As with so many chronic diseases, it is the combination of genetics and environment — the persistent stimulus in an individual who has a genetic predisposition to this disease — that determines the outcome. For alternative or adjuvant strategies in managing IBD, health care practitioners and patients should work with the nutritional tools of probiotics and elimination diets.
Sidebars:
Major Factors Believed To Be Involved In The Increased Intestinal Permeability Associated With Irritable Bowel Disease
Probiotics Counter Antibiotics
References
1. Hilsden B, et al. Complementary medicine use by patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Am J Gastroenterol 1998;93:697-701.
2. Bennett JC, Plum F. Textbook of medicine. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co; 1996: p 707.
3. Olaison G, et al. Abnormal intestinal permeability in Crohn's disease. A possible pathogenic factor. Scand J Gastroenterol 1990;25(4):321-8.
4. Bjarnason I, et al. The leaky gut of alcoholism: possible route of entry for toxic compounds. Lancet 1984;1:79-82.
5. Mayer L, et al. Antigen trafficking in the intestine. Ann NY Acad Sci 1996;778:28-35.
6. Munkholm P, et al. Intestinal permeability in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and their first degree relatives. Gut 1994;35(1):68-72.
7. McAlindon M, Mahida Y. Cytokines and the gut. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1997;9:1045-50.
8. Alexander J, et al. The process of microbial translocation. Ann Surg 1990;212(4):496-512.
9. Pledger J, et. al. Intestinal permeability during chemotherapy for childhood tumors. Eur J Pediatr 1988;147:123-7.
10. Giaffer M, et al. The assessment of faecal flora in patients with inflammatory bowel disease by a simplified bacteriological technique. J Med Microbiol 1991;35:238-43.
11. Pirzer U, et al. Reactivity of infiltrating T lymphocytes with microbial antigens in Crohn's disease. Lancet 1991;338:1238-40.
12. Schultz M, Sartor R. Probiotics and inflammatory bowel diseases. Am J Gastroenterol 2000;95(Suppl):S19-S21.
13. Silva M, et. al. Antimicrobial substance from a human Lactobacillus strain. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1987;31:1231-3.
14. Vandenbergh P. Lactic acid bacteria, their metabolic products and interference with microbial growth. FEMS Microbiol Rev 1993;12:221-38.
15. Bernet M, et al. Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 1 binds to human intestinal cell lines and inhibits cell attachment and cell invasion by enterovirulent bacteria. Gut 1994;35:483-9.
16. Pothoulakis C, et. al. Saccharomyces boulardii inhibits Clostridium difficile toxin A binding and enterotoxicity in rat ileum. Gastroenterology 1993;104:1108-15.
17. Malin M, et al. Promotion of IgA immune response in patients with Crohn's disease by oral bacteriotherapy with Lactobacillus GG. Ann Nutr Metab 1996;40:137-45.
18. Elmer G, et al. Biotherapeutic agents: a neglected modality for the treatment and prevention of selected intestinal and vaginal infections. JAMA 1996;275:870-6.
19. Kruis W, et al. Double-blind comparison of an oral Escherichia coli preparation and mesalazine in maintaining remission of ulcerative colitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 1997;11:853-8.
20. Gionchetti P, et al. Microflora in the IBD pathogenesis. Possible therapeutic use of probiotics. Gastroenterol Internat 1998;11:108-10.
21. Gibson G, Roberfroid M. Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of probiotics. J Nutr 1995;125:1401-12.
22. Buddington R, et al. Dietary supplement of neosugar alters the fecal flora and decreased activities of some reductive enzymes in human subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 1996;63:709-16.
23. Crociani F, et al. Degradation of complex carbohydrates by Bifidobacterium spp. Int J Food Microbiol 1994 Dec;24(1-2):199-210.
24. Sampson H. Food hypersensitivity: manifestations, diagnosis, and natural history. Food Tech 1992; Colitis May:141-4.
25. Siemensma A, et al. The importance of peptide lengths in hypoallergenic infant formula. Trends Food Sci Tech 1993;4:16-21.
26. Gallagher P, et al. Acute and chronic immunological response to dietary antigen. Gut 1983;24:831-5.
27. King T, et al. Review article: the dietary management of Crohn's disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 1997;11(1):17-31.
28. Teahon K, et al. Alterations in nutritional status and disease activity during treatment of Crohn's disease with elemental diet. Scand J Gastroenterol 1995 Jan;30(1):54-60.
29. Teahon K, et al. Ten years' experience with an elemental diet in the management of Crohn's disease. Gut 1990;31:1133-7.
30. Mishkin S. Dairy sensitivity, lactose malabsorption, and elimination diets in inflammatory bowel disease. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65:564-7.
31. Mishkin S. Controversies regarding the role of dairy products in inflammatory bowel disease. Can J Gastroenterol 1994;8:205-12.
32. Riordan A, et al. Treatment of active Crohn's disease by exclusion diet: East Anglican multicenter controlled trial. Lancet 1993;342:1131-4.
33. Pearson M, et al. Food intolerance and Crohn's disease. Gut 1993;34:783-7.
34. Hunter J. Nutritional factors in inflammatory bowel disease. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1998;10:235-7.
From The September 2000 Issue of Natural Foods Merchandiser
Like the Amazon itself, the world of rain forest botanicals can seem impenetrable. Only a handful of the hundreds of plants traditionally used by indigenous healers have made it to our northern shelves. With names like dragon's blood, man vine root, jackass bitters, balsam bark, strong back and Billy Webb bark, they're certainly memorable. While many of these botanicals lack research, that's beginning to change; some of these species have a surprising level of science behind them, while others are backed by centuries of human use. In addition, a few of these botanicals appear to have no exact counterparts elsewhere, making them especially useful additions to the herbal pantheon.
Not surprisingly, many of the companies that specialize in these remedies are smaller start-ups with unusual stories. Rainforest Remedies, based in San Ignacio, Belize, was founded by Rosita Arvigo, a naturopathic doctor who moved to Belize almost 20 years ago. Soon after her arrival, she began to study traditional healing techniques and botanicals with an elderly Maya healer named Don Elijio Panti, an experience chronicled in her book Sastun: My Apprenticeship With A Maya Healer (HarperCollins, 1994). Her other books are Rainforest Remedies; One Hundred Healing Herbs of Belize (Lotus Press, 1993) and Home Remedies From The Rainforest (HarperCollins, 2000).
Arvigo never intended to start a dietary supplements company. "The reason we founded the company was that we saw so much of the rain forest going down around us," she says. She banded together with other traditional healers, and they went to areas slated for clear-cutting and picked as many medicinal herbs as possible before the forest was destroyed. "But in the tropics, you only have a few months after drying before the herbs start to mold," Arvigo says. In tincture form, the remedies lasted much longer; thus, a business was born.
With the help of Belize's ministry of natural resources, Arvigo later helped establish Terra Nova, a 6,000-acre ethnomedicinal preserve, and Ix Chel Tropical Resource Centre, designed to teach tourists and scientists about native medicinal plants. Though the company is too small to fund research on its own, it has a relationship with the University of Illinois-Chicago. "We feed every plant in our formula line into their database, and they bring us back the readouts for all the research done around the world for that plant," Arvigo says. The database gives research results, active principles and assays, how the plant was used, and whether it contains any potentially dangerous alkaloids.
"Some plants aren't in the database because they're unknown in the rest of the world," Arvigo says. "Most of the knowledge that makes up Rainforest Remedies comes from the traditional healers of Belize." There are several plants Arvigo believes are deserving of a wider audience. One is jackass bitters (Neurolaena lobata), which can be used internally and externally for a variety of conditions. "It's a very powerful antimicrobial and antiviral that we use for colds and flu," Arvigo says. In the tropics, it's also used as an antiparasitic against intestinal worms, giardia, ringworm and skin fungus. And, in view of problems with scarcity and overharvesting of northern plants such as goldenseal, it's good to know "jackass bitters is a common weed, and would be close to impossible to wipe out."
Strong back (Desmodium adscendens) is a powerful antispasmodic and muscle relaxant recommended for back pain uncomplicated by disk degeneration, Arvigo says. This plant is widespread, and has traditionally been used in Africa for similar purposes. Strong back, jackass bitters and many other herbs can be found in Rainforest Remedies' line of tinctures.
A different approach to healing herbs is evident in the work of Rainforest Phytoceuticals, based in Delmar, N.Y., a company founded by scientists who were already involved in research of South American medicinals. "The Amazon contains 16 percent of all plant species on the planet," says Mark Miller, Ph.D., the company's vice president. "There's a long and rich history of ethnomedicine, yet virtually no one in America knows about it."
Rainforest Phytoceuticals is a research-driven company, with several studies on both sangre de grado (Croton lecheri) and cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) published in peer-reviewed journals. The company has also pursued numerous marketing tactics, with current products sold as both dietary supplements and cosmetics, and OTC and pharmaceutical products scheduled in the future.
According to Miller, sangre de grado has a wide range of uses. It can be taken internally to treat gastric ulcers and chronic diarrhea, and used externally as an itch and pain reliever, particularly for insect bites. The company produces a Bug Bite Balm and a moisturizing lotion called Rainforest Mist, and is working on an OTC hemorrhoid cream.
Miller's group has published a paper on sangre de grado's effect on gastric ulcers in the American Journal of Physiology, and a paper on skin conditions is currently being reviewed by the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Cat's claw is another botanical that Miller sees as an up-and-comer. "It's got some reasonable popularity in Western countries, but everyone's got its use and mechanism of action completely wrong," Miller says. "Most people say it's an immune stimulant, but what it does is the exact opposite—it takes excessive immune activity associated with a disease and normalizes it." He believes cat's claw will increasingly be recognized as effective in treating chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis as well as autoimmune disorders.
Larkspur, Calif.-based Isula Rain, which markets tinctures under the Manzana line, is yet another new company with roots in the rain forest. According to Larry Brucia, the company's president, the company was initiated by a group of indigenous Peruvians under the leadership of Jose Cabanillas, a healer who had helped establish the Isula Biological Reserve & Research Station, an ethnobotanical preserve between the Napo and Amazon rivers in northeast Peru.
Indigenous peoples earn income both from the raw materials harvested and the sales of the final product. "The great thing about this project is that the goal and purpose of Isula is not only to study medicinal plants and teach sustainable harvesting techniques to indigenous people, but also to invite scientists from all over the world to come and study and do research," says Robert Luke, the company's vice president of marketing and sales.
Currently, the Manzana line consists of 14 different products, some just launched. Preliminary research on a topical migraine headache relief product called Temporal Tension has been particularly promising, Brucia says. He also recommends a blend designed to soothe muscle strain after vigorous activity.
With so many products available, why aren't they more visible on retailers' shelves? Perhaps because fewer retailers are experts in Amazon ethnomedicines than, say, Ayurvedic or Traditional Chinese Medicine. "The personalized interests of the retailer often drive what they're going to carry," says Chris Kilham, author of the newly published Tales From The Medicine Trail (Rodale, 2000), which describes the search for new rain forest botanicals. "Third-party literature—in the form of articles, papers and books—is one of the ways retailers stay out of trouble by not making claims, but at the same time can convey credible information to customers."
But, Kilham says, the burden is really on manufacturers when it comes to providing credible information about new botanicals. "Retailers don't have the luxury of running off to a shaman and saying, 'Give the information to me, I've got 10 years.'"
Mindy Green, education director at the Boulder, Colo.-based Herb Research Foundation, says, "The thing that sells product is research. The consumer has to be confident enough to know there's some validity to the claims. It's a little different with herbs that are obscure. I count on anecdotal evidence and traditional use when there is no science."
Manufacturers face hurdles in providing accurate information that doesn't violate the FDA's rules on how third-party literature can be provided to consumers, but companies that understand the system can make it work to their advantage. Rainforest Phytoceuticals' Miller says, "We're very restricted in what we're allowed to say because the FDA won't allow a lot of this information; our Web site is approved but we want to do more." The company plans to set up a separate information company on the Web, solely to distribute information about the products and research to consumers.
Miller also sees research as the key to merchandising unknown botanicals. "Good studies with appropriate controls will be recognized; I have no fear of that," he says. His advice to manufacturers is this: "Do good science and publish in real journals, not mumbo jumbo ones." Of course, it takes time to learn about cutting-edge research, and time is one thing retailers often don't have to spare. But with a little effort, they can quickly educate themselves about new findings on unusual botanicals like the ones profiled here.
Natural Foods Merchandiser volume XXI/number 9/p. 88, 90
From The November 2000 Issue of Natural Foods Merchandiser
The Nez Perce, Walla Walla, Yakima, and other Native American tribes of southeastern Washington depended for centuries on roots for survival. Fifty percent of their winter diet was roots and berries, but ethnographers studying the region's history have found that roots were more than just sustenance. According to Lucy Jayne Harbinger, a researcher at Washington State University in Spokane, root vegetables were used to teach young girls the proper care and preparation of foods as well as for dowries and trades between tribes. The season's first winter root harvest was cause for grand festivals that celebrated the honor of the community's young women and provided important spiritual and cultural continuity for the tribes.
The cold-season harvest of roots that provide winter sustenance, such as potatoes, beets and rutabagas, has long been a link between people and their ecosystem. And this tradition hasn't gone the way of the dinosaur; many cultures still celebrate their harvest today. In an era where worldwide produce distribution has dissolved the connection between seasons and produce consumption, winter roots provide the opportunity for a closer bond to nature. Nutrient-dense, with a broad range of flavors and uses, they're great for consumers looking not only to eat in season, but to enjoy eating in season.
The Feast of the Radishes is a prime example of this continuation of ritual. Noche de los Rabanos takes place every Dec. 23 in Oaxaca, Mexico. The entire city gathers in the main plaza to compete for first prize in a radish-carving contest. Local growers carve radishes, which average 1 1/2 feet long and 5 inches in diameter, into elaborate depictions, ranging from nativity to bullfighting scenes. The festival, a party that lasts well into the night, functions doubly as a way to celebrate the culture and history of Oaxaca, and to promote the local root that has been a mainstay of the area's diet for centuries.
Mid-April marks the starting point for the Weslaco Onion Festival in Texas. Jumbo-sized onions are tested for taste and lack of bitterness or pungent odor. The festivities also include a Miss Onion Festival Pageant and a fundraising golf tournament. Onion-frying, onion-clipping and onion-eating contests are held, along with performances by clowns and magicians and carnival rides. A charity event, the festival is an homage to the 1015 Supersweet Onion, which was first tested in 1983 by Leonard Pike of Texas A&M University.
And across the world, cultures still celebrate their roots. Sept. 18 is the date for the great potato festival of Genthin, Germany. During the Chinese New Year, dishes with turnips are signs of good wishes. And Halloween in America has a strange connection to the potato root; the trick-or-treat tradition became popular in America with the entrance of immigrants fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846.
Organic producers in this country are also deeply connected to their roots. By definition, organic farmers are dependent on the seasons and the variability of weather, and they can grow only what a region allows. International imports or genetic mutation, which commonly allow hybrid strains to survive off-season, are simply not part of the organic program. Amy Ambrosino, produce team leader at Wellspring Foods in Winston-Salem, N.C., says Wellspring gets many requests for fresh horseradish in the summer months, and she's forced to tell the consumers that she can't get it. "I even have a hard time getting ginger root out of season," Ambrosino says.
T&D Willey Farms, located in Madera, Calif., grows turnips, beets, carrots, potatoes and rutabagas. "We can't grow those [vegetables] at other times of the year," says co-owner Denesse Willey. "We do all the winter roots as a bunch."
Winter roots are abundant and in great shape when organic produce bins otherwise seem barren — devoid of leafy greens and vibrant tomato varieties. The historical produce backbone from December to June, winter roots are the best option for enjoying foods of the season, and the most popular are carrots, potatoes, onions and turnips. These roots survive best in colder weather. Parsnips and turnips, for example, are at their best if harvested after a light winter frost.
Also available are a wide variety of lesser-known roots, all flavorful and wonderful complements to winter soups, breads and entrees. The ground nut, an herbaceous climbing plant that belongs to the pea and bean family, has a sweet taste and is surprisingly high in protein. Quamash, which belongs to the onion family, was a staple root of native North Americans for centuries. High in starch, quamash tastes especially sweet when slow roasted. Poke root has been shown to be a battler of obesity and goiters. Dasheen, salsify, celeriac and chervil are just a few more of the multitude of winter roots readily available in the winter season.
Traditional winter roots are loaded with nutritional value as well. Potatoes and yams, easily digestible, can be particularly helpful for people with ulcers, inflamed colons or hemorrhoids. Carrots have enough carotene to provide the body with 200 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin A (keep in mind, these vegetables lose 90 percent of their nutrient content when boiled). Beets have been shown to be helpful for people with kidney and bladder problems, constipation and skin disorders. And consumption of rutabaga has been shown to decrease the risk of cancer.
Because many organic customers are conscious of in-season eating, finding interesting promotions for winter roots is time well spent for retailers. "We're working toward [cross-promoting winter roots with the deli department]," says Ambrosino. "We should really have recipes, cooking and sampling. When you're trying to build a customer base, it's important to do that." A demo table, says Ambrosino "generates a lot of excitement, especially on weekends when traffic is high."
Mark King, produce manager for Georgetown Market in Indianapolis, proffers a few other suggestions for winter root success. "[It's becoming] less of an exception and more of a norm [for distributors] to be interested in what the end user is going to need." King notes, for example, that T & D Willey Farms sends recipes with its products. "I have them right next to the [produce] basket," says King. "You have to make it easy for [the customer] in order for them to buy."
King praises this shift in distributor practice and says supply-chain partnerships can be great for business. "They really help the retailer," he says. "It's an evolution of what [the distributor does] and that helps us sell whole fresh organic food."
The variety and choice along winter produce aisles are a great inducement for retailers and consumers to get back to their roots. And the marketing possibilities are diverse for these nutritious and tasty, yet still unheralded, winter mainstays. London Chef Gordon Ramsay in his cookbook A Chef For All Seasons (Ten Speed Press, 2000) calls root vegetables, especially less aesthetic ones like celeriac, the Cyrano de Bergerac of the kitchen — ugly on the outside but wonderful within.
Sidebars:
Lesser Known Roots And Cooking Tips
A Quick Casserole Of Fowl And Winter Vegetables
Natural Foods Merchandiser volume XXI/number 11/p. 32, 34-35
From Behind The Label: A Guide For Retailers, A Supplement to Natural Foods Merchandiser
Personal Care
Compare the following organic products' ingredients labels and you'll get an idea of the vast difference between food and body care products, and the inherent problems in creating comprehensible labels for personal care items:
Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce: Organically grown and processed tomato puree, sea salt, organic onion powder, organic garlic powder and naturally derived citric acid.
Shaman Earthly Organics Mango and Mint Moisturizing Shampoo: Purified water, organic lavender hydroflorate, organic aloe barbadensis gel, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium lauroamphoacetate, cocamiopropyl hydroxysultaine, papaya extract, passionflower extract, cherry bark extract, organic chamomile extract, mango extract, organic green tea extract, organic marigold/calendula extract, retinyl palmitate, ascorbic acid, organic quinoa extract, decyl glucoside, panthenol, citric acid, tocopheryl acetate, cyclomethicone, dimethicone, peppermint oil, menthol, sodium hydroxyglycinate, essential oil blend.
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It's a lot to ask from a product, and ingredient labels on personal care items reflect those demands. But by reading a label, how do you determine if methylparaben and ascorbic acid will make hair lank or lovely? How do you steer your customers to the products that will work for their skin types? How do you judge if an eye cream is worth that $20 price tag?
It helps to learn the lingo. Negotiating the complicated labels is easier once you understand the definitions of all those polysyllabic ingredients and what their functions are.
Here's a look at some common personal care ingredients and their definitions:
Vitamins
Retinol is a form of vitamin A, panthenol is vitamin B, ascorbic acid is vitamin C and tocopheryl is vitamin E. These vitamins are named frequently on personal care product labels because they are antioxidants, which help prevent the skin from aging.
Surfactants
Surfactants are what make shampoos, shaving creams and some toothpastes lather and clean. Common surfactants are DEA (diethanolamine) and almost anything that begins with sodium and includes a "laur"-based prefix: sodium lauryl sulfate, laureth sulfate, laurylsarcosinate, and on and on. These surfactants can be either synthetic or coconut-derived; the origin doesn't have to be spelled out on the label.
There's a debate over surfactants that leaves some manufacturers hot and lathered. Aubrey Hampton, founder of Aubrey Organics in Tampa, Fla., says synthetic sodium lauryl sulfate causes eye irritation, skin rashes, hair loss, allergic reactions and scalp problems similar to dandruff. Others say sodium lauryl sulfate is fine; it's sodium laureth sulfate that's too alkaline and harsh on the skin and hair. Both are harmless as long as they're washed off the skin, according to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, a panel established in 1976 by the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association.
Some manufacturers opt for olefin, a coconut-based surfactant they believe is gentler than sodium lauryls and laureths. Soapwort is a natural surfactant but doesn't lather as well as some synthetics.
DEA also has its problems. According to A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients (Three Rivers Press, 1999), a National Toxicology Program study showed an association between the topical application of DEA and cancer in laboratory animals.
Emollients And Humectants
These are the oils, waxes and butters that moisturize skin and hair.
Popular moisturizing oils for natural products include jojoba, apricot, palm kernel, carrot, wheat germ, sesame, safflower, avocado, calendula, olive and almond. For sensitive skin, such as that around the eyes, consider essential oils, which have a lighter molecular weight and tend to evaporate rather than creep into the eyes, says Kathy White, ingredient information specialist at Dr. Hauschka Skin Care in Hatfield, Mass.
Most manufacturers of natural personal care products recommend avoiding mineral oil, or petrolatum. "Mineral oil causes a lot of problems when used on the skin—[such as] photosensitivity; and it tends to interfere with the body's own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dry skin and chapping," Hampton says. "You are being sold a product that creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate. Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap."
Butters such as shea, avocado and mango can be more economical than other moisturizing oils because they become spreadable when mixed with water. Lanolin, a wax product from the oil glands of sheep, is a popular emulsifier, which helps bind water to the skin.
Liposomes, which make fatty lipids easier to absorb into the skin, are a trendy ingredient in moisturizers. Liposomes also help stabilize ingredients in a moisturizing cream, says Curt Valva, Aubrey Organics general manager. These are costly to produce and can drive up the price of a product.
Other synthetic-sounding emollients that really are natural include: cetearyl alcohol glycerin, which is solid coconut and palm oil cut with alcohol for smoother consistency; dimethicone copolyol, a water-repelling silicone derived from sand; sodium hyaluronate, a gelling ingredient found in the fluid in the eye; and hyaluronic acid, a natural protein used in cosmetic oils to help reduce swelling.
Propylene glycol and glycerin can be synthetic or natural. Glycerin can be derived from animal or plant fat or created in a laboratory. "Ideally, [propylene glycol] is a vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural," Hampton says. "Usually it is a synthetic petrochemical mix used as a humectant, [which] has been known to cause allergic and toxic reactions."
Plants used for moisturizing include aloe vera, papaya, iris, mango, tangerine, cactus extract, cucumber, artichoke, watercress and parsley.
Hydrosols
A hydrosol, also known as hydrolate, hydroflorate or floral water, is water that contains plant essences. It's produced by steaming plants, bark, flowers or roots and then removing the essential oils that float to the top. The remaining liquid is hydrosol. There are currently no national standards for the water-to-plant ratio in hydrosols.
Tanning And Sun Protection
Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is a common ingredient in self tanners. A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients says DHA comes from bacteria combined with glycerin. Beta-carotene has also been shown in some studies to make the skin more receptive to tanning.
The most natural sunscreen ingredient is PABA, or para-aminobenzoic acid, which is found in the vitamin B complex. PABA can cause rashes, swelling or allergies in some people.
Preservatives
Preservatives allow personal care products to perch on a shower ledge rather than a refrigerator shelf. The most common preservatives are parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, propyl-). "Water is the only ingredient used more frequently in cosmetics," says Ruth Winter in A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Winter says parabens are safe; Aubrey Organics' Hampton calls them "highly toxic." Adds Aubrey: "They have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Methylparaben combines benzoic acid with the methyl group of chemicals."
Urea, a component of urine, is the second-most widely used preservative. Common forms are imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea. Winter says ureas are safe; Hampton disagrees.
Dr. Hauschka's White points out that "most preservatives have toxic properties, even natural ones."
Some companies market preservative-free products, using herbs such as peppermint, tea tree oil and clove, which have preservative properties. Citric acids from fruits also serve as natural preservatives. The shelf life of products made solely from these types of preservatives can range from several months to two years, compared with five years or more for products using parabens or ureas.
Antibacterial and antifungal herbs include St. John's wort, calendula, fennel and neem. Alcohol helps boost the antimicrobial effects of preservatives and removes residues from the skin, says Aubrey's Valva, but it can be drying.
Antiseptics, Toners, Astringents And Exfoliators
Witch hazel, tea tree oil, birch leaf, yarrow and sage are natural astringents. Antiseptic plants include lemongrass, red clover, comfrey, rosemary, sage, echinacea, chamomile, zinc oxide and tannin. Tannin, found in green tea, is also an anti-inflammatory, as are seaweed, chamomile and cornflower. Look for them in products designed to reduce swelling and puffiness, such as eye or hemorrhoid creams.
Papaya and pineapple have exfoliating properties. Crushed nuts, oatmeal, cornstarch and fruit acids also exfoliate. Malic acid, which comes from apples, and lactic acid, the result of fruit fermentation, are the most common fruit acids.
With a little knowledge and a good dictionary, it's possible to decipher even the most convoluted personal care product labels.
Natural Foods's Merchandiser's Behind The Label 2003/p. 66, 68
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