Indications Used for high blood pressure, pain, and tension. Mechanism of Action Piscidia erythrina has not yet been extensively researched in terms of its chemical constituents, but root extracts are known to contain the resins piscidin, jamaicin, and rotenone and isoflavonoids sumatrol, durmillone, and erythynone, collectively referred to as rotenoids.1…
Indications Orally, Piper nigrum is used to increase absorption of various water- and fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamin B6, β-carotene, selenomethionine, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), curcumin, resveratrol, and others. Mechanism of Action Piperine, a highly lipophilic alkaloid extracted from Piper nigrum, significantly enhances the bioavailability of various nutrients through increased absorption.1 Piperine…
Indications Diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, diabetes-related heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. Mechanism of Action The bright magenta-to-orange colors of various species of Opuntia fruits is partly because of the presence of betalains,1 so named because they also occur in beets (Beta vulgaris). The betalains include betacyanins and betaxanthins, such as…
Indications To improve general health and vitality as an adaptogen, adrenal fatigue, stress, anxiety, depression, diabetes, poor circulation, infections, colds, flu, and fever. Mechanism of Action The mechanisms of action of Ocimum sanctum have not yet been thoroughly investigated. Chemical constituent assays have identified the ocimumosides and cerebrosides active in…
Indications Anxiety and insomnia. Mechanism of Action The most studied constituents in the volatile oil of Nepeta cataria, Nepeta persica, and other Nepeta species are diastereomeric nepetalactones and monoterpenoids such as linalool. Nepeta persica contains a volatile oil that consists of 2.8% and 30.5% of a combination of linalool and…
Indications Hyperthyroidism and hyperthyroid-like symptoms including anxiety and insomnia, and Grave’s disease. Mechanism of Action When thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) binds to the outer membrane of thyroid cells, it triggers a cAMP response on the inside of the cell via adenylate cyclase enzyme activation. Melissa extracts interfere with the binding of…
Indications Hypertension, arrhythmia and nervous palpitations, anxiety, and insomnia. Mechanism of Action Melissa contains phenolic acid derivatives such as rosmarinic and the related lithospermic and chlorogenic acids,1 and it is a natural inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzymes.2 Rosmarinic acid and the triterpenoids oleanolic acid and ursolic acid inhibit γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)…
Indications Hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, and menopausal symptoms (e.g., hot flashes, poor bone density). Mechanism of Action Some of the benefits on lipids and glucose metabolism are believed to occur via mechanisms involving hormonal effects.1 Medicago is a genus of plants in the legume family whose species are high in phytosterols and…
Indications Hyperthyroidism and hyperthyroid-like symptoms including heart palpitations, tachycardia, chest tightness, tremor, and anxiety. Mechanism of Action Lycopus contains rosmarinic acid, a phenolic compound derived from caffeic acid and found in several other Lamiaceae plants, all indicated historically for the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Rosmarinic acid, and the related lithospermic and…
Indications Inflammatory respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, and emphysema. Mechanism of Action The leaves and seed pods are the most commonly used medicinal parts of Lobelia. They have been shown to have antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, emetic, expectorant, and respiratory stimulant effects.1 α-Lobeline is the most…
Indications Cardiac insufficiency, tachycardia or other arrhythmias, hypertension, stress and anxiety, and hyperthyroidism. Mechanism of Action Leonurus cardiaca contains monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, nitrogen-containing compounds, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and phenolic acids, lectins, and phytosterols as well as volatile oils, sterols, and tannins. Quality Leonurus products should contain at least 0.2% flavonoid, often…
Related Species The Phseophyceae (brown algae) are a large class of mostly marine multicellular algae that include many dietary and medicinal seaweeds, including kombu (Saccharina japonica), Fucus vesiculosis, and others. Indications Used as an iodine source for hypothyroidism with goiter attributable to iodine and other mineral deficiencies, hyperlipidemia, and obesity.…
