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Current
Issues - Newsletter
September 1997 |
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Bacopin®
Trademark Registration Granted
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Sabinsa
is delighted to announce that on August 12, 1997, the
United States Patent and Trademark Office officially
granted Bacopin ® the registered
trademark of Sabinsa Corporation.
Bacopin® contains bacosides
A and B, the active principles responsible for improving
memory-related functions. These compounds have the
ability to enhance the efficiency of nerve impulse
transmission, thereby strengthening memory and cognition.
For further information, please call our scientific
staff consultants about Bacopin®
or other quality Sabinsa products.
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Citrin® and Bmov In the Prevention
and Treatment of Neoplastic Disease |
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Citrin®K:
The existence of a definite positive correlation between
dietary fat intake and certain cancers has been demonstrated
by numerous researchers. It is also recognized that
the rate of lipid synthesis in tumor cells is quite
rapid. An interesting preliminary study with Sabinsa's
Citrin®K
(the potassium salt of (-) hydroxycitric acid isolated
from the fruit of Garcinia cambogia) has shown that
this product decreases lipid synthesis in tumor cells
in a concentration dependent manner. The following mechanisms
of action are proposed:
- Citrin®K
blocks de novo synthesis of all cholesterol intermediates
including Acetyl CoA, glutamine and Farnesyl PP.
Farnesyl PP has been implicated as a factor promoting
cell proliferation1.
- Citrin®K
blocks tumor cell proliferation by reducing the
supply of precursor for the enzyme fatty acid synthase.
Elevated levels of fatty acid synthase are expressed
in many human and experimental cancers.
Since Citrin®K
is already in use as a food supplement, its potential
as a cancer fighting functional food ingredient merits
further investigation.
BMOV:
The antineoplastic effects of vanadium in mice have
previously been demonstrated. A recent study has confirmed
the antineoplastic effects of vanadium, in the form
of bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (BMOV), in human tumor
cell lines. These effects were shown to be dependent
upon the prolonged exposure of the tumor cells to
the compound2.
In view of similarity to BMOV, the BGOV
(bis(glycinato)oxovanadium) offered by Sabinsa Corporation
would also be an effective antineoplastic agent.
References
- Goldstein, J.I.. & Brown M.,S.
(1990). Nature, 343:425-430.
- Jackson, J.K. et al (1997). Brit.
J. of cancer, 75:1014-1020.
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Ayurvedic Gems Terminalia arjuna
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Terminalia
arjuna is a tropical woody plant from the family Combretaceae
and is called "Arjuna" in the vernacular.
The herb is an essential ingredient in several Ayurvedic
cardiotonic formulations, and is reported to be beneficial
in hepatic, urogenital, venereal and viral diseases.
Traditional Ayurvedic physicians
recommended different preparations of Terminalia arjuna
for different types of heart disease. A decoction of
Arjuna bark and minerals was used in the treatment of
heart disease of microbial origin. This is surprising,
as the involvement of microbes in the etiology of heart
disease is a fairly recent discovery.
In patients suffering from
ischemic heart disease, treatment with Terminalia arjuna
helped to alleviate anginal pain and normalize the heart
rhythm2. In a double blind
placebo controlled study on 12 patients with congestive
heart failures patients treated with Terminalia arjuna
bark extract (500 mg capsule) showed improvement in
symptoms. Based on the results of an additional long
term open study, the authors concluded that Terminalia
arjuna is a safe and effective remedy for patients suffering
from refractory congestive heart failure3.
References
- 1. Kumar, D.S. et al (1987). J. of Ethnopharm.,
20:173-190
- 2. Dwivedi, S. et al (1 994) J. Assoc.
Phys. India. 42:287-289.
- 3. Bharani, A. et al (1995). Int. J.
Cardiol. 49:191-199.
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Marketing
Focus Todd Norton, Senior Executive Vice-President |
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Todd
Norton has had a pivotal role to play in the development
of Sabinsa Corporation and has been with Sabinsa
since the formative stages of the enterprise.
With his degree in Business Administration and
nearly twenty years experience in the Natural
Products Industry, Todd has been instrumental
in the phenomenal growth of Sabinsa Corporation.
Currently, Todd heads
the Sabinsa office in Utah. |
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New
Products : Chitosan Significance of Deacetylation Value |
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Chitosans
are polysaccharides derived from fungal or crustacean
chitins. They are polycationic copolymers of N-acetylglucosamine
and glucosamine in various proportions and in random
sequence.
Chitosan is used
as a dietary fiber, and is proven to accelerate
Figure 1.
Structure shows repeating unit in Chitosan
wound healing, stimulate
the immune system and to be effective in the treatment
of ulcers, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension.
The biological activity of Chitosan is linked to its
degree of deacetylation (DD), viscosity and molecular
weight. DD is defined as the molar ratio of N-acetyl
glucosamine units to all units and determines the content
of free amino groups. DD influences the binding of cholesterol,
fats, metal ions, proteins and tumor cells by Chitosan.
Studies revealed that fat-binding by Chitosan was improved
as the viscosity or DD was increased and when the average
molecular weight was greater than 10,000 Da.
The degree of deacetylation
in Sabinsa's Chitosan is 90+%.
Reference
Muzzarelli, R.A.A.
(1996). Carb. Polymers. 29:309-316.
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| "The information
presented in the "Current Issues" Newsletter
from Sabinsa Corporation is for informational purposes
only. It is abstracted from web and print media
sources. Readers are advised to refer to the original
sources for additional information". |
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