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Current
Issues - Newsletter
January 2000 |
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Sami
R & D Center : recognition for research leading to Ph.D. |
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The
R & D Center at SAMI Labs Ltd., with state of the
art research facilities, has been recognized by the Rajiv
Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India
as a Center for Research leading to a Ph.D. degree. The
significance of this recognition is that a Ph.D. candidate
can perform research towards his/her degree from the university
at the Sami R & D facility. |
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Limits Eased on Dietary Supplements
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An FDA
proposal in 1998 stated that supplement labels could not
imply any diagnosis, treatment, prevention or cure of
a disease or definitive disease symptom. In response to
this proposal, the FDA received thousands of letters,
from the dietary supplements industry and consumers, petitioning
moderation. On January 5, 2000, the FDA conceded a little.
Supplements will be allowed to claim to help in the management
of ``common conditions'' associated with ``passages of
life'' such as pregnancy, menopause, adolescence and aging.
However, they should not claim to be useful in the treatment
of actual disease conditions. This implies that supplements
could claim to ease morning sickness or the common leg
swelling of late pregnancy, treat ordinary conditions
such as teenage acne and hot flashes associated with menopause
but should not claim to treat toxemia or other serious
pregnancy complications. While claims to treat joint pain
(a symptom of arthritis, a disease) are not permitted,
treatment of muscle pain is admissible. ``Mild memory
loss associated with aging'' but not real dementia could
be claimed to be manageable with the use of supplements. |
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Green
tea extract may promote weight loss |
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A
study performed at the University of Geneva in Switzerland,
reported that green tea extract may be useful in weight
management1. As part of their
study, the investigators measured the 24-hour energy
expenditure of 10 healthy men receiving three doses
of caffeine (50 mg), green tea extract (containing 50
mg caffeine and 90 mg epigallocatechin), or a placebo
per day.
The study’s authors reported that,
treatment with green tea was associated with a ``significant
increase'' (+4%) in daily energy expenditure as compared
with the placebo. The study confirmed that this effect
was not linked to the relatively small amounts of caffeine
found in tea, since subjects receiving similar amounts
of caffeine displayed no change in daily energy output.
Thus, according to their analysis, green tea extract
would be useful in weight management since it increases
energy expenditure. The mechanisms behind this action
are as yet unclear. One proposed mechanism is that the
catechins in green tea may work with other chemicals
to increase levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis,
during which the body burns fat as fuel to generate
heat. Interestingly, the researchers noted that this
action did not raise heart rates in the subjects. Based
on these findings, green tea is a safe alternative to
stimulant diet drugs, which are contraindicated in obese
individuals with hypertension and other cardiovascular
complications. Sabinsa Corporation supplies green tea
extracts standardized for 40% and 75% total catechins.
1. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
1999;70:1040-1045.
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Mineral
supplements in health |
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Zinc
and respiratory health
Zinc supplementation was associated with a 41% decrease
in pneumonia and a 25% decrease in diarrhea in children
under the age of 5 years, in developing countries.
The authors of this study noted that for reducing
diarrhea, zinc supplementation is comparable with
such other interventions as clean water, sanitation,
and breastfeeding. Moreover, they said zinc supplementation
has shown a greater preventive effect for pneumonia
than other interventions currently in use. Randomized
controlled trials included in the pooled analysis
provided oral supplements containing at least half
of the US recommended daily allowance (RDA) of zinc
(15 mg) to children under the age of 5 years.
J Pediatr 1999 Dec;135(6):689-97
Selenium and HCC
Both experimental and epidemiological studies have
linked a low dietary intake of selenium with an increased
risk of cancer. In a long term study, researchers
examined the association between plasma selenium levels
and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among chronic
carriers of hepatitis B and/or C virus in a cohort
of 7,342 men in Taiwan. Patients suffering from HCC
had reduced plasma selenium levels. This association
was more pronounced among cigarette smokers and among
subjects with low plasma levels of retinol or various
carotenoids.
Am J Epidemiol, 150(4):367-74 1999 Aug 15
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R &
D focus
Sivaprakash
K. Balakrishnan |
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R &
D Manager
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Sivaprakash K. Balakrishnan
is R & D Manager at the Sabinsa’s Princeton
NJ facility. With a Masters degree in Applied Chemistry
from India, Sivaprakash has over ten years experience
in product development and research in synthetic
organic chemistry, natural products, perfumery/flavor
chemistry and insecticide formulations. Sivaprakash
worked with Smith Kline Beecham and Reckitt and
Colman (R & D), before joining SAMI Labs Ltd.,
Sabinsa’s manufacturing facility in India,
five years ago. During his tenure with SAMI Labs
Ltd., Sivaprakash also gathered hands on experience
in the scale up and standardization of manufacturing
processes for herbal extracts, nutritional raw materials
and specialty chemicals. At Sabinsa R & D, Sivaprakash
applies his knowledge and experience to developing
cost-effective processes for the manufacture of
specialty chemicals and nutritional raw materials. |
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Sabinsa
Corporation breaks ground on new facility |
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Dr. Muhammed Majeed. founder
of the Sabinsa Corporation, headquartered in Piscataway,
New Jersey broke ground November 22,1999 for a new
facility on a four acre site in Payson, Utah.
The new 25.000 sq. ft. facility will be phase
l of a two phase project which will encompass
offices, expanded warehousing, and the capacity
for light manufacturing such as custom blending
or granulating of its raw materials. The facility
is expected to be completed by July 1, 2000.
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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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