NSF Certification for Selenium SeLECT^®

Selenium SeLECT® brand L-(+)-Selenomethionine ingredient from Sabinsa Corporation, has been certified for quality and content by NSF International. NSF conducted rigorous toxicology reviews and purity testing to guarantee that Selenium SeLECT® is free of contaminants.

Selenium SeLECT^®: National Print Advertising Campaign Launched

Sabinsa Corporation has launched a new trade advertising campaign for Selenium SeLECT®, its branded L-(+)-Selenomethionine ingredient. An advertisement, which began running in June 2005, in select business trade print outlets, features a field of red tulips with a single yellow tulip representing Selenium SeLECT, followed by the tagline 'When the National Cancer Institute began its study of selenium, it could only choose one.' The advertisement was developed as part of a comprehensive marketing campaign.

"This advertising campaign reflects the fact that Selenium SeLECT stands alone in terms of quality, bioavailability and purity in the field of selenium ingredients currently available," stated Hame Persaud , senior vice president of sales and marketing, Sabinsa Corporation. "We want manufacturers and retailers to know that Selenium SeLECT was chosen by the National Cancer Institute to be used in several of its own studies, which is a testament to the superior quality and efficacy of our material."

In addition to this advertisement, Sabinsa has redesigned www.seleniumselect.com, adding updated information on Selenium SeLECT, as well as recent research findings on the role of selenium in health and wellness.

Visit www.seleniumselect.com

Sabinsa Corporation helped to set the monograph standards for Selenomethionine in the United States Pharmacopeia, and Selenium SeLECT ® conforms to these standards. However, in the face of tightening regulations in the European Union and interest from research institutes who wish to use the material in clinical studies, Selenium SeLECT is now guaranteed to contain less than one part per million (ppm) lead, less than 0.5 ppm arsenic, less than 0.5 ppm cadmium, and less than 0.5 ppm mercury. The USP limits are 20ppm for heavy metals and 10ppm for lead

No changes have been made to the product itself, just to the specifications. These changes are based on comprehensive trend analysis of actual analytical results.

As stated by Todd Norton, President and Chief Operating Officer of sabinsa Corporation, "Selenium SeLECT has always been well within US Pharmacopeia (USP) standards for heavy metal content. "The new limits represent the bare minimum we can comfortably and confidently deal with."

Sabinsa's decision to lower the heavy metal content in its product was driven partly by EU regulations (the company has recently submitted a dossier on Selenium SeLECT to comply with the food additives directive) and partly by the reality of market conditions.

Selenium SeLECT is currently being used by the National Cancer Institute in a 12-year study into the role of selenium and vitamin E (both separately and together) in the prevention of prostate cancer, and other research centers are working with Sabinsa to use the material in clinical studies.

Phase III Clinical Trial on Forskolin Eye Drops:

The Sami Labs/Sabinsa research group developed a stable formulation of forskolin eye drops for use in the management of ocular hypertension and glaucoma. An Investigational New Drug (IND) application for this product is in process in India . Based on promising Phase I and Phase II clinical trials, a Phase III clinical trial was planned as part of the IND protocol. Sami Labs Ltd, Sabinsa's research and manufacturing group in India , recently received clearance from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct these trials. These trials will be conducted by Clinworld. The multicenter trial will be carried out at six centers in Bombay , Delhi and Bangalore ), and the eye drops will be tested on one hundred patients.

USDA Plans New Study with SeleniumSeLECT ^®

The United States Department of Agriculture is planning to conduct a clinical study to determine the minimum serum levels of selenium needed to support health and well being. SeleniumSeLECT was selected as the bioavailable source of supplemental selenium for this study.

COSMETIC CORNER

Beauty Inside and Out: Supporting Skin Health with Nutraceutical Supplements

A radiant appearance is only a reflection of optimal health and well being. This forms the underlying principle of current trends in the personal care industry. Cosmetic products no longer seek to cover up signs of aging. The root causes of skin, hair and nail damage are addressed externally by using cosmeceuticals and internally with nutraceutical supplements.

Vitamin and mineral deficiences, poor antioxidant status, impaired digestion and compromised immune functions are all reflected in a sallow complexion, lifeless hair and brittle or discolored nails. Oral intake of antioxidants such as carotenoids, selenium, proanthocyanidins (found in grape seed extract, apples and other plant sources) and vitamin E is reported to reduce the risk of DNA damages by ultraviolet radiation that lead to skin aging and skin cancers 1,2 . A recent study reports that curcumin, the antioxidant pigment from turmeric is useful in the oral treatment of melanoma 3. Orally administerd green tea polyphenols were found to offer protection against UVA induced action of enzymes that degrade connective tissues (matrix metalloproteinases, MMP) thereby inhibiting collagen and elastin degradation. 4,5

References:
1. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2003 Aug;19(4):182-9.

2. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 2002 Sep-Oct;15(5):307-15.

3. Cancer. 2005 Jul 11; [E-pub ahead of print]

4. Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Apr;23(2):157-62

5. Invest Dermatol. 2004 Jun;122(6):1480-7.

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