My dermatologist recommended Heliocare, a supplement containing Polypodium leucotomos extract to my husband for prevention of skin photoaging, and said to pass on the recommendation to the whole family.

I've not tried it yet since I already take a lot of supplements and wear sunscreen, but I think I will give it a try after reading this review. It does more than prevent photoaging.

My derm is very Covid-cautious and an excellent dr., btw.

https://uniderma.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/year-2014-Fernblock_-Role-of-Oral-PL-Extract-in-Dermatologic-diseases.-A-review-of-the-literature_207918543.pdf

#NaturalProducts

@haritulsidas

Portulaca oleracea extract is also interesting.

Here's a review of its geroprotective constituents, but unfortunately it is paywalled:
https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079057022020047

It is an AChE inhibitor, among other things.

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #Aging
#Polysaccharides #Portulaca

@wcbdata @itwasntme223

'Among the compounds, many of which have cancer-fighting, contraceptive, and anti-inflammatory properties, is shyobunone, which acts on the brain’s gamma-aminobutiric acid (GABA) receptors and may contribute to the plant’s intoxicating smell. Miski believes that future analyses of the plant will reveal the existence of dozens of yet-to-be-identified compounds of medical interest.

“You find the same chemicals in rosemary, sweet flag, artichoke, sage, and galbanum, another Ferula plant,” the professor marvels. “It’s like you combined half a dozen important medicinal plants in a single species.”'

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods
#GABA

article from 2021:

Chicory Extracts and Sesquiterpene Lactones Show Potent Activity against Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens

https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fph14090941

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods

Just started taking Vitex negundo (Nirgundi). Tried only 200 mg (recommended dose is 5 g).

https://journals.lww.com/ijnp/Fulltext/2013/03020/Antieosinophilic_activity_of_various_subfractions.10.aspx

#NaturalProducts #nirgundi #eosinophils

due to release of radioactive water from the Fukushima site.
Might switch to New Zealand coast grown wakame - shipping could be costly.

I'm not that concerned about the iodine since it could be stored for a few months while the radioactive I decays, but am concerned about radioactive cesium since it has a really long half life.

Wakame & fucoidan are among my favorite #FunctionalFoods & #NaturalProducts.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/amid-opposition-japan-takes-1st-step-to-release-nuclear-waste-into-ocean/2916489

research paper:
Benzaldehyde suppresses murine allergic asthma and rhinitis (2014)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2014.07.029

So I'm trying ⬇️ Hope it does something good. Haven't yet calculated the the equivalent human does that was used on the mice in study.
#Allergies #Allergy #NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods

My new favorite thing is equol & I will try to post on it this week.

Equol can be produced by gut bacteria from the metabolism of daidzein, an isoflavone found in soy and other plant foods. 'Can be' since some people's gut microbiomes can make it, but others can't.

Video on equol from NutritionFacts -
https://youtu.be/MjoHyxGT2rE

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #equol #isoflavones #GutMicrobiome #microbiome

Geranylgeraniol.
It's an intermediate in the mevalonate pathway & that's about all I've learned so far, but just skimming the literature, it looks super interesting.

Science Direct topics entry:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/geranylgeraniol

Paywalled (of course) article:
"Geranylgeraniol – A new potential therapeutic approach to bisphosphonate associated osteonecrosis of the jaw"
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2010.12.003

#NaturalProducts #Geranylgeraniol #MevalonatePathway
#VitaminK2 #CoQ10

@faab64

Mulberry has some good health properties -

"The Prokinetic, Laxative, and Antidiarrheal Effects of Morus nigra: Possible Muscarinic, Ca(2+) Channel Blocking, and Antimuscarinic Mechanisms"
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5641

The trees grow too big for my yard, unfortunately.

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods

research article (2019):
Puerarin suppresses TRPV1, calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P to prevent paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathic pain in rats
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417748563
~
Puerarin is a natural product found in kudzu root. Kudzu root is used to make Japanese kuzu noodles - don't know how much puerarin is in kuzu starch, but it's used traditionally as a digestive aid.

#2badItsPaywalled #CGRP #TRPV1 #NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods
#puerarin #kuzu #neuropathy #ChronicPain

One proposed reason for the Japanese sex ratio flip in PD prevalence is that in Japan, farm work is traditionally done by women - who would then have increased exposure to pesticides.

I have wondered if sake drinking has an influence. Sake contains appreciable levels of agmatine, which is an iNOS inhibitor.

#NaturalProducts

@biorxivpreprint

nobiletin is a flavonoid found in the peels of citrus fruits

#NaturalProducts
#circadian #obesity #Wnt #Bmal1
#nobiletin

Supplementation with Amino Acid Serine Eases Neuropathy in Diabetic Mice

'We were surprised that dialing up and down a non-essential amino acid had such a profound effect on metabolism and diabetic complications,” says senior author Christian Metallo ... “It just goes to show that what we think of as dogma can change under different circumstances, such as in disease conditions. '

https://today.ucsd.edu/story/serine-eases-neuropathy-in-diabetic-mice

#neuropathy #serine
#NaturalProducts

@noyes

The coffee study mentioned in the article is also interesting. Wonder why among possible active constituents chlorogenic acid is often not mentioned - it's cholinergic. Some they did mention are new to me (kahweol, Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide) & I look forward to reading up on them.

link to research article:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2021.744872

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods
#coffee #neuroscience
#Alzheimers

@lichenlady94
Indeed there's a lot being published.
Looking forward to your posts.

I have a zotero library that can be accessed by anyone w/ a free zotero account:
https://www.zotero.org/rhyothemis_princeps/library

Response time is a bit slow, unfortunately.
frequently used tags - natural products, functional foods. article = primary research
review = review
abstract = usually means it's paywalled

I use #NaturalProducts & also #FunctionalFoods as a hashtags here.

@aliza

Another substance found in food that may benefit bone health is beta cryptoxanthin, found in mandarin oranges & peaches. Only one mouse study, tho (1). A study based on food diary data found consumption of foods containing β-cryptoxanthin is associated with later menopause onset (2).

Not a lot of evidence, but a good excuse to buy Satsuma mandarins if you like them.

1- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphs.2015.08.003
2-
https://doi.org/10.1080/14647273.2016.1205759

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #bone #health #menopause
4/n

@scandrof

Although it is not yellow, the highest food source of lutein is kale.

https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-lutein

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods

@toad @melhathnofury @Lorrrraaaaine
Natto is overall a good functional food - has helped me w/ "aches & pains" (not from covid). An acquired taste/texture. Contains nattokinase, K2, PQQ, spermidine & GABA. It can be made in an Instant Pot using natto beans (small soy beans) & starter culture or store bought natto as starter.

Instant Pot natto instructions:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2THCK1072ND6J/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00FLYWNYQ

natto beans for sale:
https://www.laurasoybeans.com

#natto #FunctionalFoods #FermentedFoods
#NaturalProducts

@aliza
I can't recommend per se (not an MD), but other things that have shown to be anabolic to bone, mainly in pre-clinical studies (mice), include xylitol & spermidine.

I've found my Boggle game suffers when I consume xylitol, tho. It's derived from either corn or birch & I'm allergic to both - but there shouldn't be enough allergen in final product to matter. Also, corn usually makes me itch.

review on xylitol -
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081813

#sweeteners #xylitol #bone #NaturalProducts 1/