Richters HerbLetter
Date: 2001/06/30
Contents
1. Cancer Institute Begins Trials of Chinese Herb
2. Herbal Medication Applied to Belly Button for Migraines
3. Makers Defend St. John's Wort as Depression Remedy
4. FDA Warns Manufacturers Giving Foods a Botanical 'Boost'
5. Herb Research Foundation Disputes FDA Warnings to Manufacturers
6. "The Latest Echinacea Seedling Scam"
7. Herbs Decreasing as Proportion of U.S. Health Food Store Sales
8. Herbal Supplements Win Scientific Validity
9. U.S. Insomnia Epidemic Waking Interest in Natural Sleep Remedies
10. Interest Grows in Herbal Medicines?
11. Herbs Aid Ability to Study
12. North Carolina Researchers Find Why Drugs, Herbs Cancel Each Other Out
13. Herbal Supplement Improves Female Sexual Health
14. BioValidity Rates Yohimbe Erectile Function Research
15. Ginger Tested as Cure for Morning Sickness
16. Study Suggests Ginseng Has Little If Any Effect on Psychological Health
17. Study Shows Native Indian Tea Can Reverse Biological Aging Process
18. Trials Test Performance of Jujube-based Alternative to Viagra
19. Herbal Essential Oils Effective Against Flu and Cold Bacteria
20. Korean Red Ginseng in HIV-infected Patients Delays Drug Resistance
21. Possible Mechanism for Herb's Antitumour and Immunomodulatory Effects
22. Herbal Energy Drinks Can Be Harmful in Large Doses, Says Dietitian
23. Caffeine Use May Pose Health Risks
24. Caffeine Increases Risk of Miscarriage
25. Thirteen Herbal Products Deemed Dangerous by FDA
26. Health Canada Issues Advisory Not to Use Ephedra or Ephedrine
27. Experts Review Most Recent FDA Reports on Ephedra
28. CSPI Applauds Proposed Nutrition Labelling Rules for Canada
29. U.S. Federal Trade Commission Targets Cures Sold on Internet
30. Parent Sentenced for Poisoning Eight Football Players with Herb
31. Herbal Warning: Stop Sales or Else, Inventor Says
32. Zimbabwan Traditional Herbalist in a Class of Her Own
33. Zimbabwe's Traditional Healers Wade in Against AIDS
34. Herbal Doctors Blame Ghana's Ministry of Health for Shelving Findings
35. Traditional Medicine Soothes South African Race Divide
36. Traditional Healers Charge Unfair Treatment at International Conferences
37. Study Aimed at Exports of Ugandan Fruits, Vegetables and Spices
38. Brazil's Frustrated Women Eager for Herbal Viagra Alternatives
39. Pakistani Spice Importers Refuse to Open Letters of Credit
40. Indian Government Implements Organic Certification Standards
41. High Tech Remedy Prescribed for China's TCM Sector
42. Hong Kong Researchers Develop DNA-based Plant Identification System
43. China, U.S. Doctors Talk on Traditional Medicines
44. Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Western Medicine
45. Rare Medicinal Herb Transplanted to China's Tianshan Mountains
46. Traditional Medicine -- A Big Part of Health Care in Bhutan
47. Australia's Six Million Plant Specimens Go Online
48. New Industry-Wide Coalition Is Launched "to Put the 'E' Back In DSHEA"
49. The Republic of Tea Success Brews New Book
50. Scientist Honoured for Work in Non-Timber Forest Industry
51. Black Magic: Durable Black Pepper Casts its Spell
52. Cracking the Pepper Code
53. Curryholics Spice Up British Food
54. Cast Off Culinary Shyness with Herbs the Herbfarm Way
55. Cookbook Explores Saffron's Ancient Allure and Modern-day Appeal
56. New Book Promotes Safe Use of Natural Remedies
57. It's Time to Let All Your Herbs Go to Pot
58. Expert to Address Media Controversies Surrounding Herbal Supplements
59. Herb Business News
1. Cancer Institute Begins Trials of Chinese Herb
By Matt Groesbeck
SALT LAKE CITY, Jun. 13, Daily Utah Chronicle -- The first U.S.
clinical trials of a new anti-cancer drug derived from a Chinese
herb began last week at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Cancer institute officials and the pharmaceutical company
Kanglaite USA have arranged to import the drug from China for the
first of three phases of clinical trials that could span three
years. Together, they have been working on the launch of the study
since last spring.
"The Huntsman Cancer Institute is committed to developing new
ways to help cancer patients, and we will test any promising
approach," said Dr. Stephen Prescott, executive director of the
cancer institute.
Prescott indicated that even though Chinese studies of the new
drug have been promising, its potential is still unclear.
"China's studies are confusing," Prescott said, "but it is
clear the compound is very safe. It is also clear that it helps
cancer patients feel better by increasing appetite, weight and
feelings of well-being."
As for the drug's effect on reducing tumor size, Prescott
commented, "We're not sure exactly what it will do, but we're
optimistic about it ... The mechanism of action is completely
unknown now. That's why we're doing the study. We feel an
obligation to make sure the drug is being produced under high
standards."
The cancer institute sent representatives to China last April
to learn more about the Chinese results and inspect Kainglaite's
production facility in China. One of the visitors was Dr. Richard
Wheeler, principal physician in charge of the study.
"I think [the Chinese] did a credible job at evaluating the
drug," Wheeler said. "FDA standards are still a lot tougher than
Chinese requirements."
The FDA-mandated, phase-one clinical trial will study daily
injections in 18 people and could last six months or longer if the
studies encounter any problems, Prescott indicated.
Kainglaite will import the injections over the course of all
the phases of the trial at an undisclosed cost.
According to Kainglaite spokesman Glen Willardson, Kainglaite
China formulated the daily injection extracted from coix seed, a
seasonal rice-like plant indigenous to China. The seed has been
used as a food staple and healing herb for centuries. According to
Willardson, Kanglaite's China location has been studying the seed
for the past 20 years and has reached "encouraging" results.
"This is the first time a drug derived from traditional Chinese
medicine will be FDA tested," Willardson said. "And the Huntsman
Cancer Institute is the only institution in the nation in phase
one."
Willardson says the first phase of trials will determine safety
profiles, dosage and effectiveness of the botanically-based drug.
"We'll be using [the drug] on large tumors -- liver and lung
cancer," he said. "Two things have come out of Chinese efforts,
tumor necrosis that tended to kill off the cancer cells, and it
appeared to have some immune enhancements. It also seemed to
improve the patient's quality-of life signs."
Willardson said since the drug is not a chemotherapy agent, it
has fewer side effects than existing cancer treatments. As for the
validity of the Chinese results, he said that they need to be
supported in the current cancer institute trial.
"It's a three-year process at best," Willardson said. "It just
doesn't happen overnight, which is the hard thing ... this is just
a bell weather test. If it has some of the same results here as in
China after FDA scrutiny, it will have widespread credibility."
2. Herbal Medication Applied to Belly Button for Migraines
WHEATON, Ill., Jun. 27, BW HealthWire -- Whoever thought that the best way
to relieve migraine pain might come via the belly button?
A Chicago-area health care company has introduced an all-natural
medication called MigraSTOP, which does just that. When applied to the
navel at the onset of migraine symptoms, the cream has the ability to
reduce -- possibly eliminate -- pain. The product has begun to make a
remarkable impact on some of the more than 45 million Americans who suffer
chronically from migraines.
"Over the years, I tried so many different pain relievers to cure my
headaches and nothing seemed to work," said Beverly Keenan, a MigraSTOP
believer who has struggled with migraines for 20 years. "Since I began
using MigraSTOP, I feel so much better knowing my headaches can be
relieved naturally, instead of with pills and injections."
"I occasionally wake up with a booming headache," explained another
user, Jeri Miller of West Chicago, Illinois. "When it happened again
recently, I immediately applied MigraSTOP and in less than 30 minutes my
headache was completely gone."
The new product's main ingredient is asafetida, an herb taken from a
plant indigenous to Afghanistan. Asafetida is commonly used in that
country as a recipe ingredient and to promote good health. MigraSTOP is
believed to be America's first pain-relieving product to use asafetida,
and the only pain-relieving product that is patented to be applied to the
navel.
"For years I have worked as a pharmacist prescribing medications to
help people who suffer," explained Parag Maniar, president and founder of
the Wellness Care, Inc., which introduced MigraSTOP. "Then I decided to do
something about it the all-natural way so patients don't have to depend on
over-the-counter drugs and prescriptions to treat their pain."
Maniar turned to his eastern Indian roots and relatives who while being
raised in India, successfully used asafetida to eliminate pain. Over a
two-year period, Maniar and a business partner tested the herb with other
natural ingredients to finally patent and develop MigraSTOP. Several
clients of a Wheaton, IL-based health care store used the product
successfully while it was in development and testing.
"The navel has four acupressure points that make it ideal for applying
external medications that can quickly penetrate the body," Maniar said.
"While applying the cream to the navel may seem a bit corny, individuals
who use the product clearly say it works."
Patients who use the product are directed to apply the cream to the
navel and let it stand for 15 minutes, after which they can wipe and clean
the area. MigraSTOP is not intended for children under two years of age,
principally because it contains a small amount of menthol that might cause
itching or burning.
MigraSTOP was registered with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration last
October. Following months of testing and manufacturing, it was introduced
to the market in February. The Wellness Care Inc. is in the process of
signing up independent pharmacists interested in offering the cream. The
manufacturer's suggested retail price is $29.95.
The Wellness Care, Inc. is a private company that develops all-natural
products to promote good health and reduce pain.
3. Makers Defend St. John's Wort as Depression Remedy
By Amy Kane
WASHINGTON, June 25, Reuters -- Dietary supplement makers said Monday
that St. John's wort still had a place in treating less severe forms
of depression despite research showing the herb is ineffective in
treating severe cases.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition said the focus of recent St.
John's wort research had downplayed its benefits for lesser forms of
depression.
At a news conference the industry group released a review of more than
30 clinical trials by an 11-member panel of physicians and
pharmacologists who concluded the herbal remedy was safe and effective
when used by people with mild to moderate depression.
A study conducted at Vanderbilt University and sponsored in part by
Pfizer Inc , the maker of the prescription antidepressant Zoloft,
showed that St. John's Wort, or hypericum perforatum, worked no better
than placebo in 200 patients with major depression.
Another study of the herb by the National Institutes of Health, due to
be released in the fall, is likely to show similar results with the
severely depressed, said Jerry Cott, who initiated the study while
working at the National Institute of Mental Health.
"I think because of these studies, there has been a move to trivialize
or marginalize herbal medications that can do a measurable good," said
Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatrist at Georgetown Medical Center.
Rosenthal said that more than 30 studies conducted in Europe have
shown that the herb helps people feeling "under the weather" or "a
little blue." "(In these cases) any simple intervention is unlikely to
work," Rosenthal said.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates roughly 19 million
Americans suffer from some form of depression. Tieraona Low Dog, a
medical professor at the University of New Mexico, said she recommends
St. John's wort over prescription drugs to patients with mild
depression or who are concerned about side effects.
"I see a gray area between people who are severely depressed and those
that are happy," she said. "A lot of people live there. But they're
not severe enough to put on prescription."
Concerns have been raised about herbal remedies because they are not
as closely regulated as pharmaceuticals and may have varying amounts
of active ingredients.
The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning last year that St.
John's wort might impair the absorption of some drugs used by AIDS and
transplant patients into the bloodstream.
4. FDA Warns Manufacturers Giving Foods a Botanical 'Boost'
By Sally Squires
WASHINGTON, Jun. 19, Washington Post -- Why just quench your thirst when
you can down a beverage that promises
to improve your memory, boost your immune function or even give you
"magic energy"? But before you reach for one of a growing number of
botanically enhanced foods and drinks that sound almost too good to be
true, you should know that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
is demanding that several manufacturers prove these products are safe
and don't make misleading or untruthful claims.
Earlier this month, the agency sent letters to three food makers --
Fresh Samantha Inc., U.S. Mills Inc. and Hansen Beverage Co. --
warning them to bring their products into line with the Federal Food,
Drug and Cosmetic Act or risk further regulatory action, including
possible removal from the market. The FDA cited Fresh Samantha Super
Juice with Echinacea; Healthy Start Immune Juice with echinacea; and
two breakfast cereals, New Morning Organic GinkgOs and Organic Ginseng
Crunch. Letters to more companies are planned, according to the FDA.
Among the improprieties cited by the FDA were unauthorized content
claims and the false labeling of some products as dietary supplements.
Such activities are prohibited by the 1994 Dietary Supplement and
Health Education Act, which covers pills and elixirs that contain
dietary supplements but does not regulate conventional foods. The FDA
also warned the companies against making:
Claims that the products provide a percentage of the recommended daily
intakes for the botanicals when no such standards exist. Recommended
intakes are set only for essential nutrients, such as vitamins and
minerals. Both Fresh Samantha and Healthy Start were cited for making
misleading claims for echinacea. U.S. Mills was cited for making
similar claims about gingko.
Claims that can only be made for drugs and require pre-market
submission of safety and efficacy data to the FDA. Healthy Start was
cited for boasting that echinacea "may help stimulate the body's
production of interferon," an immune-enhancing substance. U.S. Mills
was cited for claims that Organic GinkgOs can reduce "blood clotting"
and "sustain memory," and that Organic Ginseng Crunch can boost
"mental concentration, physical vitality and energy."
While these were the only makers cited for now, the FDA said it is
looking closely at many similar products that may also be in violation
of the federal law because they are blurring the distinction between
drugs and foods. In recent years, at least one company -- McNeil
Consumer Healthcare, maker of the cholesterol-lowering Benecol spread
-- tried to skirt the more restrictive food and drug rules by
introducing its product as a dietary supplement covered by the less
demanding standards of the 1994 law. When the FDA objected, the
company agreed to market the product as a food.
"These letters are for products that are like hundreds of other
products that are out there," says Christine Lewis, director of the
FDA's Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary
Supplements. "Just because these companies happened to get the letters
doesn't mean that the others won't get letters, too."
The food and beverage industry "has a responsibility to meet the
criteria for adding ingredients to conventional foods," said Lewis.
That means, she said, that companies must submit scientific proof that
all ingredients -- even botanicals -- are "generally recognized as
safe" when included in foods and beverages. "All we are asking them to
do is to share that information with us," Lewis said. "Assumedly, they
have it. If they don't, well, that is a problem."
The companies were given 15 days to explain to the FDA how they have
corrected the violations. Failure to make corrections promptly could
result "in seizure and/or injunction," noted John B. Foret, FDA's
director of compliance and enforcement.
Executives for Fresh Samantha were traveling last week and were said
to be unavailable for comment. Calls to U.S. Mills and Hansen Beverage
were not returned.
But the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade group that
represents 100 companies in the dietary supplement industry, said it
has convened an expert panel to assess the safety and benefit of
top-selling botanicals -- although not as ingredients in foods and
beverages.
"These botanicals have a long history of safe use and extensive
supporting scientific data," said John Cardellina, CRN's vice
president for botanical science. Because ginkgo can interfere with
blood clotting, Cardellina says, "the only substantive concern with
any of these is that ginkgo should not be used in conjunction with
blood thinning agents."
5. Herb Research Foundation Disputes FDA Warnings to Manufacturers
BOULDER, Colo., Jun. 8, M2 Presswire -- Recent FDA warnings to manufacturers
of food products containing herbs are founded on misinterpretation and
misuse of food additive regulations passed in 1958, according to Rob
McCaleb, president of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, CO.
Citing concerns about "the integrity of the conventional food supply,"
the FDA sent warning letters yesterday to three food manufacturers,
cautioning them that their products contain "novel ingredients" that are not
generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the agency. More warning letters will
follow during the coming week, FDA claims.
McCaleb asserts that the ingredients singled out by the FDA are neither
food additives nor "novel food ingredients," but rather whole foods that
have been safely consumed as herbal teas, dietary supplements, and
traditional foods for decades. "The FDA is again abusing food additive law
in much the same way it did with herbs before the passage of DSHEA [the
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act]," said McCaleb. "Congressman
Delaney introduced food additive regulations in 1958 because he was
concerned about the increasing levels of chemicals in our food supply.
Delaney specified that the law would cover 'food chemicals only,' not whole
food ingredients like herbs."
Based on the long history of safe use of the herbs most commonly added to
functional beverages, safety should not be an issue with the FDA, said
McCaleb. This is particularly true in light of the fact that very small
amounts of herbs are typically added to foods and beverages. "It's ironic
that the FDA has singled out two herbs, echinacea and Siberian ginseng, that
are renowned for their exemplary safety," he remarked. "There are no reports
in the literature of harm resulting from consumption of either of these
herbs, in dietary supplements or in foods. In addition, their long history
of use indicates that they are 'grandfathered' under the food additive law,
because they were both in widespread use before 1958."
Sales of "functional" foods and drinks containing herbs totaled $700
million last year. Drinks containing herbs constitute the fastest-growing
segment of the beverage market, according to the market research firm Frost
& Sullivan.
The Herb Research Foundation (HRF) is a Boulder, CO-based nonprofit
organization that has been educating the world about herbs since 1983.
6. "The Latest Echinacea Seedling Scam"
Jun. 30 -- Canadian echinacea growers are disturbed by a trend to market
echinacea farming as a "get-rich" scheme in Alberta. In one scheme,
described by a British Columbia grower as "the latest echinacea seedling
scam", farmers are being lured to echinacea by promises of unrealistic
buy-back prices for the roots they grow.
In an era of over supply and historic low market prices as low as $12 a
pound (Canadian dollars), Alberta buy-back schemes promise farmers as much
as $35 a pound for Echinacea angustifolia roots.
Farmers must agree to buy seedlings and promise to sell back the roots in
three years. One root buy-back plan advertised on the Internet suggests
that farmers can earn gross profits of $40,000 to $60,000 on a $5,000
investment for 10,000 seedlings. Part of the "potential" profit comes
from seed sales of 15-20 pounds, which the website suggests will fetch
$500 to $600 a pound on the open market. But current retail prices for
certified Echinacea angustifolia seeds are as low as $300 a pound.
Nutrition Business Magazine reports that U.S. echinacea sales declined
1.6% in total value last year, from (U.S.) $214 million in 1999 to $210
million in 2000. Canadian growers have reported difficulties selling crop
as echinacea from offshore sources are adding to the market pressures. In
the face of these pressures, echinacea growers are concerned that a sudden
influx of more Canadian echinacea prompted by buy-back schemes may further
worsen the prospects for the crop in Canada.
7. Herbs Decreasing as Proportion of U.S. Health Food Store Sales
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J., Jun. 30 -- In an annual survey of retail health
food stores, Whole Foods, a U.S. journal for the health food industry,
found that herb sales as a proportion of total sales 22.6% declined in
2000. Herb sales dropped to 16.8% of total store sales in 2000 from 21.7%
in 1999.
As a percentage of total store sales, herbs still ranked second in order
of importance at 16.8%, behind dietary supplements at 44.6% and ahead of
foods at 12.6% of total store sales.
Among dietary supplements, the category with herbal and non-herbal
ingredients increased 5.2% while single mineral and single vitamin
supplements declined 7.8% and 12.5% respectively. Sports nutrition and
specialty supplements were areas that showed biggest increases over 1999.
8. Herbal Supplements Win Scientific Validity
NEW YORK, Jun. 5, PRNewswire -- MarketResearch.com, a business intelligence
marketplace, announced the release of a new report, "The U.S. Herbal
Supplement Market," published by Packaged Facts. According to the study,
herbal care has gained popularity and validity in recent years as herbs have
been deemed a medically legitimate form of treatment and prevention. As the
regulatory environment has opened up, pharmaceutical manufacturers have
identified the herbal supplement market as a growing industry with a high
potential for profit, and are now vying for market space against the
established supplement brands. Scientific validation has also had an impact
upon consumer demand. Americans concerned about aging, an inadequate diet,
and a medical system that may fail them at some time in the future, have
embraced preventive self-care which may lead to longer, healthier lives.
"The growth of the aging population of the United States will have a
direct influence on the herbal care market," said Richard Koulbanis, VP of
Publishing for MarketResearch.com. "Products that address conditions
associated with aging, as well as those that support gender specific health
concerns, will continue to be of interest to consumers, and the industry
will benefit from general shifts in demographics and attitudes."
Top selling herbs in the nation include ginkgo biloba and ginseng, with
a 16.7% and 10.5% market share, respectively. Garlic was the third most
popular with a 10.4% market share, followed by echinacea, at 9.9%. The
herbal supplement industry is up overall from $1.7 billion in 1996 and sales
grew in double-digits until peaking at $2.6 billion in 1998, while sales
grew at a compound annual growth rate of 8.2% from 1996 to 2000. The retail
market for herbal supplements will near $2.7 billion by 2005, a compound
annual growth rate from 2000 to 2005 of 3.6%. Annual growth will increase
from a projected flat rate from 2000 to 2001 to 5% by 2005. The compound
annual growth rate for the period 1996 to 2005 is projected to be 5.6%.
Health and natural product stores accounted for 50.1% of herbal product
sales in 2000, up 11.3 percentage points from 38.8% in 1996. In 2000 mass
merchandisers retained their place as the second-largest outlet for herbal
products, with a 10.4% share of market; drugstores followed with a 10.3%
share, and food stores held 6.2% of sales. Direct sales accounted for 17.6%
of market share, and mail order/Internet had a 5.4% share in 2000.
MarketResearch.com is the leading provider of global marketing
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global industries, companies, products and trends.
9. U.S. Insomnia Epidemic Waking Interest in Natural Sleep Remedies
CLEARWATER, Fla., Jun. 7, PRNewswire -- If you are unable to fall asleep or
stay asleep, you are affected by a condition called insomnia, the most
common of more than 100 currently classified sleep disorders. A 1991 Gallup
Poll commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that 36% of US
adults suffered from either occasional or chronic insomnia. During the past
ten years, that percentage has increased dramatically. Per the Foundation's
most recent survey, more than half of all US adults now suffer from the
disorder.
"Unprecedented stress levels combined with nutritional deficiencies in
the modern diet have made insomnia the first major epidemic of the 21st
Century," says alternative health care expert, Dr. Michael Pinkus.
Dr. Pinkus says while traditional medical guidelines for managing
insomnia usually include the administration of prescription medications,
their unwanted side effects, (which can include loss of motor coordination,
amnesia and diminished responsiveness), have caused millions of sleepless
adults to search out alternative remedies for getting a good night's rest.
"The dietary supplement industry has seen a 400% increase in sales of
natural sleep aids during the past five years," says Dr. Pinkus, who serves
as consultant to one of America's largest vitamin and supplement
manufacturers. "People have discovered that commonly available dietary
supplements are able to provide safer and more restful sleep than many
traditional prescription medications."
Dr. Pinkus says one such popular sleep-inducing supplement is Valerian.
Obtained from the root of the plant "Valeriana officinalis," Valerian is
sometimes referred to as "herbal Valium" because of its ability to relax
muscles and reduce anxiety. In most cases, it brings on sleep quickly and
effectively. The herb is sold in capsules, tinctures and extracts. It has a
distinctly unpleasant odor, but is generally regarded as the most powerful
of the herbal insomnia remedies.
"Because Valerian depresses the central nervous system, it should not be
taken before driving," says Dr. Pinkus. "It also should be avoided by
pregnant women. Valerian has also been found to act as a stimulant rather
than a sedative for one out of ten users," he adds.
Melatonin, another popular sleeping aid, is an amino acid that functions
as a hormone. It is manufactured in the brain and controls our circadian
rhythms -- daytime brain activity and nighttime sleep. Melatonin
deficiencies, often associated with aging, can cause insomnia. When
Melatonin is taken in recommended amounts there are no known harmful
short-term effects.
"Because it does function as a hormone, some physicians do not encourage
long-term use of Melatonin," says Dr. Pinkus.
Kava, a member of the pepper family (Piper methysticum), is native to
the islands of the South Pacific. Kava root is especially popular in Europe
where it was found to be a safe substitute for prescription tranquilizers
and sleeping pills.
"Kava contains mild psychoactive chemicals called kavalactones which
work on the brain to create a calming, sedative effect," says Dr. Pinkus.
Kava comes in capsules, liquids, and extracts. It is also sometimes
available as a powder.
"High doses of kava products may impair motor control, and persistent
heavy consumption may cause diarrhea, an overall lethargy, or scaly skin.
Eliminating kava from the diet reverses these conditions," says Dr. Pinkus.
Dr. Pinkus says another supplement growing in popularity is 5-HTP,
(short for 5-hydroxytryptophan), a modified form of the amino acid
L-tryptophan.
5-HTP, derived from seed pods of the West African plant Griffonia
simplicifolia, is converted into serotonin, a brain chemical which produces
a soothing, calming and content feeling. L-tryptophan supplements were
popular in the US until a chemical contaminant in a bad batch from a
Japanese company caused an outbreak of eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS),
killing nearly forty persons. While L-tryptophan has been banned by the FDA
since 1998, 5-HTP is readily available as a natural sedative.
"There was recent controversy over 5-HTP when a test conducted in 1999
by the US Food and Drug Administration of six random brands of 5-HTP
detected the presence of low levels of impurities similar to those thought
to be responsible for the 1998 EMS outbreak," says Dr. Pinkus.
Dr. Pinkus says of all the currently available natural sleep aids,
calcium and magnesium supplements provide the greatest overall nutritional
benefit.
"These two minerals are essential for many biochemical processes within
the body, including the promotion of proper conduction of electrical
impulses in nerves and muscles. Taken together in a ratio of two parts
calcium to one part magnesium, these minerals act as an effective
neuromuscular relaxant to promote a calm, restful sleep," says Dr. Pinkus.
Based on current research, Dr. Pinkus says calcium gluconate appears to
be the best source of calcium.
"To avoid the possibility of contamination by toxic substances such as
mercury, arsenic and lead, avoid calcium-magnesium mixtures containing
calcium carbonate, oyster shell, bone meal and dolomite," says Dr. Pinkus.
Dr. Pinkus says calcium is best assimilated in an acid medium, (like
lemon juice), which allows for its quick absorption into the body.
"Nature often provides us with simple remedies to handle seemingly
complex physical problems," says Dr. Pinkus. "For those unable to relax or
sleep, dietary supplementation may be the simple solution they're looking
for."
Dr. Michael Pinkus, D.C., is one of North America's best-known
spokespersons for Alternative Health Care, and a consultant for Nulab
Industries, manufacturer of Standard Brand Vitamins and the Nutrina line of
dietary supplements. Doctor Pinkus is a specialist in drug-free therapies
for pain and stress management. His patients have included members of NBA,
NFL and the US Olympic Team.
10. Interest Grows in Herbal Medicines?
By Mwape Mwewa
LUSAKA, Jun. 22, The Times of Zambia -- In Europe and other developed
countries, the term 'Scientific' no longer produces a feeling of awe in as
far as food and medicines are concerned.
In fact, any product with such a tag is looked at with trepidation. For
science has over the years been inconsistent in determining what is best
for humans on earth. After all, it is good food and medicine, which play a
pivotal role in man's continued existence on earth and the quality of
life.
Reports of medicinal products, which at one time scientists had dubbed
as the final solution being withdrawn from the market are quite rife. This
hide and seek game has led many people to lose confidence in some
so-called scientific breakthroughs.
Research in animal, and indications of a slide towards human cloning
and other genetic alterations have increased fear among consumers.
Perhaps, the Hollywood, 'Mad Scientist' has come home to roost in our era.
As an example, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the
United Nations (UN) recently issued a report that, one third of the
pesticides worth 3$ billion exported to countries in the sub-Sahara Africa
region are toxic and dangerous, and do not meet international standards
determined by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In the same vein, writer and researcher, Martin Watt, in an article
titled, 'Natural Toxins in Traditional Medicines -- Some myths removed'
wondered why most pharmacologists, and doctors, assume that only them are
capable of using natural medicines safely when traditional healers have
used powerful medicinal plants for thousands of years? Yet hazardous
synthesised drugs and other man made chemicals have been developed by
science graduates, who then have the nerve to pontificate on how dangerous
some of the chemicals in plants are. If their methods of constant string
of drugs being removed from sale, due to severe adverse side effects which
have not shown up in pre- launch testing? And in a local survey by this
writer, a drug, whose generic name isindomethacin while the trade name is
indocid and which some pharmacists have confirmed prescribed for general
pain and as an anti- inflammatory, is being used by some members of the
public to kill rats. Its potency on these rodents is as lethal as other
rat killer poisons on sale.
Now, one wonders what the cumulative effect these chemicals have on
humans.
After all, it is a fact of life that most chemicals that can eliminate
other forms of life, even a simpler one like a mosquito, must have some
adverse effect on a higher form of life like the human biological
structure.
And if the zeal with which traditional healers are dragged before
courts of law to answer charges of murder were to be applied to
conventional doctors, and especially pharmaceutical companies, this
country and the rest of the world would have rid itself of the worst
killers on earth.
And in spite of the fact that Zambia and other African countries boast
of a myriad of natural riches, these unfortunately are ignored and not
considered as a source of the much needed therapeutic answers to our drugs
shortages. Naturally, one cannot forget the damage which was done to our
cultural heritage (medicine included) by the colonialists who labeled
everything we were doing as primitive.
This notion has stuck on us so much so that even straight forward
application of herbal remedies is considered as being backward, primitive!
To this end, the word of a conventional doctor, even when such a person is
paroting what the colonialists said about our medicine, is the word of the
all-knowing civilised man, the word of a god! Therefore, whether such a
doctor is wrong or right, it becomes impossible for a patient to know the
truth and in most cases, seekers of medical advice advice and answers
rarely opt for a second or third opinion before choosing the mode of
therapy with the least side-effects but with maximum benefits. And in the
process, some cureable diseases or disorders deteriorate to a point
whereby even when, finally the rightful remedy is found and applied, the
results are negligible due to the fact that the patients biological status
has reached a point of no return.
However, things were not like this in the beginning. By utilising the
soil of the earth to create Adam, and empowering the earth to put forth
vegetation, God created an unbroken umbilical cord between the constituent
assembly of minerals in the earth and those of the human body. In this
connection, through various processes and finally by nutritional intake,
the former nurture the latter. And the body's state of equilibrium has
been maintained.
But this ideal situation was rocked by science, when man attempted to
make artificial substances to equate or surpass God's creative diversity
in spite of the fact that God had declared that what had been created was
'very good'.
Thus, this drive to 'be like God' led man to embark on experiments to
"improve" on God's creation. The resultant products in the form of
artificial foods and medicines began to take its toll on the human race by
disorienting the body's natural processing and absorption system, leading
to the introduction and mushrooming of new and strange diseases as well as
adverse side-effects.
Some fatal allergies also came on board. So, after reaching a dead end
and finally, this conclusion, the only option was to look back to nature
and start the learning process all over again.
And of their own, Thomas Jefferson, stated, "The greatest service which
can be rendered any country is to add a useful plant to its culture."
Further, the Herb Society of America (HSA) has ruled that, plants have
forever been a catalyst of our healing.
In addition, chief executive of Phytopharm (Plc), a UK registered
parmaceutical company, Dr Richard Dixey pointed out on their website of
November 7, 2000 that unlike synthetic anti-microbials, phytomedicines
(natural remedies) go beyond the symptomatic treatment of diseases.
And commenting on an agreement to evaluate three plant therapies for
the treatment of, among others, asthma and kidney inflammation, Dr Dixey
emphasised on his 'company's commitment to seek medicines based on
traditional medicinal materials for diseases that are poorly managed in
the developed world.
Locally, Zambian herbal remedies have proved that some so-called
incurable diseases and disorders are just a myth in the vocabulary of an
outdated conventional therapy library! There is an absolute and urgent
need for thorough review of the status for traditional herbal remedies if
health and the cost of maintaining it is to be sustained. And so long as
we believe that only medicines manufactured in pharmaceutical laboratories
are good enough for us, so long shall we continue to be recipients of
outdated medicines or be used as guinea pigs for unproven remedies.
In terms of economic benefits, it is estimated that at current levels,
the consumption of botanical medicines is gobbling up 4$ billion per annum
and still growing by leaps and bounds.
So, in a nutshell, consumer realisation and belief that nature is
superior and consumer dissatisfaction with conventional medicines with all
their severe side-effects are key factors that have contributed greatly to
the renewed and enhanced interest in natural herbal medicines.
11. Herbs Aid Ability to Study
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jun. 5, Healthy.net -- Herbal supplements can boost
the ability to learn and pass exams, scientists say.
A study revealed that ginseng and gingko, traditional herbal remedies, can
dramatically increase academic performance.
Experiments showed that students became more alert and performed better in
memory-based exercises after taking a combination of the herbs.
But the findings came with a health warning from herbal experts that
children should only use supplements sparingly and for short-term benefit.
Psychologist Dr Andrew Scholey, who led the research, said: "It's a simple
principle.
"Gingko and ginseng, which are both well established herbal remedies,
increase the amount of glucose and oxygen reaching the brain, improving
congnitive ability such as alterness and memory."
Dr Scholey admits that more information on the longer term usage of the
herbs is required and that further research must be carried out before
students are advised to rush to their nearest herbalist.
The scientist, who is based at the University of Northumbria, said: "At
present it would be irresponsible to encourage younger people to take
these things.
"Exam performance has a great deal to do with hard work and motivation and
there is no evidence that herbal treatments have any effect on either."
Keith Robertson, of the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine, agreed that
some herbs and vitamins could be beneficial to youngsters sittng exams,
but warned that they should only be used in the short term.
12. North Carolina Researchers Find Why Drugs, Herbs Cancel Each Other Out
By Megan Miller
RALEIGH, N.C., Jun. 15, The News & Observer -- Researchers have discovered
why half the drugs on the market may lose their effectiveness when
combined with other medicines or herbs that activate a protein in the
body's major drug-processing machinery.
Using the same technique that captured an image of DNA, researchers
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and
GlaxoSmithKline saw firsthand the workings of a key molecule in the
liver that is responsible for metabolizing drugs. The scientists
report their findings in today's issue of the journal Science.
This research will be invaluable to drug companies and consumers
because it will allow pharmaceutical companies to weed out compounds
that would have unwanted interactions with other drugs before the
drugs make it to consumers.
"Chemists are good at making lots and lots of compounds very quickly,
so we need to develop a filter and get rid of some of them," said
Steve Cleaver, a molecular endocrinologist at GSK. "This will save a
tremendous amount of time and energy, and the compounds that are made
are not going to suffer from these side effects."
Meanwhile, the information will be helpful to doctors, who have for
years known that certain combinations of drugs -- or herbs and drugs
-- result in either a loss of effectiveness or dangerously high levels
of the medicine.
"Every time I prescribe a drug for someone already on four or five
drugs, all I can do is avoid the few known interactions, and then
cross my fingers and hope nothing bad happens," said Dr. P. Murali
Doraiswamy, a psychiatrist at Duke University Medical Center. "This is
a gamble physicians and patients are forced to make every day because
of the limits of our knowledge."
The GSK scientists studied two medications -- the abortion pill RU-486
and the herb St. John's Wort. UNC researchers concentrated on a
cholesterol-lowering drug.
Already, the GSK group had discovered a protein they called PXR, which
binds to drugs in the liver, triggering the release of an enzyme that
breaks down most drugs. The scientists believe that when two drugs are
taken, this reaction can occur even if only one of the drugs binds to
PXR, causing the second drug to be broken down as well. The result is
the kind of drug interaction that diminishes or alters one drug's
effect.
"What people need to be aware of is the potential for drug-drug
interactions or unwanted side effects of taking an unregulated herbal
compound in addition to other drugs," said Matthew Redinbo, assistant
professor of chemistry at UNC and lead author of the report.
Part of the GSK group's research with St. John's Wort proved that the
herb binds to the PXR molecule, which may explain why it has a
tendency to diminish the efficacy of oral contraceptives. That
connection, however, remains to be confirmed.
13. Herbal Supplement Improves Female Sexual Health
PARIS, Jun. 26, PRNewswire -- The results of a study on a nutritional
supplement expressly formulated for female sexual health (ArginMax(R) for
Women) will be presented at the 15th Annual World Congress of Sexology in
Paris, France on June 28. The study reports
significant improvement in women's sexual desire and overall satisfaction,
according to the co-author, Mary Lake Polan, MD, PhD, MPH, Professor and
Chair, Department Of Gynecology/Obstetrics, Stanford University School of
Medicine. The study results were published as an abstract in the May/June
issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based
Medicine.
The World Association of Sexology (W.A.S.) brings together thousands
of educators, doctors, scientists and therapists from around the world to
share important new scientific information and developments in the field
of sexology and to discuss effective approaches towards comprehensive
sexual education. This year's program is being held at Le Palais Des
Congres from June 24-28.
Sexual health encompasses both sexual desire and physiological
response. A landmark study (JAMA, 1999) assessed the prevalence of sexual
issues across various social and age groups. The study reported that there
are many more unaddressed sexual health issues among women than previously
believed, yet relatively little research has been conducted in this area.
In this double-blind placebo-controlled study, 93 women, ages 22-73,
enrolled as participants lacking in sexual desire. Of the 93 women
involved, 46 received a nutritional supplement and 47 received a placebo.
The participants used the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire to
rate their level of sexual health before and after the completion of the
study while taking either a placebo or the supplement.
At the end of four weeks, 62 percent of the active group reported
significantly improved satisfaction with their overall sex life, compared
to 38 percent in the placebo group (p0.01) In the active group, 64 percent
reported an improvement in their level of sexual desire, compared to 43
percent in the placebo group. A sub-group of peri-menopausal women also
showed similar improvements.
The nutritional supplement used in the study is a patent-pending
formula that contains special extracts of ginseng and ginkgo, damiana,
L-arginine and 14 other vitamins and minerals. Ginseng, ginkgo and the
other ingredients have a long history of use. L-arginine is an essential
amino acid reported to play an important role in sexual health. "There
are a lot of herbal ingredients that are marketed for sexual health, but
to our knowledge, this is the only nutritional supplement for women that
is supported by any clinical research." according to Dr. Polan.
14. BioValidity Rates Yohimbe Erectile Function Research
LANSDALE, Pa., Jun 28, BW HealthWire -- Health claims that the herb
Yohimbe will benefit male erectile function have received a "strongest"
research rating by BioValidity, an independent organization that
researches and evaluates studies on current nutritional benefit claims.
Consumers and health practitioners should take caution, however, since
research also shows that Yohimbe can also cause serious side effects and
drug interactions.
The health claim that Yohimbine hydrochloride may improve a male's
ability to achieve an erection has received the highest research grade in
BioValidity's BioNutritional Encyclopedia, or BNE. The "strongest" science
rating was assigned based on 23 scientific studies conducted on this
health claim and published in numerous peer-reviewed research journals.
The rating was applied after reviewing 20 "pro" studies on Yohimbe
(including double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies), and 3 "con"
studies.
Studies also point out, however, that Yohimbe may cause hypertension,
panic attacks, manic-like symptoms in patients with bipolar depression,
and numerous other serious side-effects and drug interactions. It is
therefore important that consumers consult with physicians before seeking
out Yohimbe as a supplement.
Yohimbe is attained from the bark of the West African Yohimbe tree. The
tree's bark is rich with the alkaloid yohimbine, a purified form of
Yohimbe that has been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac. The substance
is very popular in Germany, and traditional medicine has used it to treat
ailments such as hypertension and angina.
The "Strongest" rating placed on Yohimbe is only given to health claims
when the research findings on the topic are consistent and widely
accepted. This rating denotes research attained through clinical studies
of humans that conclude with a "significant effect or improvement on a
health-related endpoint." The research has to be strong and sound in order
to receive the highest rating, according to Dr. David Hamlin, President
and CEO of BioValidity, Inc.
"BioValidity is committed to acting as a nutrition watchdog," said Dr.
Hamlin. "Our clients can be assured that before a substance is identified
with a strong health claim, both our BNE Research Team and Advisory Board,
composed of industry-recognized experts, will examine it closely. We also
examine interactions and precautions associated with substances, and keep
out clients informed on these critical matters as well." Dr. Hamlin is
quick to point out that consumer awareness is key when considering the
supplements.
"Sometimes individuals interested in making a profit may mislead or
otherwise misinform consumers on the health claims of any given
substances," said Dr. Hamlin. Because of the numerous potential side
effects and drug interactions, consumers should consult with their
physicians.
The BNE is a comprehensive online source of nutritional information,
health concerns and research, with information under review from over
55,000 journal studies. Nutrition, health concerns, and body systems are
the three topics researched by the BNE. Over 800 benefit statements of
more than 250 nutritional supplements are included. Interactions and
precautions are also included for each supplement.
The BNE evaluates scientific research on nutritional health claims and
rates them according to their scientific validity. BioValidity provides
this information as a research service to clients in health care and
industry; it does so on an independent and unbiased peer-reviewed basis,
and does not promote specific health claims or nutritional supplement use.
Advisory Board members for the BNE include: Robert J. Cousins, Ph.D.,
Boston Family professor of nutrition and director of the Center for
Nutritional Sciences at the University of Florida; John P. Foreyt, Ph.D.,
professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a nationally known
psychologist, clinical researcher, and expert on obesity; Peter Barton
Hutt, J.D., former chief counsel for the FDA and a nationally recognized
legal expert in the fields of food labeling, food standards, and drug
development; Joseph J. Jacobs, M.D., former head of the Office of
Alternative Medicine for the National Institutes of Health and director of
Policy and Program Analysis for the national AIDS Program Office; Paul A.
LaChance, Ph.D., professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Rutgers
University and the first food and nutrition coordinator for NASA.
BioValidity, headquartered in Lansdale, PA., has developed customized
knowledgebases for the nutraceuticals, life science, and food industries
since 1996. Popular products include the BioNutritional Encyclopedia(R)
and the Pet Nutrition Knowledgebase, used by a worldwide base of
commercial clients, and SearchNutrition.com, an individual subscription
service for physicians, dieticians, and other health care practitioners.
15. Ginger Tested as Cure for Morning Sickness
Jun. 18, Just-food.com -- Researchers have asked for more women to take part
in a formal evaluation of ginger, in an attempt to establish its medical
efficacy in reducing nausea during pregnancy.
Women suffering from morning sickness during pregnancy have long used the
herb to reduce vomiting, and 300 women have now taken part in official tests
conducted by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Women's and
Children's Hospital, Adelaide University.
16. Study Suggests Ginseng Has Little If Any Effect on Psychological Health
CORVALLIS, Ore., Jun 4, Ascribe News -- The popular dietary supplement
ginseng is purported to improve one's mood and all-around vigor, but a new
study published today in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association
suggests that ginseng has little if any effect on psychological health.
The study, conducted by researchers at Oregon State University and Wayne
State University, is one of the most extensive peer-reviewed studies of
ginseng ever conducted.
"Ginseng is being marketed to relatively healthy young people as a way to
feel even better -- a kind of yuppie supplement," said Bradley J. Cardinal,
an associate professor in the College of Health and Human Performance at
Oregon State. "We found it had no real effect on mood at all. It certainly
did not live up to some of its over-enthusiastic marketing claims."
Among the claims, the authors say, were that ginseng enhances mood, leads
to positive well-being, and generally makes you feel better. Marketing ploys
used to push ginseng promoted its use by astronauts and professional
athletes, and claimed it did everything from easing childbirth to working as
an aphrodisiac.
The study by Cardinal and Hermann J. Engels of Wayne State University
focused only on the alleged psychological properties of ginseng. The
researchers gave a regular, 200-mg daily dose of ginseng to one group of
volunteers for eight weeks. A second group received a double dose of 400-mg
daily; the third group received a sugar pill. None of the individuals knew
what they were taking.
At the end of the eight-week period, the researchers measured the effects
of the supplements on the volunteers' "total mood disturbance" using a
65-question "Profile of Mood States" inventory. They used the 20-item
"Positive and Negative Affect Scale," or PANAS, to target potential positive
and negative impacts more specifically. PANAS, commonly used by
psychologists and counselors, uses established positive adjectives, such as
"active," "alert" and "enthusiastic" and negative adjectives, including
"irritable," "jittery" and "nervous," to evaluate feelings.
To eliminate bias, the researchers evaluated the tests without initially
knowing which subjects were taking ginseng and which were taking placebos.
They compared the results with a baseline survey of the volunteers taken
just prior to the study.
They found no significant difference among the three groups. "What these
findings on psychological effect do is extend earlier research from our lab
that examined physiological outcomes of ginseng," said Wayne State
University's Engels. "Our previous research found, using a controlled
physical exercise stress test, that ginseng had no effects when given to
normal, healthy adults."
In this latest research, the group taking 200-mg of ginseng experienced a
2.5 percent increase in positive feelings during the eight weeks, but the
group taking a placebo had a greater increase, 5.0 percent. The largest gain
in positive feelings, 7.7 percent, went to the group taking 400-mg of
ginseng, but all of those numbers were within a statistical margin of error,
making the differences insignificant, the researchers say.
Categories of negative feelings and "total mood disturbance" were even
flatter across the board. The placebo group experienced the most noticeable
change in negative feelings, a 2 percent increase compared to 0.5 percent
for the other two groups. Cardinal said the most important category was
Total Mood Disturbance, because it looked at the broad spectrum of mood
enhancement experienced by the volunteers. The 200-mg group experienced a
greater increase, 1.8 percent, than the 400-mg group, which increased only
0.3 percent. The placebo group was in between with a 1 percent increase.
"Statistically, there really was no difference between the groups that
took ginseng, and the group that didn't," Cardinal said. "It is still
possible that ginseng may have an effect on certain individuals, or certain
populations, such as the sick and the elderly. But higher doses also may
bring on unwanted side effects. These are issues that need to be clarified
with additional well-controlled studies in the future."
Cardinal says the researchers set out to improve upon 27 other published
studies on ginseng they found in the literature. Their study used more
volunteers (83) for a longer duration than almost all the other studies, and
they even sent their ginseng to an independent laboratory to ensure that it
was of high quality.
Their double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed to eliminate
bias by both the volunteers and the researchers themselves.
"The bottom line," Cardinal said, "is that ginseng doesn't seem to do
much to enhance the psychological well-being of normal, healthy adults."
17. Study Shows Native Indian Tea Can Reverse Biological Aging Process
LYNDEN, Wash., Jun. 7, PRNewswire -- A medicinal tea used in the 1800s by
the Ojibway Indian tribe of Ontario, Canada, can slow and even reverse the
biological aging process, according to a recent study.
Dr. David Wikenheiser, an expert in biological age analysis, says
results of a thirty-day trial showed daily consumption of four ounces of the
eight-herb tea formula known as Flor-Essence, reduced the biological age of
volunteers in a fifteen-person test group by an average of 5.1 years.
"The combination of herbs in the tea formula produced a powerful anti-
oxidative effect," says Dr. Wikenheiser. "Controlling oxidation and free
radical production within the body is key to slowing and reversing the
biological aging process."
To determine the biological ages of the volunteers, Dr. Wikenheiser used
the Biological Terrain Analysis (BTA), a laboratory test that measures the
pH (acid/alkaline balance), oxidative load, and mineral content of blood,
saliva and urine. A computerized calculation was then generated to produce
each subject's biological or true age.
"The most significant improvement was experienced by a woman who was 29
years of age chronologically, whose first BTA test showed her to be 43
biological years of age, and whose second BTA test after consumption of the
tea showed her to be 27 biological years of age," says Dr. Wikenheiser.
Dr. Wikenheiser says the Ojibway herb tea formula became legendary
throughout Canada after a nurse named Renee Caisse administered it in the
early 1930s to patients terminally ill with cancer and other diseases.
"Renee Caisse reportedly was able to successfully treat many hundreds of
terminal cases using the tea, which she manufactured at her clinic with her
own supply of hand-picked herbs," says Dr. Wikenheiser. "There are volumes
of anecdotal evidence indicating the tea can produce significant health
benefits, and we felt that clinical testing of the formula as an antioxidant
should been undertaken," he says.
Dr. Wikenheiser says that the Ojibway tea formula also recently
underwent a study by the Russian Ministry of Health, where Chernobyl victims
suffering from chronic gastrointestinal conditions including ulcers, chronic
Hepatitis B, and virus-induced cirrhosis of the liver, experienced
significant reductions in pain and an increase in immune cell production by
the end of a four-week treatment.
"Considerable documentation of the antimutagenic, antioxidative and
antimicrobial properties of the eight individual herbs used in the Flor-
Essence formula has been generated over the past thirty or forty years, but
our study is the first to document the anti-aging effects produced by the
herbs in this specific synergistic combination," says Dr. Wikenheiser.
The individual herbs used in the Flor-Essence formula are Burdock Root,
Sheep Sorrell, Slippery Elm Bark, Turkish Rhubarb, Red Clover Herb, Blessed
Thistle, Kelp and Watercress.
While most individuals are interested in knowing their biological age,
not everyone has access to Biological Terrain Analysis. Dr. Wikenheiser
says a reasonable alternative is the Biological Age Questionnaire available
free from Flora, Inc., the US distributor of the Flor-Essence formula tea.
Also available is an audio CD tracing the complete history of formula,
beginning in 1892, the year it was revealed to Canadian prospectors by the
Ojibway tribe.
Dr. Wikenheiser is an expert in Biological Terrain Analysis. He holds a
Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine, and is a member of the Canadian
Naturopathic Association and the College of Naturopathic Physicians of
British Columbia. He has been interviewed on the topic of premature
biological aging on dozens of television and radio programs throughout North
America.
18. Trials Test Performance of Jujube-based Alternative to Viagra
By John von Radowitz
UNITED KINGDOM, Jun. 13, PA News -- A herbal alternative to Viagra
which can be bought over the counter has been shown to boost the
sexual performance of men in a controlled clinical trial, it was
disclosed today.
Veromax, derived from the fruit of a tropical tree, is said to
have a dramatic effect on both men and women without any serious
side effects.
But until now there has only been anecdotal evidence that the
passion pill works.
Today the results of a multi-centre trial in the United States
showed that Veromax had a significant effect when compared with a
dummy placebo supplement containing no active ingredients.
The trial involved 60 male volunteers who were not diagnosed as
impotent but had been experiencing sexual difficulties.
Each was assigned randomly either to a placebo group or a group
taking Veromax.
After three months 72% of men using the supplement saw a marked
improvement in their ability to achieve an erection, compared with
28% of the placebo group.
The trial was led by Dr James Blom, an independent consultant
to the nutrition industry based in Maine.
Dr Melvin Duckett, president of Veromax International in
Baltimore, said: "The trial was conducted to the same standards
as those used by the pharmaceutical industry, and the results
clearly show that Veromax improves sexual performance."
Veromax is sold as a performance enhancer but not as a medical
treatment, like Viagra, he said.
It works by promoting the production of nitric oxide, which
opens up blood vessels and improves blood flow. Viagra achieves
the same result by inhibiting an enzyme which naturally breaks
down nitric oxide.
Millions of doses of Veromax have been sold in the USA. It is
now available in the UK from Boots stores and by mail order.
Nick O'Hare, managing director of London suppliers Osbon
Medical, said: "It's picking up very fast here. Currently we are
selling about 100 units a month."
Veromax contains an extract from the fruit of jujube tree which
grows in south-east Asia and the west coast of Africa.
It costs 30 British pounds for a month's supply.
19. Herbal Essential Oils Effective Against Flu and Cold Bacteria
Jun. 30 -- Researchers at the Teikyo University Institute of Medical
Mycology in Tokyo found bacteria associated with colds and flu are
susceptible to blasts of essential oils. Fourteen essential oils and
their major constituents were tested against Haemophilus influenzae,
Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus
aureus. Among the 14 essential oils tested, those from cinnamon bark,
lemongrass and thyme were the most effective. For most essential oils
examined, H. influenzae was most susceptible, followed by S. pneumoniae
and S. pyogenes, and then S. aureus. The greatest effect was found to be
when bacteria were exposed to short blasts at high vapour concentration.
The study was published in the May issue of the Journal of Antimicrobial
Chemotherapy.
20. Korean Red Ginseng in HIV-infected Patients Delays Drug Resistance
Jun. 30 -- Korean Red Ginseng may delay the development of drug resistance
in HIV-infected patients. A Korean study found that when ginseng was
administered to patients taking the drug zidovudine the incidence of
resistance mutations to the drug in the enzyme, reverse transcriptase,
was lower. Previous research showed that the CD4+ T cell counts in HIV
patients were maintained or even increased by prolonged intake of ginseng.
21. Possible Mechanism for Herb's Antitumour and Immunomodulatory Effects
Jun. 30 -- A Korean study has shown that a water extract of the root of
the balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) stimulates secretion of two
factors thought to control tumour growth and boost the immune system. In
a dose-dependent manner, the Platycodon extract increased production of
tumour necrosis factor and nitric oxide in cultured mouse macrophages.
Evidence was found that Platycodon acts by elevating the expression of the
genes for these two factors.
22. Herbal Energy Drinks Can Be Harmful in Large Doses, Says Dietitian
TAMPA, Fla., Jun 8, Ascribe News -- Whoever said you can't get too much of
a good thing has never seen the results of vitamin or mineral toxicity,
according to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian at the University of
South Florida and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
"I once had a girl walk in this office and she was as red as a tomato,"
Sass said. "After talking with her, I realized she had had too much of the
vitamin niacin, which may cause flushing or redness of the skin."
Many college students are consuming energy-boosting drinks geared for
late-night studying or seeking a boost before a workout. The drinks, such
as SoBe, Eclipse or Niagara, contain dietary supplements, caffeine and
herbs which can be harmful in large quantities.
While vitamins and minerals are necessary for good health, overdosing
on some of them can be harmful and even deadly, Sass warned. Recently, a
dietary supplement energy bar was recalled because it contained too much
of a particular vitamin.
"It's important for people to remember that herbs can have side effects
if used improperly or by those with certain medical conditions such as
heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, as well as those taking
certain medications," Sass said. "Just because it's natural doesn't mean
it can't hurt you."
"If you are taking a high dose of a nutrient in a multivitamin or other
pill, in addition to a significant amount of that nutrient from a beverage
and a generous amount from the food you eat, you could be getting too
much," Sass said.
Some of the drinks contain ginseng, a stimulant similar to caffeine.
"Overuse of the herb can cause an increase in blood pressure," Sass said.
Ginseng may also decrease blood sugar, so diabetics should be cautious
about consuming it, especially if they are taking insulin. "At very high
doses, it may cause insomnia, headaches, nervousness, nosebleeds and
vomiting," Sass said.
People on the antidepressant drug Nardil should also avoid ginseng,
because it can cause headache, tremors and mania.
Another common herb in many energy drinks is guarana. "This herb should
be used with caution if you have a heart condition, kidney disease, an
overactive thyroid or problems with anxiety or panic," she said.
"These drinks are not like traditional iced tea or flavored waters,"
she explained. Many of the ingredients fall into the category of dietary
supplements, which are not strictly regulated by the Food and Drug
Administration.
"Before spending your money on any product, do your homework," she
said. "Do not rely solely on information provided by the product's
manufacturer. Seek out non-biased information from credible health
organizations and take the time to weigh the pros and cons, including the
cost versus the benefits and the potential side effects."
"If you have a heart condition or any other medical conditions, talk to
your doctor or a registered dietitian before purchasing or using any
supplement -- whether it's a drink, powder, pill or bar," she added.
Sometimes plain old H2O is the best bet, she said. If you can't stand
the taste of water, make ice cubes with lemonade, limeade and other fruit
drinks, Sass said. Or squeeze some fruit juice into your water.
The University of South Florida is a metropolitan research university
with campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota/Manatee and Lakeland.
Last year, its students and faculty attracted $171.3 million in research
contracts and grants.
23. Caffeine Use May Pose Health Risks
By Robert Salonga
LOS ANGELES, Jun. 25, Daily Bruin -- Caffeine may be the drug of choice
for many looking to stay up and cram for an exam, but over-consumption
could lead to adverse health effects.
And with rising popularity of a caffeine culture, via the three coffee
houses on the University of California-Los Angeles campus and nationwide
chains like Starbucks, over-consumption is prominent among college
students.
"If I'm staying up throughout the night, I'll have coffee, but
sometimes when I pull all-nighters, I resort to caffeine pills," said
Christina Beede, a second-year political science student.
Considered safe from a medical standpoint, caffeine consumption not
only heightens the concentration of it in one's system, but it also
displaces adenosine, a chemical which would normally slow down brain
activity. This results in reduced fatigue.
But Eleanor Axe, an associate physician at the Arthur Ashe Student
Health and Wellness Center, said caffeine, which is a stimulant, may cause
stomach pain. Continued overuse can lead to inflammation of the stomach
lining and cause rapid or irregular heartbeats.
Caffeine is also a diuretic, prompting one to urinate more often than
usual. Those who consume caffeine on a daily basis must compensate by
drinking more than the recommended eight cups of water per day.
"People don't drink enough water to begin with," said Sheri Albert, a
registered dietitian for the Ashe Center. "Any student who consumes
caffeine must drink extra water."
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Americans
achieve three-quarters of their caffeine intake through coffee alone.
Albert said many reach the daily allowance of 200 to 300 milligrams of
caffeine without realizing it, and that effects vary depending on the
individual.
"Everyone's tolerance is different," she said, "Some people can drink a
lot of coffee and suffer harmful effects, and others wouldn't be fazed by
it."
An 8-ounce cup of instant coffee contains 100 mg of caffeine. Drinking
up to three cups, depending on individual tolerance, is still considered
safe.
But the medium-sized coffee drink at Starbucks packs 550 mg of caffeine
into a single serving.
Because commercial coffee drinks tend to have higher amounts of
caffeine, those who drink more than one per day tend to experience
increased effects.
In addition to coffee, many students say they use caffeine pills such
as No-Doz and Vivarin, concentrated capsules containing the recommended
daily allowance of caffeine in a single dose.
Beede said if students choose to use caffeine pills, they should take
small doses to decrease side effects, which include tension headaches,
hyperactivity and irritability. She also said students cannot rely on
products like these as substitutes for sleep.
"After a week, you'll crash and sleep for a day and a half," Beede
said. "You have a lower academic performance as well."
According to Axe, over-stimulation can cause impaired thinking.
Other effects of caffeine on the body include slight calcium loss in
the bones, which is minor if either milk is added to coffee or if the loss
is compensated through vitamin supplements. The recommended daily
allowance for calcium is 1,000 mg per day.
Students should also be cautious of combining caffeine with other
energy drinks, weight loss supplements or fat burner products. Albert said
many of these products are disguised as herbal blends but possess large
concentrations of caffeine.
Many of these products contain ephedra, commonly known as Ma Huang, an
Asian herb used for weight loss that when abused can lead to side effects
similar to those induced by amphetamines, including elevated blood
pressure, muscle disturbances, insomnia, dry mouth, heart palpitations,
nervousness and even death due to heart failure.
Caffeine abuse can be disastrous, but experts say careful consumption
can make side effects a minor concern.
"The important things are to know your limit, stay hydrated, take
calcium, and avoid combining it with ephedra," Albert said. "It's a
powerful drug and should be used in moderation."
24. Caffeine Increases Risk of Miscarriage
AACHEN, Germany, Jun. 11, DPA -- German nutritional experts have
warned
pregnant women to cut out caffeine after a Swedish study showed that
just 100 milligrams of caffeine, the amount contained in three cups of
coffee, increases the risk of miscarriage, especially in the early
months.
The German Institute for Nutritional Medicine and Dietics advises
pregnant women to replace coffee, energy drinks, black tea and colas
with caffeine-free thirst-quenchers such as fruit and herb teas,
mineral water and diluted fruit juices.
25. Thirteen Herbal Products Deemed Dangerous by FDA
WASHINGTON, Jun. 21, United Press International -- The Food and Drug
Administration Thursday warned consumers against using 13 Chinese herbal
products because they contain aristolochic acid, a substance can damage
the kidneys and is a potent carcinogen.
The 13 products are produced by Blue Light Inc. of Ithaca, N.Y., and
sold under the name Treasure of the East. The company has initiated a
recall and said it will no longer distribute any products containing
aristolochic acid.
The affected products carry a label with manufacturing Nos. 200008 or
lower. Products numbered 200009 and later are not affected.
The recalled products include Guan Mu Tong, Ma Dou Ling, Ba Zheng San,
Dang Gui Si Ni Tang, Dao Chi San, Fu Fang Di Hu Tang, Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan,
Kou Yan Ning, Long Dan Xie Gan Tang, Pai Shi Tang, Xiao Ji Yin Zi, Xin Yi
San and Yang Yin Xiao Yan Tang.
The products were distributed nationally to acupuncturists, herbalists
and herbal stores in powder form or capsules.
The FDA said the recall was the result of public health concerns and no
illnesses have been reported. Consumers may return the products to place
of purchase for full refund. For more information call1-888-258-3548.
26. Health Canada Issues Advisory Not to Use Ephedra or Ephedrine
OTTAWA, Jun. 14, Health Canada --Health Canada is warning consumers not to
use products containing the herb Ephedra, either alone or in combination
with caffeine and other stimulants, for purposes of weight loss, body
building or increased energy. Products containing Ephedra or ephedrine in
combination with caffeine and other stimulants are of particular concern,
since ephedrine may cause serious, possibly fatal, adverse effects in the
body when combined with these ingredients.
Ephedra is a botanical source of the drug ephedrine, and is used in
traditional and cultural medicines. It is authorized by Health Canada for
use as a nasal decongestant in over-the-counter cold products only. All
such products carry a Drug Identification Number (DIN) and should be used
only as directed, for short periods of time.
However, Health Canada is aware that many ephedrine-containing
preparations that are not approved for sale in Canada are being used by
Canadians. They most often contain a combination of Ephedra and caffeine
or some other stimulant. These Ephedra/stimulant combinations are not
commonly promoted in the practice of traditional and cultural medicine.
Instead, they are frequently imported for personal use, or sold in various
retail establishments such as fitness centres and health food stores and
marketed as diet aids, or energy boosters.
Ingredient panels on these products may list ma huang, Chinese Ephedra, ma
huang extract, Ephedra, Ephedra Sinica, Ephedra extract, Ephedra herb
powder, Sida Cordifolia or epitonin, all of which indicate a source of
ephedrine. Sources of caffeine or other stimulants in these products may
include: green tea, guarana, yerba mate, cola nut and yohimbe.
A review of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration database of adverse event
reports collected between June 1, 1997, and March 31, 1999, identified 10
cases resulting in death and 13 cases resulting in permanent impairment
that were considered to be possibly, probably, or definitely related to
dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. In Canada, a total of 60
adverse event reports have been received by Health Canada related to
Ephedra or ephedrine, alone or in combination with other products,
previous to October 2000. This total includes two deaths, both suicides,
which may or may not have been directly associated with the use of these
products. Reported adverse events range from episodes that may indicate
the potential for more serious effects, such as dizziness, tremors,
headaches and irregularities in heart rate, to seizures, psychosis, heart
attacks, and stroke.
Health Canada advises all individuals who may have used these products for
weight loss or increased energy to stop consuming them and consult their
health care practitioner if they have experienced any adverse effects from
taking the product.
27. Experts Review Most Recent FDA Reports on Ephedra
WASHINGTON, Jun. 5, U.S. Newswire -- Experts who reviewed the most recent
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports on Ephedra confirmed their
conclusion, based on the totality of evidence, that these reports do not
demonstrate an association between Ephedra consumption and serious adverse
events (AERs). This conclusion is consistent with recent clinical data
showing that Ephedra is safe and beneficial for weight loss, and with the
previous findings of Cantox Health Sciences International's quantitative
risk analysis, and of a multidisciplinary expert panel sponsored by the
Ephedra Education Council (EEC).
As part of an ongoing effort to work with the FDA and other federal and
state agencies to establish responsible standards for dietary supplements
containing Ephedra, the dietary supplement industry has obtained from FDA
the most recent AERs for Ephedra products. AERs cannot be viewed as
scientific "data," and it is not possible to use AERs to establish whether
an event is attributable to Ephedra or whether Ephedra increases the risk of
adverse events. Nonetheless, industry has agreed to review all new AERs that
FDA receives for Ephedra products in an effort to help monitor whether the
current national standard for these products is working, and in order to
foster a more cooperative approach with FDA concerning the regulation of
these products.
"The review of the most recent AERs is consistent with the written
comments of the Expert Panel of the Ephedra Education Council submitted to
FDA in October 2000, which stated that 'available information does not
demonstrate an association between the use of dietary supplements containing
ephedrine alkaloids and serious adverse events' when consumed according to
the national standard," said Dr. Stephen Kimmel, Chairman of the EEC's
Expert Panel.
"These conclusions are also consistent with a quantitative risk study
submitted to FDA in December 2000 by Cantox Health Sciences International,
and with data from clinical studies on ephedrine and Ephedra products,
including the recently published abstract of the Harvard and Columbia
study," Dr. Kimmel added.
Researchers at the prestigious Harvard and Columbia Universities, who
recently published data in abstract form in the FASEB Journal and Obesity
Research, found that herbal Ephedra, when combined with caffeine, lowered
body weight, fat and body mass index. There were no significant adverse
events in this 6-month study, and rigorous testing of cardiac function
showed little or no effect on heart rate or blood pressure. In addition,
data published last month in The International Journal of Obesity also
showed that the combination of Ephedra and Guarana in healthy, overweight
subjects produced significant weight and fat loss.
As with past reports, the most recent batch of AERs shows why frequent
media reporting of the raw number of AERs is meaningless and only confuses
consumers. The new AERs include many that bear no relationship to Ephedra
consumption. This includes reports on products that did not contain Ephedra,
reports where no adverse event is listed, and cases where the event occurred
well prior to any Ephedra consumption. Also included were cases medically
unrelated to Ephedra, such as gallstones, small bowel obstruction and fat
feet, as well as ludicrous reports such as that of a married woman who had
an affair with a student, for which she has been criminally prosecuted. The
only experts who have reviewed the entire FDA collection of AERs have
consistently found that the AERs, when considered in the context of
scientific data from clinical studies, do not represent a public health
concern when Ephedra products are consumed according to current standards -
a total dose of 100mg per day at 25mg four times a day.
Most important, the enormous potential benefits of Ephedra products for
millions of consumers must be considered. According to the Centers for
Disease Control, more than 60% of Americans are obese or overweight, and
obesity results in 300,000 preventable deaths each year in the United
States. Because of the clinical data showing safety and efficacy, leading
experts in obesity have urged FDA to permit continued access to Ephedra
products, one of the few useful tools that consumers have to help them lose
weight.
The Ephedra Education Council (EEC) is supported primarily by members of
the Ephedra Committee of the American Herbal Products Association, a
recognized leader in promoting the safe and responsible marketing of dietary
supplements. The Council provides factual information to the media and
public about dietary supplements containing Ephedra.
28. CSPI Applauds Proposed Nutrition Labelling Rules for Canada
OTTAWA, Jun. 18, Centre for Science in the Public Interest -- On Saturday,
Health Canada proposed regulatory amendments that would make
the most sweeping changes to food labelling laws in decades. The Ottawa
office of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) assembled a
coalition of 17 non-profit groups (the Alliance for Food Label Reform) which
pressured the government to act. The coalition represents 2 million
Canadian consumers, scientists, physicians, nutritionists, and other health
professionals.
Bill Jeffery, National Coordinator of the Centre for Science in the Public
Interest (CSPI), had the following comment:
"This is a landmark event in the effort to improve the public health through
diet. Health Canada's proposed nutrition label will make choosing healthy
foods much easier. Our 2- million-strong coalition has advocated mandatory
nutrition labelling for four years.
"However, we are disappointed that Health Canada did not propose listing
refined sugars and requiring nutrition labelling on packaged fresh meat -- a
major source of saturated fat -- fresh poultry and seafood.
"Also, some of the proposed rules may allow health and nutrition claims on
such foods as fatty ice cream, cheeses, and onion rings; sugary preserves
and salty pickles. High calcium ice-cream might help stave off
osteoporosis, but all that saturated fat could promote heart disease. The
rules need to be tightened to prevent persuasive marketing claims on foods
that could decrease the risk of one disease while increasing the risk of
another."
29. U.S. Federal Trade Commission Targets Cures Sold on Internet
By David Ho
WASHINGTON, Jun. 14, AP -- The Federal Trade Commission has
settled fraud charges against five companies that used the
Internet to sell miracle cures for everything from AIDS to cancer.
The companies must stop their false advertising and, in some
cases, repay their customers and pay fines to the government, the
FTC said Thursday. A sixth company has agreed to stop making
unsupported claims while the case against it is pending.
The release of results from the FTC's "Operation Cure.All" is
the agency's first major announcement since Timothy J. Muris
became its chairman this month.
"Today's Internet is a vital health care resource," Muris said,
noting that 90 million Americans go to Web sites for health
information. "Unfortunately, the Internet is also a convenient
medium for those who prey on sick and vulnerable consumers."
Muris said at a press conference that the FTC would increase
its efforts to combat Internet health fraud, but did not give
specifics. Muris, a former law professor at George Mason
University, headed the FTC's consumer protection and competition
divisions during the early 1980s.
The FTC said the targeted companies offered an array of dietary
supplements and medical devices including:
--A device that delivered mild electric current to kill
parasites allegedly responsible for diseases such as cancer and
Alzheimer's.
--Shark cartilage, colloidal silver and the hormone DHEA -- all
touted as cures for numerous ailments.
--Herbal cures costing hundreds of dollars and marketed as
alternatives for surgery, radiation treatments or chemotherapy.
According to the FTC, an advertisement from Western Herb and
Dietary Products Inc. read: "After curing your cancer with this
recipe it cannot come back. ... But if you do not wish to make
your doctor angry you could follow her or his wishes, too. Be
careful not to lose any vital anatomical parts in surgery though,
because you may need them later when you are healthy!"
Western Herb, based in Blaine, Wash., markets various herbal
products and electric "zapper" units to treat diseases.
The FTC said it filed charges against that company on June 4 in
U.S. District Court in Seattle and the company agreed Wednesday to
stop making unsupported claims while the case is pending.
Attorneys for the company did not immediately return calls
seeking comment.
Two companies -- Panda Herbal International of Bensalem, Pa.,
and ForMor Inc. of Conway, Ark. -- marketed the herb St. John's
wort as a safe treatment for illnesses including HIV and AIDS. The
FTC said there is not enough evidence to support that claim and
that the herb is known to interfere with HIV/AIDS medications.
Pregnant women should also avoid the herb, the agency said.
"It's bad enough when someone, with little or no evidence,
touts unproven remedies to vulnerable populations," said Walter H.
Carr, a chairman with the National AIDS Health Fraud Task Force
Network. "It's even more frightening when they do so despite --
and without so much as a mention of -- emerging risks that those
remedies pose to the very people to whom they are pitching their
sale."
Both companies will now have to include with their advertising
a warning about drug interactions.
The other companies that agreed to settle charges are Aaron Co.
of Palm Bay, Fla.; Jaguar Enterprises of Mesquite, Texas; and
MaxCell BioScience, also known as Oasis Wellness Network, of
Broomfield, Colo., which also must pay the FTC $150,000.
By agreeing to settle, none of the companies admitted violating
any law.
The FTC warns that consumers should beware of panaceas and be
particularly wary of terms like "scientific breakthrough,"
"miraculous cure," "exclusive product," "secret ingredient" or
"ancient remedy."
30. Parent Sentenced for Poisoning Eight Football Players with Herb
By Tim Dahlberg
LAS VEGAS, Jun. 2, AP -- The 49ers youth football team was excitedly
practicing for a championship game when players started running off the
field holding their stomachs.
Eight boys, ages 12 to 14, were soon vomiting violently -- victims of
poisoning, and casualties of an epidemic of parental rage sweeping through
youth sports.
"At what point did sports become not just for the kids and fun?" said
Marshall Mathews, a parent and assistant coach on the 49ers youth football
team in Las Vegas.
"All my years in sports my parents cheered me. No one could have imagined
doing something like this," he said of the team's poisoning.
The players got sick when parent Jerome Breland, trying to get back at a
player who picked on his 12-year-old son, put an herbal extract that induces
vomiting into his son's juice and told him to have the teammate drink it.
The team didn't have enough water, however, and other players ended up
drinking the juice. Breland was given six months' house arrest and ordered
to perform a year of community service.
One of the sickened players, Stephen Boggione, was so traumatized he
doesn't want to play sports anymore.
"He was afraid he would have to drink the water," the elder Stephen
Boggione said.
31. Herbal Warning: Stop Sales or Else, Inventor Says
CHINA, Jun. 15, ChinaOnline -- A Chinese herbal medicine developer
sent a warning to 70 Japanese companies and several hundred
Japanese Web sites June 12 demanding they stop the unauthorized
sale of his patented products and other related operations before
June 30.
If the Japanese companies refuse to comply, he will lodge a
suit against them in Tokyo for infringement of the franchise
rights, the right of reputation, portraiture rights and patent
rights, said a June 13 article in Beijing Chenbao (Beijing Morning
Post).
Protecting His Product
At the center of the dispute is the Tianxian anticancer herbal
medicine, which was developed by Wang Zhenguo, director of the
Changbaishan Pharmaceutical Research Institute in the city of
Tonghua, Jilin province. Wang learned from Japanese cancer
patients seeking consultations from him that some Japanese
companies had been selling the Tianxian herbal medicine, claiming
to be dealers, without his authorization.
In April, Wang confirmed there were 70 Japanese companies
selling the products without his authorization. Through a Web
search engine, he also found that sales advertisements of his
products had been posted on more than 400 Japanese Web pages.
Several of the Web advertisements gave the medicine's
composition and displayed Wang's portrait. He said such actions
have not only infringed on his personal rights but might also
affect the good name and the sales of Chinese herbal medicine
overseas, the article said.
He suspected most of the Japanese companies offering Tianxian
have purchased the herbal medicine through irregular channels.
Some individuals could have bought the medicine in China and taken
it to Japan, selling it to the companies now offering it on the
Web.
Wang said many problems arise through unauthorized sales, such
as price inconsistencies, sales tie-ins with other medicines,
application to unsuitable cases and missing or improper
instructions for taking the medicine.
Final Warning
Immediately after his discovery, Wang's lawyer sent a letter to
the companies caught selling the medicine. However, most of the
companies and Web sites gave no response at all. In the end, he
had to give them a final warning from the news release room of the
Xinhua News Agency.
Currently, 40 percent of China's herbal medicine manufacturers
are Chinese-foreign joint ventures, with the number of
foreign-invested pharmaceutical enterprises reaching 1,500.
Imported drugs dominate 30 percent of the domestic drug market.
Each year, China imports nearly US$100 million of herbal
medicines, according to the article.
Many foreign pharmaceutical enterprises have entered China
hunting for mature projects. After the new medicine is developed
with proprietary intellectual rights and is patented, the foreign
investors will reap huge profits from putting it on the
international market.
Domestic herbal medicine manufacturers, however, have given far
less attention to the importance of patent rights. Often they are
small and poorly run, the story said.
32. Zimbabwan Traditional Herbalist in a Class of Her Own
By Grace Mutandwa
HARARE, Jun. 21, Financial Gazette -- She is well read, articulate,
pretty, finely made up and would very well pass for a beautician and not
the traditional herbalist.
Rebecca Lloyd speaks of the medicinal properties of various herbs with
an astounding clarity and knowledge. In precise tones, she speaks with
conviction of the need to balance herbal intake with a clean diet.
Unlike many herbalists, Lloyd clearly states that she treats such
ailments as asthma, diabetes, bed-wetting, hypertension, sexually
transmitted diseases and various cancers but does not treat HIV/AIDS.
"I have helped several people who came in with asthma, fungal
infections, diabetes, tuberculosis, bed wetting and cancer but I can't
treat HIV/AIDS because there is no cure yet. All I can do is treat
opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS," she says.
Born in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo 35 years ago, Lloyd says she
had always been fascinated by herbal medicines.
After completing her secondary schooling at the city's Founders High
School, she sought the help of homeopaths to train her in the use of
herbal medicines but none was willing to take her on.
"Fortunately for me, I came across an advertisement from a woman
inviting trainees in herbal medicines and I enrolled for a three-year
course. I actually stayed on for four years to do an advanced programme,"
Lloyd says.
The woman who had come from South Africa taught them about the
functions of the body, healing properties from local and international
herbs, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy and the place of healthy foods in life.
"Just as we take care of our cars, homes and machinery, we must also
take very good care of our bodies through eating an abundance of alkaline
or base- forming foods," she says.
"But first, one must cleanse their bodies of excess acid and mucus. One
must have a pure bloodstream for the body to be able to benefit from the
healing properties of any herbs," she adds emphatically.
She strongly advises against consuming red meats, pork, eggs,
bicarbonate of soda, sodium benzoate, sugar, dairy products and all drinks
unless they are sugar-free, fresh fruit juices.
For those who cannot cut out meat completely from their diets, she
recommends fish and chicken but says the chicken skin must be discarded.
Lloyd, who has been a full-fledged herbalist for the past seven years,
says her clientele base is quite wide and has over the past few years been
seeing an increasing number of patients every week.
She runs her surgery from both her home in the low-density suburb of
Prospect as well as from an immaculate consulting room in the city centre.
Throughout the interview with me, I noticed a steady stream of
well-clad clients coming in for refills or consultations. Others were just
coming in to let Lloyd know that they were feeling better.
The picture of so many people visiting herbalists is almost reminiscent
of the early 1980s when the government introduced free health care. Now
modern medical centres are losing more patients to traditional healers
whose charges are lower. Long-term patients can also reach an
understanding with the herbalist on payment terms.
"There are so many people out there suffering not just because they
lack knowledge of the power of herbal medicines but also because of lack
of money. It would be easier if our patients could use their medical aid
for consultations or even paying for drugs," she says.
Smartly clad in a white doctors' coat over a white T-shirt and checked
shorts, Lloyd says she never goes to the bush to look for herbs but uses
world renowned and proven herbs from India, China, America and the United
Kingdom.
"I also use the African potato in powder, capsule form or whole. It has
been proven through studies in Denmark and at the University of
Stellenbosch in South Africa that the African potato can cure
tuberculosis, asthma, sexually transmitted diseases, swollen legs, skin
disorders and hair loss, among other ailments. It also increases white
blood cells (CD4 count)," the herbalist says.
She says that like any other medicine, the African potato has to be
administered by someone who knows exactly how it should be taken.
Lloyd also notes that there is an increase in the number of people
suffering from hypertension, asthma, cancer and ulcers, diseases that she
associates with poor eating habits.
She says she has treated cases of young children with ulcers and high
blood pressure, something she says was unheard of years ago.
"When we were growing up, I remember that in the rural areas we never
used to eat too much meat. The only times that a beast would be
slaughtered would be during wedding feasts or rituals. Afterwards the
grandmothers and aunts would prepare huge pots of herbs for us children to
drink to cleanse us of any acids from the meat.
"We grew up without the major diseases that are prevalent today. Most
of them can be avoided by simply changing your eating habits and by using
herbal medicines instead of some of the modern medicines on offer which,
while curing one thing, give you something else." A member of the Sabbath
Keepers, Lloyd says although she is not supposed to work on a Saturday she
will not turn away anyone who seeks medical help in order to observe the
Sabbath.
The herbalist is a mother of four who enjoys contemporary music and
watching side-splitting comedies or movies with a moral.
She says she only enjoys entertainment that is intelligently packaged,
likes cooking and spending time at Lake Chivero, just outside the capital,
with her husband and children.
Her final word? "Don't be defrauded of your health by cheap market
research that speaks against herbal medicines. Prove for yourself what
works!"
33. Zimbabwe's Traditional Healers Wade in Against AIDS
By Cris Chinaka
HARARE, Jun. 27, Reuters -- Zimbabwe's traditional healers have
become the first and sometimes only source of comfort for many of the
country's ever growing number of AIDS sufferers.
While the world's political elite on Wednesday wound up an
unprecedented United Nations summit on the AIDS pandemic, desperate
Zimbabweans have turned to medicine men to fill the gap left by a public
health system on the verge of collapse.
"We have members who are experts in treating things like chronic
diarrhoea, some strains of venereal diseases, shingles, whooping cough or
even tuberculosis," Peter Sibanda, secretary of the Zimbabwe National
Traditional Healers' Association (Zinatha), told Reuters.
"Without treating these (opportunistic) diseases that come with AIDS
and HIV infections, many people would die earlier, and suffer more," said
Sibanda.
But the healers have their critics, some of whom charge them with
deliberately cashing in on peoples' misery while having no internationally
recognised medical training.
Zimbabwe's Health Minister Timothy Stamps has acknowledged that
abuses occur.
"Some (traditional healers) are really keen to serve the public, but
there are others, especially those who claim they have a cure (for AIDS),
who are just out to cheat," Stamps said earlier this year.
Zimbabwe is one of the countries worst affected by the HIV-AIDS
pandemic, which has ravaged sub-Saharan Africa, slashing life expectancy,
reversing decades of social development and endangering food security.
Of the more than 33 million people living with HIV-AIDS worldwide, an
estimated 25 million are living in the world's poorest continent,
according to the United Nations.
2,000 AIDS Deaths a Week
Health experts say one in five Zimbabweans is living with the HIV
virus and the government estimates that at least 2,000 people die of AIDS
each week.
The United Nation's children's fund UNICEF estimates the country's
life expectancy will fall to 27 years from 44 in the next 10 years and
health experts say the country will record zero percent population growth
in 2001 because of the disease.
The government cannot afford to distribute key antiretroviral drugs
on a national scale and its health system has been dogged by a shortage of
trained doctors and health workers as well as vital drugs.
Against this background, traditional healers, some of whose plants
and herbs have attracted interest from Western drug firms, have been able
to thrive in a population increasingly looking for relief from their
condition.
Zinatha has around 25,000 registered healers, but Sibanda said up to
80,000 others were in practice.
Many Zinatha herbalists are working with scientists at the University
of Zimbabwe and two research institutes in testing some AIDS cures,
Sibanda said.
"You could say there is nothing special in what we are doing, but if
you consider our economic circumstances and the state of our health, we
are providing a very special service," Sibanda said.
"In Zimbabwe, we are at a stage where we are the first port of call
not the last, especially in the rural areas where the majority of people
live.
"I don't accept arguments that our profile has improved by default.
We have always been regarded highly...but have suffered in the past as a
result of propaganda," he said.
34. Herbal Doctors Blame Ghana's Ministry of Health for Shelving Findings
By Joseph Tweneboah
KUMASI, Ghana, Jun. 5, Ghanaian Chronicle -- Practitioners of herbal
medicine, most of whom claim to have found a cure for the HIV/AIDS menace,
have accused the Ministry of Health (MoH) of suppressing and shelving their
research findings. They claimed that their herbal concoctions could be more
potent and effective than western drugs.
In separate interviews with this reporter, some of the herbal doctors
complained of lack of encouragement by the MoH to certify their findings.
Dr. C. A. Ababio, the managing director of AJE Research Centre in Kumasi,
noted that he has cured over 500 HIV/AIDS patients since 1986. He said tests
conducted before and after herbal medical application indicated the efficacy
of his medicines. He said efforts to get recognition from the Health
Ministry have proved futile. The situation is not different at the Akobalm
Herbal Clinic at Akobalm House in Kumasi.
The 'doctor' in charge, who talked to this reporter in confidence,
claimed their potions could stop all complications of AIDS.
35. Traditional Medicine Soothes South African Race Divide
By Allan Seccombe
INANDA, South Africa, Jun. 7, Reuters -- In a darkened room filled with the
pungent aroma of a smoldering sacred plant, a sangoma, a traditional African
doctor, nurses a sick man back to health with ancient herbal remedies.
This sangoma is a petite young white woman with a limited Zulu
vocabulary, but her patients do not doubt her sincerity or ability to
communicate with ancestors to cure their ailments.
Janine Andrews, 30, graduated as a fully fledged sangoma last November
and spends much of her time working with and treating people living in rural
homesteads in the Inanda valley just outside the bustling Indian Ocean port
city of Durban.
"It was very difficult to learn Zulu and the culture. It took me a year
just to get into it and then another two years to be trained. It was very,
very tough," said Andrews, wearing a brightly beaded skirt and vest. Her
arms are adorned with copper bangles and bracelets of skins of animals
slaughtered in special ceremonies. More strips of skin crisscross her body.
She is not the only white person practicing as a sangoma. Another woman
known as Busi lives in a mansion in Amanzimtoti, a seaside resort 18 miles
south of Durban, and drives a BMW.
Andrews lives in Inanda and spends some weekends with her boyfriend in
a nearby town. She sees her black mentor, Ma Bengu, as a surrogate mother
and Bengu's children as siblings.
Her parents moved around a lot when she was young and she went to 13
different schools. She studied homeopathy and came to Ma Bengu to learn
about the traditional uses of herbs when it dawned on her that she wanted to
be a sangoma.
Andrews uses a traditional beehive grass hut as a consulting room. The
cattle-dung floor is cool and visitors are told to take their shoes off
before sitting on a grass mat.
The dim hut smells strongly of herbs, potions and drying plants. Cattle
and antelope horns are poked into the thatch. The hut offers a welcome
relief from the burning midday sun and the smells and dim light help relax
patients, Andrews says.
She also visits patients who stay with an inyanga or herbalist living
atop a steep hill behind her rooms. An inyanga is like a pharmacist in the
West and the sangoma a doctor.
Some 80 percent of South Africans visit traditional healers and about
60 percent of births are attended by traditional attendants, the South
African Medical Research Council says. Efforts are underway to register
qualified healers and help them gain professional recognition, which would
bring them the financial benefits of their patients' health care plans.
There are an estimated 265 traditional healers' organizations and they
are pushing to play a more prominent role in the country's formal health
system.
Skin Color No Barrier
Patrick Mvubu, being treated for chronic diarrhea, is satisfied with
the treatment Andrews has given him. Donning a traditional beaded headdress
and carrying a fly whisk made from the tail of a cow, Andrews takes a small
bag of muti or medicines to visit Mvubu at the inyanga's home.
Bangles around her ankles clink softly as she enters a darkened room,
clutching mpepho, the sacred herb, which is used to cleanse the room with
its pungent smoke and help her to summon the ancestors.
Mvubu lies on a narrow bed and watches as Andrews goes on her knees on
the cold concrete floor, lights the dried mpepho and chants softly under her
breath. Once she is finished she comes over to the bed and chats with
Mvubu.
She rubs ointments into his body and massages his feet. She has also
given him a soft drink bottle full of muti made from herbs collected from a
forest in a distant gorge as well as from a garden where she grows the most
popularly used plants.
"I went to the hospital, but when I was discharged I was still not
better. I thought it would be better if I could get Zulu medicine," Mvubu
told Reuters after his treatment.
"As long as the sangoma knows what they are doing and what to look for,
then there is no problem with the color of their skin," he said, adding he
has undergone a week of treatment with Andrews and is already feeling a lot
better.
Andrews says she has many patients with HIV/AIDS, which is rampant in
KwaZulu-Natal, the most populous of South Africa's nine provinces and the
worst hit by the epidemic. One in nine of South Africa's 42 million people
are infected with HIV.
"With HIV/AIDS people are terribly stressed. There is not a lot we can
do on the physical side but we are also spiritual healers and we try to do
what we can for people on that side. We try to give counseling to the
patients and their families," she said.
Guidance from Zulu Spirit
Although her choice of a career is accepted and welcomed by the
community where she works, her family thought she had lost her mind, she
said. "My parents think I am a bit off. They call me a lost soul, but they
have slowly come to terms with it when they hear about what I am doing
here."
Andrews not only attends to the ill, she also helps at a nursery and is
working on community programs for teenagers.
"There is a lot of ignorance about sangomas in the white community.
They think we work with body parts and dark magic," she said. "It's not like
that at all. It's nothing new, it's just an ancient way of working with the
Earth's energy, the energy of plants and animals, and being guided by the
ancestors."
Asked whether her white ancestors are able to help her in curing her
predominantly black patients, she said: "When I dream, there is a Zulu
ancestor who comes to me and gives me messages. When I am with a patient and
I don't know what to do I ask the ancestors and they show me what to do."
During her apprenticeship Andrews had to wake before sunrise and wash
in cold water in the cattle enclosure, which is considered a sacred place.
Then she covered her body in white clay before making breakfast for her
teacher and family.
"It was like being in a cocoon made of white clay. When I graduated it
was like being born again, coming out of that cocoon," she said, walking
barefoot over the deeply rutted dirt roads in Inanda, greeting everyone she
met in Zulu.
She underwent a daylong test by a group of established sangomas to
verify her knowledge of remedies and she had to identify and find an object
hidden by the other sangomas.
During a visit to the muti market on the sidewalk of a busy Durban
street, Andrews and Busi are met with curious stares as a crowd gathers to
watch the white women shop for medicine. The rough stalls are festooned with
drying monkey skins, parts of crocodiles and birds; bones lie neatly stacked
next to piles of bark and sacks of chips from medicine trees.
"Some white people have despised traditional healing but now these two
white women have come here as sangomas to buy muti," said a black woman
selling muti. "Some people think we are stupid sitting here, but these women
can show them traditional healing is for real."
36. Traditional Healers Charge Unfair Treatment at International Conferences
By Jovita Mirembe
UGANDA, Jun. 10, The Monitor -- Traditional healers and herbalists have
accused modern medicine practitioners of not giving them a chance to express
their views at international conferences and yet, they are all registered as
members of the Traditional and Modern Health Practitioners Together Against
Aids (THETA).
According to some traditional healers The Monitor talked to June 7, they are
not even represented on the executive board of governors of the association.
They said some of their patients have lived with HIV for 15 -20 years but
haven't been not given a chance to tell the masses how their traditional
herbs work.
But when contacted, THETA Director, Dr. Dona Kabateesi said most of the
traditional healers and herbalists did not go to school and therefore cannot
benefit from international conferences because they are all conducted in the
English. She said traditional healers have two representatives on the board.
Kabateesi added that THETA has organised an eight-year programme for them to
go to the Makerere Institute of Adult Education to study English and other
international languages where they will be required to sponsor themselves
and this will solve their communication barriers.
37. Study Aimed at Exports of Ugandan Fruits, Vegetables and Spices
By Allan Tatyama
UGANDA, Jun. 14, New Vision -- Stakeholders in the Ugandan
horticulture industry will in the next three months carry out a
national survey on the sector.
The survey is intended to design a strategic plan that will
make the sector more competitive and acceptable to international
market standards. This comes after a recent declaration of residue
monitoring by the European Union, as a market requirement for
products produced or imported into it. The arrangement coincides
with a series of workshops organised by the Uganda Export
Promotions Board (UEPB), to train local exporters on how to
formulate a sector strategic plan.
The workshops were organised under the Joint Technical
Assistance programme, for selected developing countries, by the
International trade centre and the World Trade organisation.
During a five-day workshop held last week at the UEPB office, a
merger of fruits, vegetables and spice exporters was formed to
develop a long-term programme aimed at uplifting the sector to
boost export. "We are carrying surveys within and outside Uganda.
We shall the address problems of producers and exporters. We shall
also establish the national production and supply capacity of the
sector, then carry out diagnostic analysis," Mrs. Matovu, a UEPB
director for market research explained. "A lot of information will
be generated as a result. We do not have information on who
produces what and how much, among our local producers. We need to
establish potential production areas and clearly analyse the chain
of export trade. Even that is not known. We need to address
problems associated with the process."Matovu said.
The chairman of the National Horticulture group, John Kavuma,
says this kind of procedure is beneficial "After diagnosing the
information, we shall explore the possibility of penetrating
markets. We shall also look at pest control, set up a residue
monitoring system and establish an advocacy group for the
horticulture industry in Uganda."
He said establishing a residue monitoring pro-active plan is
very urgent and will be tackled within the three months of
national research. The chair person of the national Vanilla
association, Ida Batwala, said in addition to establishing the
national capacity levels, the association will also seek for more
growers of spices in the country. "We want to have more people
growing spices in this country. There is ready market within and
outside Uganda," she said. Spices grown in Uganda include vanilla,
cardomom, pepper and turmeric. Batwala said some of these
originate from India but can be grown in Uganda.
38. Brazil's Frustrated Women Eager for Herbal Viagra Alternatives
LONDON, Jun. 12, World Entertainment News Network -- Help is on
the way for millions of sexually frustrated Brazilian women with
the launch of herbal alternatives to Viagra.
The drug is only available from expensive private clinics in the
country, but more than half of Brazilian women say they are
unhappy with their sex life. Three businesswomen have now set up a
pharmaceutical form to sell a herbal alternative.
The herbal drug is based on the plant Tribulus terrestris, Latin
for Terrestrial Tribulations. Research in Asia claims it is
especially efficient in cases of dysfunctional erections.
"Tribulus" functions as a naturally produced masculine hormone
testosterone.
A second group of pharmacists, also led by women, are also looking
to launch a herbal sex alternative to Viagra. It is based on a
plant used for centuries by the Inca people of the Andes , to
improve their sexual activity -- the "maca".
39. Pakistani Spice Importers Refuse to Open Letters of Credit
KARACHI, Jun 29, AsiaPulse -- Spice importers in Pakistan said they would
refuse to open letters of credit (LCs) dated after the five per cent
increase in import duty to 20 per cent that took effect on June 18.
"Importers have also stopped lifting the commodity from the port as
they cannot afford to bear the additional burden," Patron-in-Chief of the
Pakistan Kiryana Merchants Association (PKMA) Haji Shafiqur Rahman said.
He said that a sizeable quantity of spices are lying at the port for
want of clearance, as importers are waiting for withdrawal of the
decision.
For instance, he said 2,000 bags of black pepper (60 kg in each bag),
are still waiting for clearance from the port.
He said that genuine importers had to pay a cumulative duty of 59 per
cent as against 15 per cent being paid by the smugglers.
Spices imports during July-May 2000-2001 fell by 21 per cent to US$21
million (19,228 tons) as compared to US$17 million (12,104 tons) in the
same period of 1999-2000.
He said that the prices of spices are yet to increase in the local
markets as traders and importers are very much confused over the
unexpected increase in the import duty.
The increase in import duty on tea to 30 per cent from 25 per cent will
flare up smuggling activities in future to 40,000 tons from 20,000 tons.
40. Indian Government Implements Organic Certification Standards
NEW DELHI, Jun. 12, AsiaPulse -- Agricultural produce in India
will only be allowed to be exported as 'Organic Products' if it is
produced, processed and in accordance with organic certification
standards, the Indian government announced today.
The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in its
notification has stated that the certifying agency shall have to
be duly accredited by one of the following accredition agencies
namely Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development
Authority (APEDA), Coffee Board, Spices Board or Tea Board.
41. High Tech Remedy Prescribed for China's TCM Sector
CHINA, Jun. 5, Chinadaily.com -- The modernization of traditional
Chinese medicine has become
a prime concern as China aims to develop it as a lucrative global
business.
The low-tech content in the mainly herbal products has prevented
China from cashing in on the booming global demand for traditional
Chinese medicine, analysts said.
China has witnessed a steady decrease in the export of processed
medicine products in the last few years, while the export of raw
materials used to make Chinese medicine and products with simple
processing techniques remain a dominating share of more than 65 per
cent of the market pie.
"This is a gloomy picture. It indicates that China still only exports
low-tech medical products," said Fu Jingying, a senior expert with the
China Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The industry in China, its birthplace, has been expanding steadily, at
an annual rate of 20 per cent. Last year, around 50 billion yuan (US$6
billion) of traditional medical products were produced, 23 per cent of
the world's total production.
The growth comes on the back of brisk demand for ancient Chinese
medical formulas and practices as foreigners become increasingly
interested in the treatments.
But China's share of the global market is only 2 per cent. About 80
per cent of the market is held by Japan and 10 per cent by South
Korea.
"Drug producers in China have been plagued by the inability to benefit
from economies of scale, backward technology and financial problems,"
said Fan Hongzhe, general manager of China Medicinal Materials
Company, a leading Chinese player in this field.
This not only limits global exports, but risks losing intellectual
property rights to foreign companies.
Currently, nearly 40 kinds of traditional Chinese medical products
have been patented in China by foreign companies, which use raw
materials from China to produce advanced finished products which are
sold back to China.
China's impending World Trade Organization entry, which will commit
the country to axe tariffs, will make sales and applications for
patents easier for foreign companies.
"Modernizing the traditional Chinese medicine industry will be the key
to the industry's development," said She Jing, deputy minister of
health.
Progress has been made. China recently completed an industrial
shake-up by combining a number of companies into one industrial group
to increase competitiveness.
The industrial restructuring will continue in the next few years to
cut down on repetitive production and to strengthen exports, officials
said.
A biannual festival on Chinese medicine will promote the industry to
the public and allow business to trade ideas.
The Chinese Culture Festival on Traditional Chinese Medicine will soon
be held in Tianjin, a major production hub for traditional Chinese
medicine in China. The second festival will be held in 2003. By then,
the first museum on the history of traditional Chinese medicine will
have been opened in the city.
42. Hong Kong Researchers Develop DNA-based Plant Identification System
HONG KONG, Jun. 6, Xinhua -- Researchers at the Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology have developed a genechip-based technology faster and
cheaper means of testing the authenticity of traditional Chinese medicine.
The technology will significantly add to the medical potential and
commercial profitability of traditional Chinese medicine, Nancy Ip, director
of the university's biotechnology research institute.
Identification of traditional Chinese medicine raw materials is difficult
even for experts, and this is particularly true for similar looking herbal
materials that can often vary greatly in their medicinal properties and
market value, Ip said.
With the genechip technology, researchers are able to tell very
accurately one species from some others within one day. They first identify
a distinct DNA sequence that is unique to each species of medicinal plant or
animal origin.
The technology enables researchers to test hundreds of samples
simultaneously at present, Ip said, adding that he hoped the genechips will
be used for diverse applications.
43. China, U.S. Doctors Talk on Traditional Medicines
By Christine MacDonald
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jun. 27, Reuters -- Chinese and U.S. doctors say
traditional Chinese medicines are in the West to stay but more research
applying rigorous Western science is needed to win over a skeptical
medical establishment.
"Herbal medicines have worked for a thousand years and on trillions
and trillions of people. But what we need is proof," Cao Zeyi, vice
president of the Chinese Medical Association, said at a weeklong gathering
organizers said was the largest and highest-level exchange between Chinese
doctors and their U.S. colleagues in more than 50 years.
Coming at a time when alternative medicines are gaining worldwide
popularity, delegates from both countries said they must redouble efforts
to apply a Western scientific approach to prove traditional Chinese
medicines and therapies work.
"If we can show clinical results I think my colleagues will open up
to the possibility (that they actually work)," said David Eisenberg, who
heads Harvard Medical School's research on complimentary therapies.
"This is a global phenomenon. Herbs and supplements are here to
stay," Eisenberg told a panel on Tuesday at the conference at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Citing research from the Berlin-based PhytoPharm consulting group
that valued the worldwide supplements market at $46 billion in 1999, he
urged the more than 1,000 delegates attending the conference to establish
an international network to share research and develop standards.
Traditional Chinese medicines encompass everything from curative
herbal teas and supplements to hands-on therapies such as acupuncture and
message therapy.
Philip Fontanarosa, the Journal of the American Medical Association's
executive deputy editor, said convincing scientific evidence was still
lacking despite the public's "seemingly unbridled enthusiasm."
"The vast majority of therapies aren't proven," he said.
Western Doctors Concerned
Western medical doctors have expressed concerns about the toxicity
levels found in some herbal remedies and reports of dangerous interactions
with prescription drugs.
This year, the National Institutes of Health said it is spending $89
million, up from $2 million in 1992, on research in the area of
complimentary and alternative medicine.
Thousands of clinical studies have already been done and several U.S.
universities are establishing research operations in China, reflecting the
desire to use the best of both healing systems, Eisenberg said.
Chinese delegates said they hoped the week's meeting, which ends on
Friday, would help their efforts to modernize traditional medicine inside
China.
They also expressed interest in positioning the country to better
capitalize on global market opportunities.
"Chinese medicinal products are commodities that can bring in
much-needed income. Many still remain untapped," said C.H. Leong,
president of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine.
Leong outlined a new Hong Kong model under which traditional doctors
would have to be licensed. A U.S.-style patent regime would provide
protection for standardized medicines created from traditional knowledge,
he said.
Delegates from among the about 650 Chinese medical experts and equal
number of U.S. doctors and academics taking part in the meeting agreed
integrating the two health care systems presents many challenges given the
divergent ways of diagnosing and treating ailments.
For instance, Chinese medicines are often prepared individually for
each patient unlike Western drugs that come in mass-produced standard
doses, said Lu Aiping of China's Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
44. Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Western Medicine
LOS ANGELES, Jun. 4, Internet Wire -- The practice of
cooperation between Western Medicine (WM) and Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM) practitioners and combining Western and Chinese Medical
to improve clinic curative effect is called "Integration of Western
and Chinese Medicine". Integration of TCM & WM studies on the basic
theories of Chinese Medicine to improve the curative effect and master
differentiating patterns and instituting treatments (Bian Zheng Shi
Zhi) base on theory, strategy, formulas and substances (Li Fa Fang
Yao,) according to an overall analysis of diseases and patients'
conditions by modern scientific knowledge and mathodology. It is a
newly developed frontier medical science combining Western and Chinese
Medicine. Integration of TCM and WM seeks to complement and/or
supplement both systems through the utilization of their respective
strong aspects and the compensation of their weak ones. The end goal
is the development of a new and more effective medical system.
The west coast of the U.S.A. is an area with a large population of
immigrants, multi-culture background and high level of civilization
and openness where people are more apt to accept different cultures.
The rapidly rising medical expenses in the U.S.A., the unsatisfactory
treatment result and incompatibility between medical system and social
demands have not only affected the development of bio-medical science
and technology, but also made the American society aware of importance
of looking for effective, cost-efficient, safe, simple and practical
treatment method to improve clinic curative effect and to prevent from
diseases.
In 1994, UCLA medical school officially listed Integrated Western and
Chinese Medicine as a selective course for western medical students,
which started a new stage in the academic history of American medical
schools. The Western and Oriental Medicine Center at UCLA believe that
the dynamic integration of TCM and contemporary WM will help to find a
new path for development of medical science.
The primary efficacy of combined Chinese and Western Medicine is
through clinical practices, specially, through integrated diagnoses
and treatments. Yet, such integration is lack of a shared theoretical
foundation, not in a true synthetic union. Researches have to tend to
focus on diagnosis and treatment, rather than theory.
Diagnostic Integration
In TCM, the general condition of body is first determined by applying
the four diagnostic methods (Si Zhen): visual inspection,
auscultation, questioning, and palpation base on examiner's subjective
and qualitative assessment. Later, eight principle ( Ba Gang),
etiological factors from nature, e.g. Six Excesses (Liu Yin) and
Seven Emotions (Qi Qing) are determined. This holistic approach has
the advantage of taking into account the whole person, not just
isolated body parts and symptoms; however, as such, it is lack of
precision and councreteness.
The precision of WM according to pathogenic organs isolated
compensates for TCM's shortcomings, clearly divides health from
disease on the basis of objective, quantitative methods attained by
the examiner's assessment, instruments and lab markers. The WM doctors
give a final diagnosis according to objective data only after
determining the affect location and nature of disease (Ding Wei Ding
Xing) as well as the pathology of clinical manifestation.
Diseases such as tumors, are always associated with the diagnosis of
Qi and blood stagnancy, or obstinate phlegm, and dampness on TCM.
Blood is an essence within the body that is derived from water and
cereals, (ie. food). Normal function depends upon the balance of Qi
and blood in the body. If Qi and blood loss their balance, stagnation
of Qi and stasis of blood may result in mass as tumor (Zheng Jia Ji
Ju). If the phlegm or dampness fail to be dissolved over a protracted
period of time, they will congeal and form a mass or an object causing
swelling (Tan he Luo Li). Phlegm or dampness reverses the flow of Qi
and blocks and interrupts Stomach Qi if stagnation of blood and
obstinate phlegm are bound to underlie hiccup.
Western medical doctors study tumors derived from different
tissues/cells/genes under microscope, electro-microscope at levers of
tissue, cellular and molecules. In WM, tumor (also termed "neoplasm"
= "new growth") is a lesion resulting from the abnormal growth of
cells with mutation of gene in malignant tumors especially, which can
escape from regulatory immune mechanism (i.e. "Immune Escape").
Normally, there are 1011 cells are processing cellular division every
day, while 107 cells out of 1011 are possible to occur mutation.
However, body can maintain healthy condition under normal regulation
of immune system by monitor's "cleaning", i.e. macrophage, lymphocyte,
and etc. But once ability of immune monitor is reduced by external or
internal pathogen factors, mutated cells will not be cleaned out of
immune system and accumulate and keep growing in the body without
knowing when to stop growing. Tumor has its own regulated metabolism
and heredity, such as synthesis of proteins, enzymes, DNA and RNA. The
enzymes synthesized in malignant tumors can dissolve a "holes" in
blood vessel walls, thereby allowing metastasis to occur. At meantime,
malignant tumors intake nutrition and blood supply from their host
tissues/cells, so that they grow up very rapidly.
The process of cancer probably begins in many people through contact
with certain chemicals called carcinogens. However, these carcinogens
in their original form do not cause cancer. Carcinogens must undergo a
"molecular modification" inside of a human cell before developing
cancer. This process is called "activation". Activated carcinogens are
able to bind to DNA when the repairing mechanism in nucleus is faulty,
or when the cell divides before repair occurs. The daughter cell will
inherit a gene with a mutation. The mutation occurring in the right
place in certain genes is the first step in malignant tumors. The
pathological diagnosis of any masses unknown is the most important
step for determination of nature and prognosis of tumor.
Therapeutic Integration
In TCM, any imbalance within the body may be restored to health state
of balance through appropriate herbal medication and /or acupuncture,
both of which can strengthen the immune system, thereby enhancing the
body's natural resistance to diseases, while simultaneously dispelling
the offending pathogens. The TCM approach , however, is less direct
and definite than that of WM, and its treatment course is generally
much longer than that necessary for western treatments.
In WM, for example, the treatment of malignant tumors with
chemotherapy or radiotherapy and western pharmaceutics serves the
purpose of directly attacking the cancer, while it tends to neglect
the patient's overall conditions with harmful side effects later. In
the treatment of certain types of cancer, the simultaneous
administration of Chinese herbal medicine with western medicine will
provide the dual purpose while counteracting the side effects by
strengthening patient's internal defenses to fight disease and restore
natural, harmonized state.
In TCM, the commonly used main therapeutic principles in the treatment
of tumors are:
(1). Regulating the Qi & harmonizing the Blood. (2). Maintaining the
unobstructed flow of the Channels & Collaterals. (3). Transforming
Phlegm & eliminating Dampness. (4). Softening the Hard and dissolving
Nodulation. (5). Dissolving Toxins and stopping Pain. (6). Tonifying
Qi & activating the Blood. (7). Invigorating the Spleen & pacifying
the Stomach. (8). Replenishing and tonifying the Liver & Kidneys.
Theoretical Integration
The integration of TCM & WM theories is undoubtedly the most difficult
aspect of this field, but two systems will never truly be synthesized.
Philosophy and Science are nature of TCM and WM. TCM emphasizes
holism, states harmony between external attacks on the body and
internal defense mechanisms, mainly based on experiences. WM
emphasizes analysis, individual parts and isolated symptoms, and
indicates local pathological changes of organs, tissues and cells,
mainly based on experimental methods.
In the treatment of angina pectoris, for example, according to WM,
angina pectoris is caused by constriction of the coronary artery with
a decrease of blood flow in coronary or an increase in cardiac oxygen
consumption; whereas TCM contends that this disease is due to Qi &
Blood stagnancy. A relationship has been conjectured between
dispelling blood stagnancy and dilatation of the coronary artery,
improvement of coronary blood flow and prevention of thrombosis. It
indicates that TCM principles of promoting blood circulation and
removing blood stagnancy, especially when it is put into therapeutic
practice, show a strong correlation with the WM treatment principles
of improving coronary artery blood circulation, reducing cardiac
infraction, and preventing cardiac thrombosis. Some researches have
shown that these TCM therapies also improve microcirculation and
regulate the metabolic processes of connective tissues.
Conclusions
It can not be judged solely on the bases of TCM or WM, which one can
operate better. Much work has been undertaken in recent years to
integrate TCM and Modern Western Medicine, since it is realized that
shortcomings of one can be offset by the strong points of the other.
The two systems can complement or supplement each other (Hu Bu) with
the end goal of devising a new system, which is a synthetic unity, not
merely two systems operating side by side, or not be combined simply
or completely. Such as, we can not write English grammar into Chinese
sentence, so that, we can not guide acupuncture points according to WM
theory. Also, Chinese herbs, for example, can not be judged solely on
the basis of whether or not they destroy harmful bacteria and viruses,
since TCM therapies do not act directly on the pathogen, but rather
indirectly strengthen the body's natural defenses. Whereas WM contends
that the way to health lies in the isolated, individual parts of the
human body, and kills pathogens directly. TCM is based on the
principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For
example, Gypsum Combination (Bai Hu Tang), used for the treatment of
Encephalitis B, serves as a metaphor for TCM's holism. The formula is
composed of gypsm (Shi Gao), anemarrhena (Zhi Mu), licorice (Gan
Cao), and oryza (Jing mi), none of which have anti-viral
activities---yet, when combined, these four herbs can invigorated body
to destroy the encephalitis virus. Certainly, the investigation of
single herbs is important; however, herbal formulas are more commonly
prescribed than single herbs and, therefore, the actions of an herbal
formula are not merely the sum of the actions of its constituent
herbs.
In recent years, however, Chinese researchers have attempted to
objectively determine the physiological and pathological conditions of
the tongue body and tongue coating from the viewpoint of modern
microbiology and pathomorphology. Moreover, a variety of
electropulsographic devices have been developed to objectively
register the pulse. It is hoped that the results obtained by
scientific instruments will lead greater precision to the ancient
methods of tongue and pulse diagnosis, but, as yet, this research is
only in the beginning of stages.
The integration of Western and Chinese medicine is an inevitable
results of the historic development. TCM and WM can take advantage
from each other especially on treatment of diseases, but not theory.
TCM can take lots of benefits on WM diagnostic techniques. Social
development usually follows certain laws. When two or more similar
type of knowledge exist simultaneously, such knowledge will inevitably
blend together and produce a new series of knowledge as well as a new
intersect subject, which is a certain trend of contemporary scientific
development.
About Samra University of Oriental Medicine
The antecedent of our University was conceptualized in the mid-1960s
by University History the late Dr. Homer Cheng. Trained in Western
medicine at the University of Maryland, with a clinic in Los Angeles
devoted to rehabilitation medicine, Dr. Cheng realized that the
medicine of his ancestors could more effectively treat many of the
conditions he saw in his patients. As he and his colleagues learned
more about the efficacy of acupuncture, Chinese herbology and other
Asian techniques, the need to establish a training center in these
modalities became apparent. Dr. Cheng believed that such a center must
serve to bring Oriental medicine not only to other Western medical
practitioners, but to students seeking courses of study in
complementary health careers. He and his colleagues believed that this
new career must have a firm foundation in Western basic and clinical
sciences. Samra University derives its name from the acronym of its
parent, the Sine-American Medical Rehabilitation Association, formally
chartered in 1969. Branches of the Association's SAMRA Institute of
the Healing Arts were also established in Hong Kong, Kowloon, Malaysia
and England. By 1972 a training center was also operating in
Philadelphia, but these satellites are no longer operating. Their
original purpose was to train medical missionaries working in Third
World areas in the principles and techniques of Oriental Medicine
believing this to be an inexpensive way to augment treatment in
economically depressed areas of the world. As the Institute grew in
size and reputation, its name, too, evolved.
By 1975, SAMRA had established a Research Institute of Therapeutics
and Acupuncture (RITA), with a Healing Arts Center in Los Angeles. It
no longer restricted its educational activities to ordained ministers
and others.
The objectives of the University have evolved over the years of its
history, yet every effort is made to retain the essence of the
objectives of its founders. Those that cannot be given attention at
this time are still reserved for future times when conditions allow
for their expression.
45. Rare Medicinal Herb Transplanted to China's Tianshan Mountains
YINING, Jun. 13, Xinhua -- Approximately 300,000 snow lotus
seedlings, cultivated in greenhouses in Gongliu County in
northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have recently
been transplanted to the Tianshan Mountains.
A survey shows ninety-five percent of the transplanted
seedlings have survived and are growing well in the wild.
A precious alpine plant and rare medicinal herb, the snow lotus
is highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine.
Growing in very trying conditions, the snow lotus usually
blossoms when it becomes four to five years old and thus has a
very low reproductive rate.
In addition, the unrestrained gathering of the plant by local
people in recent years has caused it to become a seriously
endangered species.
The cultivation of snow lotuses will not only prevent the
precious species from becoming extinct, but also provide a larger
supply of the herb to medicine markets and increase local
farmers'incomes, said Liang Fengli, a teacher with Xinjiang
Agricultural University.
This is the first case of cultivating snow lotuses on a large
scale ever reported in China, sources said.
46. Traditional Medicine -- A Big Part of Health Care in Bhutan
By Laurinda Keys
THIMPHU, Bhutan, Jun. 16, AP -- Silver earrings dangling in wisps
of her pixie-cut gray hair, Tshering Chenzon leans forward on a
stool with her blouse pulled up from behind while a doctor's aide
aims a fine mist from a small garden hose at her lower back.
The hose is connected to a pot of water, boiling with 27
traditional medicines on an electric burner, and Chenzon, 56, is
on fourth visit to Bhutan's Institute of Traditional Medicine
Services for treatment of her pain.
Another patient is having acupressure. A doctor presses, but
does not prick, her skin with the tip of a heated golden needle.
Traditional doctors in this Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas say
conductivity varies with different metals, shapes, temperatures
and the part of the body touched.
The instruments for nasal irrigation, bloodletting, massage and
stone-heated baths are nearby. The institute's walls have charts
of pulse and "humor" points. Traditional doctors make their main
diagnosis by feeling the pulse, checking urine, the eyes and
tongue and from interviewing the patient.
A Buddhist monk may get more benefit from the treatment than a
Westerner of another religion, says the institute's director, Pema
Dorji.
"Medicine is medicine," Dorji says. "It should be the same for
all. But when we talk about medical treatment, psychology also
plays a role."
He says the major difference between traditional and Western
medicine is that "in our system we target organs, while in modern
medicine, the targets are microorganisms."
Traditional medicine has been an official part of Bhutan's
public health system along with Western-style medicine for more
than three decades. The institute treats chronic diseases such as
arthritis, rheumatism, liver and nervous disorders. Patients with
acute diseases, such as cancer, are referred to a Western-style
hospital.
Sprawled on a hilltop in the capital, with the traditional arts
center and National Library just below, the institute also trains
traditional doctors and conducts research on Bhutan's wide variety
of plants to develop new cures and identify the ingredients in
centuries-old remedies.
Nomadic yak herders are employed to gather new plants when
researchers go out to interview village healers.
"The village healers are not wrong," says Dorji, who studied in
Tibet before it was closed off by the Chinese takeover in the
1950s. "What they are doing is beneficial to the people sometimes.
But their methods are crude."
For bloodletting, healers would use unsanitary blades, for
example. The institute uses outreach clinics to encourage healers
to change some practices and improve others.
For instance, leeches are used for bloodletting in some parts
of Bhutan. They are plentiful in the lower valleys in the monsoon
season and Dorji says they are better than a dirty blade and less
traumatic for a patient whose blood pressure rises as he
contemplates being cut.
"There are two kinds of leeches. One sucks. The other is
poison. A person has to be well-qualified to identify them," he
says.
Bhutanese fought off Tibetan and British attempts to take over
their territory and remained isolated from foreign visitors until
1974, allowing protection of many rare plants and animals.
Medicines made from grinding those ingredients into powders,
teas, pills, lotions and syrups are sold at the institute and are
stored in airtight containers in pristine rooms.
With aid from the European Union, the institute began in the
1980s to produce pills, which allows for a more exact dosage than
powders wrapped in papers. Also, most herbal medicines -- taken
with hot water on an empty stomach -- are bitter, so a pill is
easier to swallow.
"The reason for using this modern technology for manufacturing
is we are keeping in mind we may export," says research assistant
Sonam Dorjee. "For example, it may go to America, where we would
have to comply with FDA (Food and Drug Administration) rules."
Traditional medicine became part of the public health system in
1967 and the government plans to have a traditional medicine
center and a Western hospital in all 18 districts of the
46,500-square-mile country by next year.
"Government policy is to give a choice to patients and to do
cross-research to find which system is best for a disease," Dorjee
says.
Dorjee dreamed of being a doctor but his family of 10 could not
afford medical school. Now he spends most of his time on
computers, mapping the chemical contents of the minerals, plants
and animal parts that make up the medicines that Himalayan monks
and village healers have used for centuries.
The institute has a library of recipes as old as 400 years,
collected from monasteries, written out in ink on bound pieces of
paper twice the size of a checkbook and wrapped in silk.
47. Australia's Six Million Plant Specimens Go Online
CANBERRA, Jun. 14, Xinhua -- Australia's entire collection of
plant specimens is being recorded online in a world-first project
unveiled Thursday.
Under the initiative, the public will be able to access
information on every one of the nation's six million plant
specimens dating from 1770 via the Internet.
Announcing the project, federal Environment Minister Robert
Hill said Australia's Virtual Herbarium was the most ambitious
computerization of botanical collections undertaken in the world.
"We will have the whole of Australia's botanic records, some
six million records, on computer with access to the total
community and we'll do it within five years," Hill said.
"We're the first country in the world to tackle it," he said.
"Simply recording some six million records on a computer,
including color illustrations of these plants, is obviously a
major technical challenge."
Hill expected the project would lead to greater protection of
Australia's plant species.
"Best conservation comes through a better informed community,"
Hill said.
Australian federal government committed 4 million Australian
dollars (2.08 million U.S. dollars) to the 10-million-Australian
dollar (5.2 million U.S. dollars) project, with the country's
states and Northern Territory contributing another 4 million
Australian dollars combined.
The remaining funds would be provided by the private sector.
48. New Industry-Wide Coalition Is Launched "to Put the 'E' Back In DSHEA"
LAS VEGAS, Jun. 8, Business Wire -- A coalition of suppliers,
manufacturers and retailers of dietary supplement products and trade and
educational organizations today announced the creation of a broad-based
industry alliance to educate Americans about the health benefits of
vitamins, minerals, herbs and specialty supplements.
Officially launched at the National Nutritional Foods Association
MarketPlace 2001 convention, the new Dietary Supplements Education
Alliance(TM) (DSEA(TM)) is a first of its kind: the first
industry-wide coalition committed to putting the "E" back into the
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
Enacted in 1994, DSHEA not only gave consumers greater access to
supplements but encouraged manufacturers and retailers to provide
meaningful information about the health benefits and responsible use
of these products. Ensuring that consumers, the media, health
professionals, and policy makers have the complete facts about dietary
supplements is the mission of the new DSEA(TM).
"Seven years after DSHEA, there is a pervasive information gap about
the health benefits of dietary supplements," said Elliott Balbert,
president of Natrol Inc. and acting chairman of the newly created
DSEA(TM). "Only by joining forces and leveraging the expertise and
experience of a wide range of companies and organizations will the
industry begin the process of providing consumers, health
professionals and policy makers with the latest science-based
information about the health benefits and effectiveness of our
products."
The Dietary Supplement Education Alliance(TM) aims to develop
consistent and memorable messages and to sponsor a multi-year public
education campaign. The campaign, which will be launched in 2001, will
put a positive face on the industry and its products through new
information that gives consumers the latest facts about the health
benefits and proper use of dietary supplements.
The DSEA(TM) steering committee includes the following six
organizations: American Botanical Council, American Herbal Products
Association, Corporate Alliance for Integrative Medicine, National
Nutritional Foods Association, New Hope Natural Media/Penton Media
Inc., and Virgo Publishing Inc.
Additionally, over two dozen organizations are supporting the DSEA(TM)
effort including a number of leading companies such as Natrol Inc.
(Nasdaq:NTOL), Weider Nutrition International Inc. (NYSE:WNI), TwinLab
Corp. (Nasdaq:TWLB), Nutraceutical International Corp. (Nasdaq:NUTR),
Rexall Sundown Inc. and Traco-Dagussa. Participation in the DSEA(TM)
continues to grow and fundraising efforts are ongoing.
To design and implement the campaign, DSEA(TM) also announced that it
has retained Hill and Knowlton Inc., a leading public relations firm.
The agency has extensive experience in designing and executing
consumer education programs ranging from Shape Up America! for Dr. C.
Everett Koop to the Kids & Calcium campaign sponsored by the Kellogg
Co. to elevate the importance of the mineral as a children's health
priority.
The members of DSEA(TM) expressed optimism today that this landmark,
cooperative industry alliance will marshal the resources and creative
thinking needed to jumpstart the education process, thereby creating a
positive environment for the industry to increase public confidence in
supplement products.
"The major strength of this new alliance is the collective expertise
of all stakeholders that have now come together to ensure that
American consumers have meaningful information about the benefits of
dietary supplements," said David Seckman, CEO of the National
Nutritional Foods Association. "Through the Dietary Supplement
Education Alliance(TM), the industry has the focus and the commitment
to make a difference."
49. The Republic of Tea Success Brews New Book
NOVATO, Calif., Jun. 22, Business Wire Features -- When bookseller Barnes
& Noble decided to launch a new Success book section in stores across the
country, you might think that the decision was made over a cup of tea. The
reason? One of the titles the bookseller chose to feature prominently in
the section is the new book -- Success Life: A Zentrepreneur's Guide -- How
to Catch and Live YourDream, co-authored by the same gurus that run the
phenomenally successful company The Republic of Tea, the country's leading
purveyor of fine teas and herbs. In the book, authors Ron Rubin, The
Republic of Tea's Chairman of the Board and "Minister of Tea" and Stuart
Avery Gold, COO and "Minister of Travel", tell how their successful
managerial style can be applied by everyone to achieve success and
personal fulfillment. Combining Zen wisdom and American "can-do" spirit,
the book is a motivational guide to making dreams a reality.
The two self-described Zentrepreneurs explain that a Zentrepreneur is
someone who understands that life and work are an interconnected
adventure. They urge people to find a career and lifestyle that expresses
their talents, passions and dreams. This philosophy has captured the
loyalty and imagination of The Republic of Tea's customers and has guided
it into one of the fastest growing and successful cachet brands in
America.
For many years the company's delicious teas have been offered by the
Barnes & Noble Cafes, and the two companies have enjoyed a successful
synergy. So much so, that a Special Edition Zen Dream Tea was created to
be sold exclusively through Barnes & Noble to market both in and outside
the cafe in conjunction with the Success Life book. Both the book and the
signature tins of Zen Dream Tea will be colorfully presented throughout
the bookstore's cafes and Success section, supported by vibrant displays
of product and signage which features the book's cover art. Inspired by
the positive message, customers will also be able to purchase Zen Dream
Iced Tea as part of the Cafe's summer promotion. Customers are invited to
sip and enjoy while thumbing through cafe copies of the book.
Additionally, Bodum, one of the leading manufacturers of fine tea
accessories, will offer a free sample of Zen Dream Iced Tea with every
purchase of the company's iced-tea pitcher through over 400 Barnes & Noble
Cafes nationwide.
Founded in 1992, The Republic of Tea is a progressive and socially
conscious business recognized for being the leading purveyor of exquisite
teas and herbs. The company sells more than 75 varieties of teas, herbs,
Healthy Chai Tea Latte's, Bottled Iced Teas, Tea Jams, Tea Cookies and
nature-inspired teaware, in over 20,000 specialty food locations,
restaurants and cafes throughout the United States. In keeping with its
whimsical identity as an independent nation, The Republic of Tea calls its
employees Ministers, its customers Citizens, and its sale outlets
Embassies.
50. Scientist Honoured for Work in Non-Timber Forest Industry
SAULT STE. MARIE, Jun. 14, CCN Newswire -- The work of a
Government of Canada scientist has opened new opportunities for
many people ... and garnered him an award. Dr. Luc Duchesne, who
works with the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Great Lakes Forest
Research Centre, received his award yesterday, one of ten
Government of Canada 5NR Science Awards to Leaders in Sustainable
Development.
Dr. Duchesne won the award for his ten years of research and
promotion of the non-timber forest industry. This growing sector
involves the harvesting of such products as maple syrup,
mushrooms, berries and ginseng and their sale nationally and
internationally.
"By helping members of Aboriginal and rural communities, in
particular, to develop these industries, Dr. Duchesne is creating
jobs, helping people supplement their incomes, and encouraging
people to retain their non-urban ways of life," said Minister
Goodale.
The 5NR Awards, new this year, will be presented annually to
scientists from the five federal departments dealing with natural
resources -- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada,
Fisheries and Oceans, Health Canada and Natural Resources Canada.
They pay tribute to outstanding federal science contributions to
sustainable development and recognize the importance of both
current and future generations of scientists. They also help to
strengthen the links between the federal and university science
communities and foster a mentoring relationship with talented
young researchers. For more information on these awards and the
recipients, visit www.durable.gc.ca.
51. Black Magic: Durable Black Pepper Casts its Spell
By Kristin Eddy
COCHIN, India, Jun. 4, Chicago Tribune -- At one point, it looked as
though a few fists were
going to settle the argument. Men were almost chest to chest, yelling
at each other. The shouting reached its peak within seconds of one man
calling out numbers; and then just like that, a price was settled on
and everyone relaxed until the next round.
Pepper does that to people. Or here it does anyway, on the trading
floor of the Pepper Exchange, where brokers bid on futures of what
they refer to as the "king of spices." In some ways, the din here in
the heart of India's spice capital, is like that in the commercial
centers of New York or Chicago or Tokyo. (Except that in this room,
everyone who enters must take off their shoes, and many of the brokers
wear mundu, the long, white sarong-style cloths, instead of pants.)
But instead of technology stocks or treasury bonds, it is black
pepper, the Piper nigrum so common in every kitchen that causes some
of the most feverish bidding in Cochin.
Black pepper comes from India, after all, most specifically from this
part of the country, the spice-rich southwestern state of Kerala.
Pepper futures may not make headlines everywhere in the world, but
they are essential to the local economy.
It's easier for the rest of us to take pepper for granted. Even now,
when pepper's constant companion, salt, has been granted loftier
culinary credentials, pepper is still playing Cinderella. Inexpensive
and widely available, pepper is just there all the time, no more
mysterious when sprinkled around than a face full of freckles.
But what the people who trade in pepper know is that pepper has a far
more interesting identity. Most of them have seen the plant before it
gets crushed into dust, that farewell flourish with a pepper grinder.
The average cook is introduced to pepper at the end of its journey to
the table and by then, the spice has been completely transformed.
In Kerala, in the growing areas miles away from this noisy port city,
pepper first makes an appearance as a delicate berry. Grapelike
clusters of the tiny fruit dangle from sturdy vines, their taut green
skins giving no hint of the charred appearance they will take later
on.
Humid air keeps the pepper and its glossy leaves moist. The vines get
support from their placement against the trunks of trees -- anything
from coconut to jackfruit -- and poles that help the plant grow to a
height of 12 feet.
By the time the pepper is ready for the harvest, from January to
March, the spreading vines have formed leafy blankets around their
hosts until the trees resemble bushes.
About 42,000 tons of pepper are harvested here each year, and 13,395
tons of that is exported to the U.S. It all comes from the hundreds of
small farms that dot the lush countryside. They are linked by
alarmingly winding roads, villages as small as a half-dozen buildings
and a network of brightly painted public buses.
The people who cultivate one of the world's most popular spices don't
base their livelihood on pepper alone. It is only one of a variety of
crops they raise, according to Sibi K. Thomas. As the deputy general
manager of procurement for AVT McCormick Ingredients Ltd., an
international spice processor in Cochin, Thomas is familiar with the
life of the farmers, who he says make about $2,100 a year.
"They do it in hopes of balancing the fluctuating prices of different
crops," Thomas says, pointing out plots of cardamom, vanilla and
banana trees at a farm along the road near Kattappana, in western
Kerala. Coconut and coffee are other cash crops, along with nutmeg,
ginger and turmeric. This region produces 52 kinds of spices that
thrive in the varied terrain and climate of mountain ranges, coastal
lowlands, lakes and rainforest.
But pepper is king here, partly because it is the most durable. Once
dried, it remains almost impervious to rot, Thomas says, and will last
for years. A supply of pepper becomes a spicy stock option held,
ideally, until the price goes sky high.
"The farmers always keep some (dried) pepper stored under the bed as
security," Thomas says. "Other crops would be sold immediately, but
the pepper they will hold on to because it will never go bad. It won't
get infested. If it gets some mold, they wash it off and dry it again
and the pepper is just as good as before."
It still takes time and hard work to get those future earnings packed
away. The vines take up to 4 years to come into full production,
according to the American Spice Trade Association. The pepper
clusters, with about 50 berries protruding from tiny spikes, are
picked by hand, rolled and threshed by hand -- or even foot -- to
separate the berries from their stems, and placed in the sun to dry
into the familiar wrinkled black pellets. The drying pepper must be
frequently raked to circulate air, and defective berries and
impurities are winnowed out.
When it comes to trading pepper, flavor isn't the real consideration
because all of the Indian black pepper, regardless of size, has the
same flavor. Malabar pepper, as it's called, has a high piperine
content, the alkaloid that gives it its bite.
What buyers look for are the different sizes, or grades, of
peppercorns. The largest, called Tellicherry Garbled Special
Extra-Bold peppercorns, for instance, have a diameter of at least 4.75
millimeters. ("Garbled" just indicates a mixture from various areas.)
Those berries are usually destined for decorative spice blends in
which looks are important. The smallest grade, Malabar Garbled I,
makes up 90 percent of what the U.S. imports, because most of our
pepper is crushed and ground straightaway into prepared foods,
flavoring mixes and other commercial products. Grinding the spice
releases the potent volatile oils contained within the berry, and much
of that aroma and flavor is lost if the ground pepper isn't eaten
immediately. Yet most Americans use only the preground spice that may
have been stored for months.
Cookbook author Maya Kaimal, raised in suburban Boston, says it took a
trip to her family's native Kerala to understand the power of pepper.
"One thing I saw cooks do was to use pepper to season cooking oil, so
that it actually spices up the oil that you cook the rest of the dish
in," she says. "You get this great burst of heat. It really made me
stop and take notice of this ingredient. Now I find myself grinding my
own pepper to really release the volatile oils. There is something
more powerful that comes from mashing peppercorns with a mortar and
pestle, that makes the flavor brighter and stronger."
Kaimal also is intrigued by pepper's past -- the way it transformed
southern India by bringing foreign traders to the coast.
Arab merchants involved in the spice trade were a frequent presence in
southern India, as were traders from the Mongol court of Kublai Khan,
who introduced the giant, shore-based fishing nets, raised by levers,
that are still used in Cochin today.
Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, looking to establish spice trade
routes for his country, died in Cochin in 1524 and was buried in the
St. Francis church until his remains were returned to Europe 14 years
later.
"Here is this spice that we so take for granted, that has become so
ordinary, yet there is this amazing history attached to it," Kaimal
said.
The history extends as far back as ancient Greece and Egypt. The
Romans were so enamored of black pepper and its cousin, the podlike
Indian long pepper, that 1st Century writer Pliny the Elder was driven
to irritation, as quoted in Andrew Dalby's "Dangerous Tastes: The
Story of Spices":
"`Why do we like it so much? Some foods attract by sweetness, some by
their appearance, but neither the pod nor the berry of pepper has
anything to be said for it. We only want it for its bite -- and we will
go to India to get it! Who was the first to try it with food? Who was
so anxious to develop an appetite that hunger would not do the trick?
Pepper and ginger both grow wild in their native countries, and yet we
value them in terms of gold and silver.'"
Pepper also was long considered to have wide-ranging medicinal value,
as an antidote for poison, as a digestive and as a cure for impotence.
Although most cooks and diners reach for black pepper merely to add
heat to food, a careful tasting of freshly cracked pepper reveals
subtler characteristics.
Black pepper enthusiasts commonly describe the spice as having a
fruity bouquet. Cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey calls the aroma
"lemony," while Julie Sahni, in her book "Savoring Spices and Herbs,"
deems it "reminiscent of cloves with undertones of lemon and moss."
For those who have taken a second look at plain old pepper, it's like
falling in love with an old friend.
"I was astounded by pepper's sensuality," food writer Michele Anna
Jordan said from her home in Sonoma, Calif. She explored the topic in
her book "Salt & Pepper" after a trip to the pepper-producing areas of
Malaysia.
"You can make the argument that pepper makes you feel good," Jordan
said. "It makes you hungry. It releases your digestive juices. It's
warming."
Black pepper ran into serious competition for people's affections,
though, when chili peppers were brought from the Americas and
introduced around the world. Those peppers, with their fiery flesh and
even more searing seeds, are the hot stuff of choice in many
countries, including India.
"Black pepper is not really the central ingredient anymore in the
cuisine in Kerala because it was so eclipsed by chili peppers," Boston
author Kaimal says. "It's now more of a background spice."
It's the same story in the U.S., where people are more likely to
up-end a bottle of Tabasco to seriously heat up their meal than to
cover it with black pepper.
But if black pepper doesn't have quite the flash of a habanero, that
also is why it works with just about everything.
Jordan, searching for the best way to describe pepper, said, "It's
hard to break down flavor, but musically, it is like adding another
instrument to a chamber quartet. It is not a spice you can get tired
of," she said. "If you put cinnamon in everything you would get tired
of it. Pepper will remain pepper but it will flavor ingredients in a
complementary way."
Pepper plays well with others. We knew it was a good companion to have
around.
52. Cracking the Pepper Code
By Kristin Eddy
COCHIN, India, Jun. 4, Chicago Tribune -- Pepper varieties are classified
by where they are grown. Here are some of the main black pepper types.
Black Peppercorns
Black peppercorns are produced when fresh, green pepper berries are
picked and dried. Heat and light shrivel the berries into the familiar
black pods. Whole black pepper will keep indefinitely in a cool, dry
place away from strong light and not ground until ready to use.
*Malabar: This pepper gets its name from the Malabar Coast of India,
which has been a major pepper trading and shipping area for centuries.
Before World War II, the pepper also was known as Alleppey, named for
a port city. Malabar pepper has a fruity aroma and sharp flavor.
Tellicherry pepper (named for a town on the coast) is the largest
Malabar pepper.
*Lampong: Indonesian pepper with flavor similar to Malabar, but the
berries are smaller and have a whiter core, which makes the pepper
appear lighter when ground.
*Sarawak: Malaysian pepper from the northwestern coast of Borneo. Most
of this pepper is sold in Asia.
*Brazilian: Much of the pepper from Brazil is grown in the state of
Para along the Amazon River. The pepper, which has a smoother, very
black outer skin, is one of the major varieties imported into the U.S.
Green Peppercorns
Picked just before they ripen, green peppercorns are preserved in
liquid, such as vinegar or brine, or by freeze-drying or dehydration.
Green peppercorns have a fresher, milder flavor than black pepper.
White Peppercorns
The core of each peppercorn is white; that's why ground black pepper
has white flecks in it. For white pepper, the berries are allowed to
mature on the vine, then soaked in running water to loosen the outer
green skin. The water essentially rots the skin until it can be
removed; this gives white pepper a fermented, almost winelike, mild
flavor. Its color makes white pepper a good choice for cream sauces
and other light foods where black pepper would add too much contrast.
Most white pepper comes from Indonesia.
Pink Peppercorns
These are not a member of the pepper family, but come from a different
plant, usually cultivated in Madagascar. These pink berries are used
for their decorative color and somewhat fruity flavor. The pink
peppercorns are often packed along with black, green and white
peppercorns to add color.
Some true pepper plants will develop reddish berries if they ripen too
long.
Szechwan Peppercorns
Again, these are no relation to black pepper. These aromatic pods come
from the prickly ash tree and are native to China, where they are used
to add heat to the spicy food of the Szechwan region.
[Source: American Spice Trade Association]
X X X
You Call That Pepper?
Blame it on the Europeans for the profusion of pepper name-calling.
Explorers such as Columbus were on the lookout for a source of black
pepper they could monopolize when they headed west. What the New World
had to offer, though, was the native capsicum, which Columbus dubbed
"red pepper."
But capsicums, which have a fleshy, soft shell filled with seeds -- as
in sweet bell peppers and hot chili peppers -- are no relation to the
berry clusters of black pepper (Piper nigrum), which are native to
India.
Once capsicums were introduced to the rest of the world, though, they
quickly became a staple in many cuisines.
X X X
Grinding Help
As with all spices, it is best to use pepper after it has been freshly
ground. Here are some new grinders that will do the job well.
OXO Grind It: The grip-friendly equipment company has just introduced
a whole series of grinders that come already filled with spices,
including black and white peppercorns and a colored peppercorn blend.
The Grind It should be available in June at Linens `N Things and Bed,
Bath & Beyond stores, as well as the Freehling Pot & Pan Co., 1365 E.
53rd St., or through the Internet at Cooking.com and Amazon.com.
Peugeot Pocket Pepper Mill: The Peugeot line of pepper mills is
well-known for its precision grinding mechanism and lifetime
guarantee. The pepper-obsessed will be interested in this newest
addition to the collection, a portable, 4-inch, brushed
stainless-steel model that retails for about $40. The mill is
available at Edward Don & Co., 2525 N. Elston Ave., and Persimmon Tree
in Geneva.
X X X
Spices and Spoiled Food
One of the longest-held and most frequent claims for the popularity of
spices in the Middle Ages is that they were used to disguise the taste
of spoiled food.
But culinary historians have begun to dispute that idea.
"For one thing," author Clifford A. Wright said recently, "there
wasn't that much rotten meat." Animals were killed and consumed close
to home, and there were less-expensive ways to preserve food, such as
salting, drying and smoking.
"It is well-known that the rich -- those who could afford spices -- ate
the freshest meat, meat butchered to order daily, including freshly
caught game," he writes in "A Mediterranean Feast."
"Europeans, in part awed by the superior culture of the Arabs where
spice use was prevalent, delighted in spices because they enhanced the
taste of food, not simply made bad food palatable."
The authors of "Food: A Culinary History," agree: "If anyone did eat
preserved meat or meat that had gone bad, it wasn't the wealthy
nobles, who consumed spices, but the hapless poor, who couldn't afford
such luxuries. If medieval gastronomy is to be criticized, it has to
be for consuming meat that was insufficiently aged, rather than
rotten."
53. Curryholics Spice Up British Food
By Niala Boodhoo
BRADFORD, England, Jun. 14, Reuters -- When Mumtaz Khan
opened his Indian curry shop in 1980, it was next to two fish and
chip shops that served up this nation's favorite dish.
Two decades later, curry has overtaken fish and chips as
Britain's most popular food, and Mumtaz's Bradford cafe has become
the center of a mini-empire of Indian cuisine.
Mumtaz, of Kashmiri origin, bought out both fish and chip
shops to create a 150-seat restaurant. And his brother left his
job as a neurosurgeon to run a factory where the family produces
readymade food for local supermarkets.
"I don't give carnations to the ladies and I don't have table
covers," said Khan, whose restaurant serves traditional Indian
mango lassi, a fruity yogurt drink, by the pitcher. "All I have is
my food."
Former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, in advance of
this month's general election, confirmed curry's favored status
when he said chicken tikka masala reflected the country's cultural
diversity. The authoritative Good Curry Guide's annual survey
affirmed the popularity of the creamy, spiced dish that uses
traditional Indian spices adapted for the English diet.
In 1950, Britain had just six Indian restaurants, said Good
Curry guide author Pat Chapman, who coined the phrase
"curryholic." Today, he estimates there are at least 8,500, and
curry has become such a national dish that Bradford and
neighboring Leeds, where many of Britain's Indian, Pakistani and
Bangladeshi residents settled, now vie with Glasgow and Edinburgh
for the guide's "curry capital" title.
Chapman estimated that Britons spend about $3.5 billion a
year on different types of curry.
Chips With Curry
The northern England city of Bradford, population 480,000, is
symbolic of the national food obsession with "going for an
Indian," as it is called, even if some of the restaurants'
proprietors originate from elsewhere in the subcontinent.
When Khan opened his restaurant in Bradford, he spent his
entire $2,000 savings on a shop as small as a kiosk where he
persuaded his mother to cook. He spent the first 12 months
juggling his night job at a textile mill and his day job selling
his mother's food, sleeping four hours a night.
After a year, he knew the business would turn a profit.
Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd. now has 200 employees. Its factory
supplies supermarkets and stores and first-class passengers on Air
India, Pakistan International, Air Canada and Swissair.
Khan is one of a host of Indian restaurateurs who have
catapulted curry and its English variations into the everyday
realm of British life. Chicken tikka masala is a pub menu standard
and fish and chips are often served with curry sauce.
But he bristled at suggestions that curry sauces and chicken
tikka masala are true Indian food. "You are led to believe this is
Indian food," Khan said. "It's amazing how they can still call it
a curry."
He despairs that the British way to eat a curry is to wash it
down with lager, which he said kills the flavor, but he says
British tastes have changed since Asians first started opening
restaurants more than 45 years ago.
"It was all watered-down curries (then)," said Khan. "The
perception was that British people couldn't take spices."
He said he can teach anyone to cook Indian in half an hour,
just as his mother taught him to cook Kashmiri cuisine. He has
trained his chefs, including a 19-year-old Bosnian immigrant, to
use his secret mixtures of spices.
"People are more educated toward curries than ever before,"
he said. "They eat curries day in and day out. Their tastes have
developed."
But even with curry, and even for Khan, you can have too much
of a good thing. His favorite food? Pizza.
54. Cast Off Culinary Shyness with Herbs the Herbfarm Way
By Jennifer Wolcott
BOSTON, Jun. 20, The Christian Science Monitor -- Not too long ago,
parsley was the only fresh herb you could buy. If you didn't grow your own
basil, rosemary, thyme, or other culinary herbs, your soups and stews went
without. Or you'd reach into your cupboard for a clear glass jar of dried
herb flakes and give them a shake into the pot. Now, thanks to increased
demand for fresh foods, such limitations are almost ancient history.
No one is more pleased with this trend than Jerry Traunfeld. For the
past 10 years, as executive chef at the wildly popular Herbfarm restaurant
outside Seattle, he has enchanted guests with his herb-infused cooking.
Every one of the nine courses featured in his signature dinners -- from
appetizers such as Tomato and Fennel Soup or Roasted Asparagus Salad With
Fresh Sage to desserts like Lemon Verbena Sorbet and Lavender Shortbread -
is made with just-picked herbs from the surrounding kitchen gardens. Even
beverages, such as sparkling sodas or the restaurant's much-imitated
Rosemary Lemonade, are infused with the fragrant plants.
Mr. Traunfeld's culinary background includes training at the California
Culinary Academy and a stint at Jeremiah Tower's award-winning Stars
restaurant in San Francisco, but it wasn't until he began buying herbs
from a farmer on Washington's Vashon Island that his passion for culinary
herbs really caught fire. "She grew the most gorgeous and unusual herbs,"
he recalls. It was then that he began his first herb garden, and has been
growing dozens of herbs ever since.
Herb enthusiasts who can't get to Seattle can now make Traunfeld's
dishes, thanks to "The Herbfarm Cookbook" (Scribner, $40), which features
recipes for more than 200 favorites from the restaurant as well as a
useful source list and tips for selecting, growing, and drying fresh
herbs. For example, under the heading "Scented Geraniums," Traunfeld
explains: "It's tempting to grow them all, but there are only two
'flavors' of geranium that I think are essential for the culinary herb
garden -- rose and lemon."
When he's not cooking at the restaurant in Woodinville, Wash., or
tending his own garden on a small Seattle lot, Traunfeld is teaching
others how to infuse meals with garden-fresh herbs. He is savvy about the
needs of the home cook, and his recipes reflect that. For the sake of
convenience or just variety, most dishes in his cookbook feature herb
substitutions. For example, his recipe for Roasted Shrimp With Marjoram
includes a note that one could substitute 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped
English or lemon thyme or rosemary for the marjoram.
Traunfeld wrote "The Herbfarm Cookbook" to inspire greater confidence
among home cooks. "Many people are too timid when they cook with fresh
herbs," he explains. "Most of us learned to cook using measured pinches
and teaspoons of dried herbs, but fresh herbs lend themselves to a much
freer use. Their flavors are complex and vibrant, yet not as concentrated.
Generous snippings and small handfuls are often appropriate. Of course,
you never want to overpower other ingredients, but don't be afraid to
allow the herbs to be noticed."
Getting noticed is certainly not a problem for Traunfeld's cooking.
Reservations at the Herbfarm restaurant have been called the "most coveted
in the country." But fame doesn't seem to affect him. What really excites
Traunfeld is the opportunity to cook with such glorious ingredients.
"Whenever I brush up against a rosemary shrub," he says, "roll a basil
sprig between my fingers, or cut a bunch of chives, I feel like I have the
best job in the world."
Rosemary Lemonade
1/2 cup sugar
6 cups water
6 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 to 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Bring the sugar and 2 cups of the water to a boil in a small (1-quart)
saucepan. Add the rosemary sprigs, cover, and remove from the heat. Let
the syrup steep for at least 30 minutes.
Strain the syrup into a pitcher. Stir in 1/2 cup of the lemon juice and
the remaining 4 cups water. Taste and add more lemon juice if necessary.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Makes about 1-1/2 quarts.
Herb substitutions: In place of the rosemary, use 2 tablespoons fresh
lavender buds, 8 scented geranium leaves, 1/2 cup fresh mint sprigs, or
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves.
Green Goddess Grilled Chicken Salad
2 cups Green Goddess Dressing (recipe below)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cups mixed young salad greens, or commercial mesclun mix, also called field
salad or spring mix
1 ripe avocado, quartered, peeled, and sliced
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
Optional garnish: tarragon sprigs, snipped chives, or edible flowers
such as mustard, arugula, scarlet runner bean, or nasturtium
Prepare the dressing as much as 2 days ahead and store tightly covered
in the refrigerator.
Start a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat a gas grill to
medium-high. In a mixing bowl, toss the chicken breasts with the oil,
garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Adjust the grill rack 4 inches from the
fire. When the charcoal is ashed over and medium hot or the gas grill is
preheated, lay the chicken on the grill and cook uncovered until the
underside is well marked, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side
until the chicken is firm to the touch and no pink remains, 4 to 6
minutes. The chicken breasts can also be broiled in the same manner. Let
the chicken cool slightly while preparing the greens.
Wash the salad greens by swishing them in a deep basin of cold water.
Lift them from the water and spin dry or pat dry in a clean towel. In a
large mixing bowl, toss the salad greens with 1/2 cup of dressing until
they are well-coated. Divide the greens among 4 dinner plates. With a
thin-bladed slicing knife, slice the chicken breasts 1/4-inch thick on a
diagonal. Arrange the slices of chicken on top of the greens in a fan
shape and arrange the avocado and tomatoes beside it. Spoon additional
dressing in a band across the chicken. Garnish if desired with tarragon,
chives, or edible flowers. Serve the salads right away. Pass the remaining
dressing at the table. Serves 4.
For a seafood variation, substitute 12 ounces cooked peeled shrimp or
12 ounces fresh crabmeat for the cooked chicken.
Green Goddess Dressing
3/4 cup (gently packed) fresh French tarragon leaves
3/4 cup snipped fresh chives
3/4 cup (gently packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
6 anchovy fillets
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup regular or low-fat sour cream or plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Puree the herbs, anchovies, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor
or blender. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream. Scrape
down the sides. Add the sour cream and pepper; process until smooth. Store
tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Makes 2 cups.
[From 'The Herbfarm Cookbook,' by Jerry Traunfeld]
55. Cookbook Explores Saffron's Ancient Allure and Modern-day Appeal
By Kristin Eddy
CHICAGO, Jun. 25, Chicago Tribune -- In the flood of food-related books
published each year, just a handful
focus on a single ingredient. Of those, many seem repetitive by book's
end, often by straining to include that ingredient in too many
recipes, some of which are ill-conceived.
So it's a pleasure to find a theme and recipes woven so effortlessly
throughout, as in "Secrets of Saffron: The Vagabond Life of the
World's Most Seductive Spice" (Beacon, $23), by Pat Willard, a
Brooklyn author. Willard has written a lovely appreciation of a
costly, little-understood seasoning, mixing modern recipes and ancient
remedies with history, myth and some dreamy prose.
The spice, which dries to a reddish gold but stains everything it
touches a deep lemon color, comes from the stigmas of the purple
crocus found in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Although the
delicate stigmas must be hand-picked from the flowers, and so many
must be picked to produce any sizeable harvest, saffron found favor as
a dye, a fragrance and a foodstuff even in ancient times, as Willard
writes:
"Once the vapors from the rugmaker's hot dye baths were inhaled, it
was only a matter of time before the Persians found other uses for the
tiny crocus threads. Its clean sharpness, clinging lightly to
everything it touches, as alluring and elegant as a thin veil, would
have been hard to resist. Soon, saffron was being scattered across the
bed at night, freshening sheets and pillows, inducing a tranquil
sleep. Persians swore that a cup of saffron tea relieved their
melancholy; a pouch of it worn on a string around the neck and
dangling above the heart would enkindle love. During the burning
months when hot breezes brushed across the shadeless plateau, saffron
and sandalwood were stirred into water that was left in a bowl beside
the front stoop to wash the dust and heat from parched bodies."
Other uses for the spice were found in Crete, as in a recipe for
perfume, destined for royalty, in which saffron is pounded with myrrh
until soft, mixed with oil and strained. Saffron also came into play
in the Middle Ages as a love potion, when it was mixed with honey and
sweet spices.
The book follows the spice from such ancient uses to its evolution as
a modern seasoning, particularly in the warm Mediterranean climates in
which it thrives. Willard follows it literally, traveling Europe to
explore the places saffron made its home, from England's Cornwall to a
saffron festival in the village of Consuegra in Spain. Here is her
mouthwatering memory of the village cooking competition:
"Some were stirring the local dish composed of rough bread crumbs,
sausages, garlic, tomatoes and saffron, moistened with water or white
wine. Others were preparing gallina pepitoria, a regional dish often
served at weddings that requires a chicken somewhat past her fertile
years, along with slivers of hard-boiled eggs, pine nuts and ham. On
the perimeter of a few fires were beans in tall clay pots. Some
stirred a thick rice stew with long metal spoons, and yes, here were a
couple of bubbling paellas. One version, with an obvious eye on wowing
the judges, was brimming with small crayfish, but the rest were the
traditional mixture of chicken, rabbit, and sausage, some made fiery
with long red peppers, but all (with varying degrees of pinches)
redolent of saffron."
Aside from these enjoyable reminiscences, the book includes about two
dozen recipes, such as the Spain's well-known Andalusian chicken. Our
tasters found the dish pleasant enough, but the strong flavor of
saffron here takes some getting used to. Far more successful was the
saffron cake, moistened with a lovely sweet glaze of sugar and lemon
juice. Both recipes were easy to follow and execute.
There are no photographs or illustrations, save for the
black-and-white icon of the crocus that tops the beginning of each
chapter. Color photographs would really relay the beauty of saffron
and its flower.
But the prose is evocative enough on its own, and you'll find that
even if the flavor of saffron is not to your taste, this is a book
worth savoring.
56. New Book Promotes Safe Use of Natural Remedies
TORONTO, Jun. 4, Canada NewsWire -- Although natural healing has become a
mainstream practice in Canada -- due to an increasing feeling that a holistic
approach to medicine and a reduction in synthetic drug reliance are more
conducive to good health -- natural remedies need to be approached with
care.
Your Natural Medicine Chest (Macmillan Canada) is a guidebook that
enables readers to make informed choices about natural health remedies.
Author Jeanne Marie Martin has been working in the health food field for
over 30 years, during which time she has written over 300 articles and
published 13 books.
Your Natural Medicine Chest employs an alphabetical format for quick
reference and includes a full discussion of proper dosage suggestions and a
thorough listing of cautions and exceptions to recommended treatments.
Since Jeanne Marie maintains that food should be the main treatment for
many common ailments, she also includes recipes for juices, blender drinks,
herbal teas and nourishing soups.
Safe, concise and full of practical wisdom, Your Natural Medicine Chest
is destined to become the classic consumer reference guide to natural
health.
Jeanne Marie Martin is a clinical nutritionist who specializes in
allergies, candida, chronic fatigue syndrome, parasites, and viral
infections. She currently lives in Vancouver, BC. Some of her past works:
For the Love of Food: the Complete Natural Food Cookbook, Alive Publishing;
The All Natural Allergy Cookbook, Harbour Publishing; Hearty Vegetarian:
Soups and Stews, Harbour Publishing.
57. It's Time to Let All Your Herbs Go to Pot
By Lynn Jenkins
BOSTON, Jun. 13, The Christian Science Monitor -- Just as today's
families are on the move, so, too, are today's gardens. Flowers,
herbs, trees, and even vegetables can be planted in moveable
containers.
Gardeners have pushed the limits with container gardening. No
longer presenting just a colorful array of annuals, creative
containers may hold perennials as well as herbs.
Create a portable kitchen garden outside the back door with
pots of herbs, lettuces, tomatoes, and peppers.
Even smaller varieties of eggplant, cucumbers, squash, and
melons are available for container gardening. Look for bush or
dwarf varieties with names that indicate that they stay small,
needing less room to grow.
Don't hesitate to add a few colorful annual flowers to these
edible container gardens. Nicotiana and marigolds are traditional
in vegetable gardens and do nicely in containers,too.
Vegetables will grow best with full sun, but herbs do fine with
filtered sun.
Herbs take to pots very well, and are much less demanding of
soil type and fertilization than most annual flowers or
vegetables.
Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, and cilantro have no equal, so
keep a pot or two of them handy. Plant purple-leaved and
ruffle-leaved basils in the same pot with cinnamon and
lemon-scented ones for both beauty and bouquet.
Allow one of the decorative-leaved sages (some are yellow and
green; others purple and white) to overflow a container that holds
a bush tomato.
Some herbs are lovely enough on their own to be planted in
hanging baskets and other containers. Certainly parsley is as
attractive a "filler" as asparagus fern. Thyme can overflow a pot
with as much grace and fragrance as alyssum. Using chives instead
of an annual flower gives the added benefit of a lovely purple
flower early in the season while other plants are still
establishing themselves.
Even if you never use a sprig of rosemary in cooking, there is
something exotic about growing it just close enough that you can
brush by it for a whiff of its intoxicating, pungent scent. It
does best grown in a terra-cotta pot with a well-drained -- even
sandy -- soil, and can be brought inside to a sunny windowsill
during the winter.
With the upsurge in container gardening, urns are not just for
entries anymore, vegetables don't always grow in in-ground
gardens, and trees don't anchor landscapes. And with a container
garden, if you're not happy with it, just move it someplace else.
58. Expert to Address Media Controversies Surrounding Herbal Supplements
BOULDER, Colo., Jun. 18, M2 Presswire -- At this year's International Herb
Association (IHA) conference in Portland, OR, Herb Research Foundation
President Rob McCaleb will speak on a topic that should prove interesting
to members of the media as well as to the public and those in the herb
business. McCaleb's presentation on July 21, entitled "Herbs in Modern
Health Care: Hope and Hype," will focus on the concepts, challenges and
controversies surrounding herbal supplements, including regulatory
uncertainties, the ways herbs are portrayed by the media, the public's
perception of herbs, and environmental issues that affect herb supply.
"It's time for a closer look at the interplay between the media and
their sources, a review of some of the ongoing controversies, and a
glimpse into the future of herbs in modern health care," asserts McCaleb.
"Scientific controversies have engulfed the topic of herbal medicine for
over 40 years.
The media attacks on herbal supplements have been relentless, despite
the strong evidence supporting herb use and an enviable safety record.
Evidence can be used or misused by marketers, regulators and opinion
leaders."
The Herb Research Foundation (HRF) of Boulder, CO is a nonprofit
research and education organization that has been educating the public
about herbs for almost 20 years. HRF is committed to providing
research-based information on the health benefits and safety of medicinal
plants to the public, media, health care practitioners, and legislators,
drawing on a specialty research library containing more than 300,000
scientific articles on thousands of herbs. The HRF library is one of the
world's most comprehensive collections of clinical and pharmacological
data on herbs. For more information on HRF, visit www.herbs.org
The IHA's 16th annual conference for members of the herb business is
scheduled to take place Wednesday, July 18 through Saturday, July 21, with
a public education day on Sunday, July 22. The conference venue is the
DoubleTree Inn, Columbia River in Portland, OR.
For more information on the conference, call (757) 497-4143 or visit
the organization's website at www.iherb.org
59. Herb Business News
American Wild Woodland Ginseng: Directors Resign
VANCOUVER, B.C., Jun. 11, Market News Publishing -- American Wild
Woodland Ginseng Corp. announced today that ten members of the
board resigned their positions as directors of the company,
including well-known ginseng grower Paul Hsu. Only four directors
remain. In addition, the company announced that Jeff Durno
resigned as Corporate Secretary of the company.
====
CV Technologies: Grants Options to Employees, Directors
EDMONTON, Jun. 18, Canada NewsWire -- CV Technologies Inc. today
announced that pursuant to the Stock Option Plan adopted by shareholders
at the July 25, 2000 Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders,
810,000 options for common shares have been granted to the Board of
Directors, Consultants and employees of the Corporation. The options, with
an exercise price of $0.23 per common share are granted effective June 15,
2001 and expire on June 15, 2006.
As of June 15, 2001, the Corporation has 62,109,785 common shares
issued and outstanding and will have 5,651,525 options that have been
granted but have not yet been exercised at the conclusion of the present
grant of options for common shares.
CV Technologies (CVT) is an international science and technology
company that conducts evidence-based, primary scientific research and
clinical trials in order to establish a solid foundation for
commercialization of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products.
CVT markets its natural products in Canada under its HerbTech(R) brand
name and supplies proprietary ingredients to national and international
markets. The Company currently holds 22 patents, which includes 12 U.S.
patents. An additional 39 patents are pending worldwide. Two Patent
Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications have also been filed.
====
CV Technologies: Completes Phase II Clinical Trial for Cold and Flu
Remedy
VANCOUVER, B.C., Jun. 26, Market News Publishing -- CV Technologies Inc.
is pleased to announce the successful completion of its Phase II Clinical
trial on CVT-E002, a drug candidate aimed at health issues surrounding
upper respiratory infections, such as cold-and-flu. The preliminary
analysis of the results indicates a decreased incidence of laboratory
confirmed acute respiratory illness when compared to placebo.
Based on the preliminary results of the Phase II trial CV Technologies
is now pursuing negotiations with potential strategic alliance partners.
Dr. Peter Pang, CV Technologies' President & CEO, says the primary focus
for the company is to secure a partnership with a major pharmaceutical
company to bring CVT-E002 to the large consumer market.
CV Technologies (CVT) is an international science and technology
company that conducts evidence-based, primary scientific research and
clinical trials in order to establish a solid foundation for
commercialization of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products.
CVT has a uniquely qualified team of phytochemists, biologists and
pharmacologists, including 12 with Ph.D.'s and 2 M.D.'s, working in two
full- scale laboratories, and in cooperation with 18 satellite facilities
around the world. Utilizing the Company's proprietary ChemBioPrint(TM)
technology, CVT scientists obtain specific chemical and biological
profiles of proprietary natural products and determine their mechanisms of
action and optimal dosages. The result is the development of
nutraceuticals and candidate therapeutic products that are certified
biologically active and consistent batch to batch.
CVT markets its natural products in Canada under its HerbTech(R) brand
name and supplies proprietary ingredients to national and international
markets. The Company currently holds 22 patents, which includes 12 U.S.
patents. An additional 39 patents are pending worldwide. Two Patent
Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications have also been filed.
====
Drkoop.com: Launch of Dietary Supplement Line
NEW YORK, Jun. 21, Market News Publishing -- Drkoop.com Inc. announced
plans to launch its introductory line of drkoop branded dietary
supplements enhancing the company's "full spectrum" approach to health
care.
Building upon the trusted reputation of the former U.S. Surgeon General
himself, the company has partnered with Gemini Pharmaceuticals to create
science-based product formulas focused on the needs of aging baby boomers.
Expected to reach the U.S. market in September 2001, the company is
confident its supplements will help eliminate consumer confusion and bring
a new measure of credibility to the estimated $14 billion U.S. dietary
supplement industry.
"This is an enormous market opportunity for us to be the leading brand
in consumer health products by providing a supplement line based on
scientific evidence with a name consumers can trust," said Richard
Rosenblatt, co-chairman and CEO of drkoop.com Inc.
The introductory line is expected to include formulations for healthy
joints, menopause symptoms, prostate health and mental clarity. The
formulations have been created by medical experts specializing in the
field.
"Our research suggests that the market needs a line of supplements
backed by a trusted medical professional -- the key word being trusted,"
said Michael Finamore, principal, Gemini Pharmaceuticals. "In our
experience to date, the Dr. Koop name and supplement concept has been met
with extremely enthusiastic reactions."
The supplement line adds to drkoop.com Inc.'s new corporate mission of
offering products and services to consumers across the "spectrum of
health" -- from actively healthy to seriously ill.
Founded in 1997, drkoop.com Inc. is a publicly traded company that is
committed to the tradition of excellence established by the former U.S.
Surgeon General. drkoop.com Inc. is a trusted source for consumers seeking
quality health and wellness information, products and services that
empower people across the health spectrum to make informed lifestyle
choices. drkoop.com Inc. products and services are designed to empower
every individual to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
About Gemini Pharmaceuticals
Gemini Pharmaceuticals has been a private label manufacturer of OTCs,
dietary supplements, herbs and nutritional products since 1981. Gemini is
fully licensed and registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the New York State Board of
Pharmacy.
In addition, Gemini's OTC heritage and state-of the-art, on-site
laboratory ensure that all products manufactured in its facility exceed
the strictest quality control procedures for all stages of production and
packaging. For more information visit www.geminipharm.com.
====
GNC: Announces Pro Performer Award Finalists Awards
PITTSBURGH, Jun. 14, Business Wire -- General Nutrition Companies,
Inc., the largest specialty retailer of nutritional supplements,
today announced five finalists in the company's fifth annual Pro
Performer Award.
The award recognizes four domestic and one international GNC
franchise store sales associates for exceptional customer service
and contribution to the GNC franchise system. An overall winner
will be announced at the company's 2001 International Franchise
Convention in Orlando, Florida, June 15-21, 2001.
This year's finalists are: Laura Bangert, Lewiston, Idaho; Joe
Bosco, Naperville, Illinois; Nitin Kaushik, Westford,
Massachusetts; Suzette Steward, Rainbow City, Alabama and Mark
Taylor, Australia. The five finalists, selected from 66 nominees,
each receive an all-expenses paid trip to the convention. The
overall winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000, and the four
runners-up will take home $500.
Franchise store employees are nominated by GNC franchise
operators based on exceptional customer service, product
knowledge, commitment to GNC brands, and loyalty and
dependability, among other attributes. GNC's regional franchise
consultants review the nominations and select one semifinalist
from each of GNC's 42 regions. A panel of GNC's senior management
then selects the finalists.
Russell L. Cooper, GNC Franchising Senior Vice President and
General Manager, said, "We are delighted to recognize the
commitment and contributions that our franchise store sales
associates make to our franchisees. The Pro Performer finalists
exemplify the high level of customer service GNC stands for, and
they deserve recognition for the example they set for all of us at
GNC."
Scott Lehr, Vice President of Development and Marketing for the
International Franchise Association said, "GNC's Pro Performer
awards are unique in the franchising industry for offering cash
bonuses to recognize exceptional performance of employees of
franchisees. The awards are an important recognition of the vital
role franchise stores play in American business."
General Nutrition Companies, Inc. (GNC), based in Pittsburgh,
PA, is the largest nationwide specialty retailer of vitamin,
mineral and herbal supplements, sports nutrition as well as many
personal care and related products. GNC operates more than 4,500
retail outlets throughout the United States and 26 foreign markets
including Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. GNC is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Royal Numico N.V., a worldwide market leader in
specialized nutrition that includes infant and clinical nutrition
and nutritional supplements. Headquartered in Zoetermeer, The
Netherlands, Royal Numico's family of companies includes Rexall
Sundown, Inc., a major supplier to the mass market based in Boca
Raton, Fla., sports nutrition leaders Met-Rx and Worldwide
Nutrition and the multi-level marketing operation of Enrich
International.
====
GNC: Offers Alternative to Traditional Buy One, Get One Free
PITTSBURGH, Jun. 8, Business Wire -- General Nutrition Centers, the largest
specialty retailer of nutritional supplements, rolled out in June its newest
pricing concept -- "Buy One/Get One (BOGO) Mix and Match," which will be
tested nationally through August 2, 2001.
For the next two months, customers who purchase a GNC brand product can
enjoy a 50% savings on any other GNC product of equal or lesser value. GNC's
traditional BOGO savings limited customers to a 50% savings off the second
bottle of the same product.
"This program is just another example of GNC's commitment to its
customers," said Roberta Gaffga, GNC Senior Vice President of Marketing.
"Our customers recognize the value and savings of BOGO programs, but they
want more choice than the traditional programs offered. For example, the new
`mix and match' option allows our customers to purchase GNC's ArginMax(R),
which is our newest product scientifically designed to support male and
female satisfaction, and enjoy half-off savings on a second bottle for their
partner," she added.
The BOGO Mix and Match program is the latest in a series of GNC marketing
initiatives designed to introduce new and existing customers to the
company's wide array of products for a healthy lifestyle.
Other recent marketing initiatives with national visibility include
sponsoring the 2001 Healthy Lifestyle Tour of PREVENTION, America's leading
health and fitness magazine. The six-month tour travels across the country
reaching over 4 million consumers with free health screenings, money-saving
coupons and information about GNC products. Also, GNC partnered with the
March of Dimes this year to sponsor its annual WalkAmerica fundraisers in 11
cities, and to develop an educational folic acid brochure for distribution
to the medical community. GNC is also a sponsor of Hank Parker, Jr., the
driver of the No. 36 GNC Live Well Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the 2001 NASCAR
Busch Series.
To help promote the program, each GNC store will have new signage
displaying the BOGO Mix & Match offer, including storefront and shelving
displays announcing the promotion. After August 2, GNC will evaluate the
campaign with an eye toward offering similar programs on a regular basis in
addition to its popular Gold Card program, which offers customers the
opportunity for monthly savings on their favorite GNC products.
General Nutrition Companies, Inc. (GNC), based in Pittsburgh, PA, is the
largest nationwide specialty retailer of vitamin, mineral and herbal
supplements, sports nutrition as well as many personal care and related
products. GNC operates more than 4,500 retail outlets throughout the United
States and 26 foreign markets including Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. GNC
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Numico N.V., a worldwide market leader
in specialized nutrition that includes infant and clinical nutrition and
nutritional supplements. Headquartered in Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, Royal
Numico's family of companies includes Boca Raton, Fla.-based Rexall Sundown,
Inc., a major supplier of vitamins, herbal and nutritional supplements to
the food, drug and mass market, sports nutrition leaders MET-Rx and
Worldwide Sport Nutrition, and Unicity Network, the company's multi-level
marketing operation which encompasses the former Enrich International and
Rexall Showcase International network marketing organizations.
====
Green Mountain Coffee: Acquires Frontier's Organic Coffee Brand
WATERBURY, Vt., Jun. 5, Business Wire -- Green Mountain Coffee, Inc.
announced that effective today it has acquired Frontier Organic Coffee(TM)
from Frontier Natural Products Co-op of Norway, Iowa. Green Mountain Coffee
purchased the Frontier Organic Coffee brand, its trade information, and
various other assets related to its coffee business from Frontier Natural
Products Co-op for approximately $2.7 million in cash, including estimated
transaction costs. The Company financed the acquisition through its existing
line of bank debt. Frontier is one of the largest importers and roasters
dedicated to 100% certified organic coffee in North America. Offering both
bulk and packaged coffee, Frontier Organic Coffee's annual sales last year
were over $3.5 million.
"Frontier Organic Coffee will be a great addition to the Green Mountain
Coffee family," said Robert P. Stiller, President and CEO of Green Mountain
Coffee, Inc. "Frontier's leadership in social responsibility and
high-quality certified organic coffees will enhance our position in these
areas of strategic importance to us. The acquisition of Frontier provides us
with new opportunities to expand our presence in the rapidly growing natural
foods market segment."
Robert D. Britt, Chief Financial Officer added: "The Frontier Organic
Coffee acquisition is designed to be immediately accretive to earnings,
although its impact is not expected to be material due to the size of the
transaction. While we expect the effect on this fiscal year's financial
results to be essentially neutral, going forward it should enhance Green
Mountain Coffee's efforts to meet our goals for growing both our top line
and, particularly in view of our ability to finance this deal at current
variable interest rates of approximately 5%, our bottom line."
A leader in the natural products and organic industries, Frontier is
dedicated to organic agricultural research, including international, organic
coffee-growing methods. Frontier's research has been driven by its high
quality standards as well as its commitment to bettering the human and
natural environments in the agricultural regions around the world, not only
for coffee, but also for herbs and spices, a portion of the business they
are retaining.
For the past eight years, Frontier has contributed extensive time and
resources to study organic coffee-growing methods in various regions and
has, in turn, shared this knowledge with growers. By introducing organic
coffee into certain coffee-growing areas, Frontier has been able to help
create better livelihoods and environmental working conditions for many
growers and their families.
"Frontier shares Green Mountain Coffee's commitment to the environment
and to the health and well-being of people in coffee-growing communities
where we have done business," stated Steve Hughes, CEO of Frontier Natural
Products Co-op. "We are very pleased with the sale of our coffee business,
which is the result of a strategic management decision here at Frontier to
seek other growth opportunities by focusing on our core business. We are
proud of the Frontier Organic Coffee legacy," Hughes added, "and are fully
confident that Green Mountain will carry similar programs forward under
their own impressive social-responsibility initiatives."
Steve Sabol, Vice President of Sales for Green Mountain Coffee, said:
"With the acquisition of Frontier Organic Coffee, we look forward to further
developing important partnerships already established by Frontier with
natural food brokers, distributors, and retailers including United Natural
Foods, Inc., Tree of Life, and Fred Meyer, among others."
Frontier Natural Products Co-op, based in Boulder, Colorado, and Norway,
Iowa, offers a full line of natural and organic products, including natural
remedies, packaged culinary herbs and spices, bulk herbs and spices, and
100% pure-essential-oil aromatherapy products. Through a distribution
agreement with Green Mountain Coffee, Inc., Frontier will continue to sell
Frontier organic coffees and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' Fair Trade
coffees to its customers. Frontier's goal is to provide consumers with the
highest quality organic and natural products, while supporting and promoting
socially responsible business practices, organic agriculture and
environmental activities. Frontier's dedication to quality and organic
agriculture is manifested through the company's Organic Research Farm,
Quality Assurance Lab, and the National Center for the Preservation of
Medicinal Herbs.
Green Mountain Coffee, Inc. is a leader in the specialty coffee industry
and has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the "200 Best Small
Companies in America." The company roasts high-quality Arabica coffees and
offers over 60 varieties including single-origin, estate, certified organic,
Fair Trade, signature blends, and flavored coffees that it sells under the
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters(R) brand. The majority of Green Mountain
Coffee's revenue is derived from its wholesale operation that serves
supermarkets, convenience stores, offices, and other locations where fine
coffees are sold. Green Mountain Coffee also operates a direct mail business
and an e-commerce website.
====
Herbalife: Renews Lease
CARSON, Calif., Jun. 12, Inman News Features -- Carson,
Calif.-based Watson Land Co., a developer of master-planned
industrial centers in Los Angeles County, has signed a five-year
lease for 82,471 square feet of space with Carson-based Herbalife,
a marketer of weight-management, nutritional, and personal-care
products.
The lease is valued at approximately $3 million.
The Herbalife building is located at 930 East 233rd St. in
Carson. The company utilizes the building's flexible design that
accommodates both office and warehouse uses.
Steve Marcussen of Cushman Realty represented Herbalife in the
transaction.
"Watson Land Company has proven to be a topflight landlord
providing professional and efficient property management and
high-quality facilities," said Conrad Klein, executive vice
president of Herbalife.
Watson Land Co. has master-planned and developed more than
1,000 acres of industrial and commercial property during the past
30 years. The company has developed and owns and manages more than
11.7 million square feet of industrial, office and technology
buildings and business centers.
====
Herbalife: Declares Second Quarter Dividend
LOS ANGELES, Jun. 28, Business Wire -- Herbalife International, Inc.
today announced that its board of directors approved payment of a regular
quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share on Herbalife's Class A and
Class B common shares.
The dividend is payable August 9, 2001 to shareholders of record on
July 26, 2001.
Herbalife International, Inc. markets nutritional, weight management and
personal care products in 51 countries worldwide. Herbalife products are
available only through a network of independent distributors who purchase the
products directly from the Company.
====
Herbalife: Brings its Products to Colombia
LOS ANGELES, Jun. 11, Business Wire -- Herbalife International Inc.
announced today that it has opened operations in Colombia, the 51st country
in which Herbalife products are now available.
Initially, the company will offer its core product lines, including its
best-selling protein drink mixes, herbal beverages and skin care products
through a distribution center established in Bogota. The market also will
have available Herbalife's latest distribution tool, an e-mail ordering
system designed to facilitate distributor orders placed from home, or remote
areas of the country.
"Colombia represents our ninth country in Latin America and demonstrates
strong progress toward our goal of bringing Herbalife products to customers
worldwide," said Christopher Pair, Herbalife President and Chief Executive
Officer. "Distributors have expressed great interest in Colombia and we are
optimistic that this will prove an excellent opportunity."
Herbalife International Inc. markets nutritional, weight management and
personal care products in 51 countries. Herbalife products are sold
exclusively through a network of independent distributors who purchase the
products directly from the company.
====
Imperial Ginseng: Long-Term Debt to Equity Deal
VANCOUVER, B.C., Jun. 14, Market News Publishing -- Hugh R.
Cartwright, Director and Co-Chairman, Imperial Ginseng Products
Ltd. is pleased to announce that pursuant to the terms of its
previously issued Bonds, holders of $875,000 convertible bonds
have exercised their right and converted their Bonds, plus accrued
interest of approximately $134,400, to 1,009,400 Preferred Shares
of Imperial. Imperial will pay a commission of 6% as well as other
fees on the conversion and will reimburse management and
administrative costs for services, payable in common shares of
Imperial, with respect to this conversion to Preferred Shares,
subject to regulatory approval.
Further, Imperial announces that it has, subject to regulatory
approval, successfully negotiated with Qwest Bancorp Ltd.
("Qwest") a share for debt settlement consisting of 952,000
Preferred Shares of the Company in exchange for $952,000 of
current debt owing.
The Preferred Shares are units consisting of Class "A"
Preferred Shares of the Company and Royalty Participation Units.
The Class "A" Preferred Shares are non-voting, convertible shares
issued with an average dividend rate of 12.5% at a price of $1 per
share. The Class "A" Preferred Shares are convertible to common
shares of the Company at a price of $0.34 per common share with
such conversion price increasing by $0.25 per common share on
January 31 of each year starting January 31, 2002. Common shares
of the Company issued as a result of any conversion of the
Preferred Shares would be subject to a one-year hold period
expiring June 12, 2002.
The 1,961,400 Royalty Participation Units issued as part of the
units on a one for one basis with the Class "A" Preferred Shares,
carry a royalty entitlement consisting of the proceeds from
one-half acre of ginseng from each of the 2004, 2005, 2006 and
2007 harvests per 1 million Royalty Participation Units.
The Preferred Shares, subject to certain restrictions and
penalties are, after December 31, 2001, retractable at the option
of the holder and are redeemable by the Company. Dividends on the
Class "A" Preferred Shares are cumulative and, like the royalty
due on the Royalty Participation Units, can be paid, at the option
of the Company, in cash or common shares of the Company priced at
their then current price.
Shares for Debt Settlement
Imperial is pleased to announce that it has received regulatory
approval and subsequently issued 508,385 of its common shares in
settlement of $110,000 of its convertible bonds plus accrued
interest of $22,180. Bonds and accrued interest totaling $132,180
were converted at a price of $0.26 per common share. These common
shares were issued with hold periods with 25% of the common shares
released on September 24, 2001, 25% of the common shares released
on January 24, 2002, 25% of the common shares released on May 24,
2002 and the balance on September 24, 2002.
====
McCormick: Reports Record Sales and Earnings Per Share for Second
Quarter
SPARKS, Md., Jun. 20, PRNewswire -- McCormick & Company, Incorporated,
today reported a 17% increase in sales and 9% increase in earnings per
share for the second quarter of fiscal 2001.
Sales for the quarter were $567 million, an increase of 17% versus the
second quarter of 2000. Excluding foreign exchange and the Ducros
business, sales increased 6%. Gross profit margin for the quarter was
39.1%, 4.0 percentage points above last year. This increase resulted from
a shift in product mix to higher margin, more value-added products,
including the recently acquired Ducros business, as well as cost reduction
initiatives. Operating profit margin for this year's quarter reached 8.7%
versus 8.4% in 2000.
Earnings per share for the quarter ended May 31 increased to 38 cents
from 35 cents in 2000. Results from Ducros for the quarter diluted
earnings by 4 cents per share, which was slightly better than expected.
In the second quarter, excluding dilution from the Ducros acquisition,
earnings per share for 2001 were 42 cents, an increase of 7 cents versus
the prior year. This was achieved through 5 cents of higher operating
income, 1 cent in reduced interest expense and 1 cent from a lower
effective tax rate.
Consumer Business
Sales for McCormick's consumer business rose 36% versus last year's
second quarter and increased 7% excluding the impact of Ducros and foreign
exchange. In local currency, consumer sales were up 7% in the Americas, 7%
in Europe (excluding Ducros) and 9% in Asia. This strong performance was
driven by volume and, to a lesser extent, by pricing. Operating income
for the consumer business was $26.5 million, 21% ahead of last year's
quarter. As a percent of net sales, operating income decreased to 9.7%
from 10.8%, primarily a result of the dilutive effect of Ducros.
Industrial Business
Industrial sales increased 2% versus last year's second quarter and 4%
excluding foreign exchange. In local currency, industrial sales increased
4% in the Americas, were unchanged in Europe and rose 11% in Asia. The
strongest increases were achieved in sales of snack seasonings and sales
to restaurant customers. Operating income for the quarter increased to
$24.1 million, a 14.8% increase versus last year. As a percent of net
sales, operating income increased to 9.9%, which compares to 8.8% in 2000.
Margin improvement in the industrial business was particularly strong due
to product mix, favorable commodity prices and cost reduction initiatives.
Packaging Business
The packaging business reported third party sales up 9% versus last
year's second quarter. Operating profit (including intersegment business)
was $5.9 million, a decrease of 6%. As a percent of net sales, operating
profit decreased to 10.1% from 11.4% as a result of higher resin costs and
unfavorable product mix for the quarter.
Chairman's Comments
Commented Robert J. Lawless, Chairman, President & CEO, "We are
extremely pleased with our results for the first half of 2001. Sales
increased 16%, tracking well against our 12-14% target range. The
consumer business achieved good sales growth this quarter, following a
slow start for the year, and sales in our industrial and packaging
businesses have improved.
"Gross profit margin continued to improve this quarter and ended the
first half at 39.1% compared to a first half result of 35.3% in 2000. We
have two key initiatives behind this improvement. First, an improved
product mix as we shift our focus and resources toward higher margin, more
value-added products. Second, our cost reduction initiatives, including
the Beyond 2000 program, are driving costs out of our processes,
particularly in the procurement of materials. For 2001, we are well on
our way toward our goal of a 40% gross profit margin.
"Before the year began, our expectation for 2001 earnings per share
growth was 8-10%, with a relatively even performance in the first half of
the year, followed by strong second half results. While our 9% earnings
per share increase in the first half is well ahead of this first half
projection, our expectation for the year remains 8-10%. In the second
half of 2001, foreign exchange, inventory reduction efforts by our retail
customers, and some minor dilution from Ducros could impact the third and
fourth quarters. Despite these risks, our year-to-date results give us
confidence that we will be at the top end of our 8-10% earnings per share
growth target.
"McCormick's strategies for growth are delivering positive results.
Integration of the Ducros acquisition is proceeding well, and this
business is meeting our expectations. The Beyond 2000 program is in full
swing, on plan and already contributing to gross profit margin
improvements. Continued focus and investment in our branded consumer
products and in value-added industrial products are also contributing.
"I congratulate the employees of McCormick on a great quarter. We
have created momentum as we begin the second half of our year. The
Company is meeting its goals and remains committed to delivering superior
financial results and shareholder value. We believe that 2001 will be an
excellent year for McCormick and its shareholders."
McCormick & Co., Inc. is the global leader in the manufacture,
marketing and distribution of spices, seasonings and flavors to the entire
food industry -- to foodservice and food processing businesses as well as
to retail outlets. In addition, the packaging group manufactures and
markets specialty plastic bottles and tubes for personal care and other
industries.
====
McCormick Declares $.20 Quarterly Dividend
SPARKS, Md., Jun. 19, PRNewswire -- The Board of Directors of
McCormick & Company, Incorporated today declared a quarterly dividend of
$.20 per share on its common stocks payable July 12, 2001, to shareholders
of record June 29th.
This is the 77th year of consecutive dividend payments by the Company.
McCormick is the international producer of spices, seasonings,
flavorings, and specialty foods.
====
NatureWell: Mitchell Joins Board of Directors
NEW YORK, Jun. 27, Market News Publishing -- NatureWell, Inc. announced
that Mr. Russell Mitchell has joined its Board of Directors.
Mitchell is the founder and President of Mitchell Health Technologies,
which is currently working with NatureWell to launch and market the
Company's MigraSpray(TM) and MigraDaily(TM) products. Mitchell Health
Technologies is a leader in the distribution of unique health and medical
products and currently distributes to approximately 48,000 food, drug and
discount stores throughout the continental United States.
MigraSpray is a fast-acting sublingual spray containing the herb
feverfew, which has been used for centuries to provide relief from
migraine and other types of headaches. MigraDaily is a specially
formulated daily supplement which supports normal cerebrovasuclar tone.
"We have been working with Russ and Mitchell Health Technologies for
sometime now, and are delighted that he has agreed to join our Board",
said Don Brucker, co-CEO of NatureWell, Inc. "He will make a fine addition
to our growing Board of Directors."
NatureWell, Inc. is engaged in the development and marketing of unique,
proprietary healthcare products including MigraSpray and MigraDaily. In
addition, through its subsidiary DiagnosTech Inc., the Company has
licensed to Meridian BioScience, Inc. the worldwide marketing and
distribution rights for its unique proprietary test for active
tuberculosis.
====
Pharmaniaga: Healthcare Group Aims to Be Leader in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, Jun. 19, AsiaPulse -- Pharmaniaga Berhad has taken steps to
become the leading healthcare group in Malaysia by 2005, chairman Tan Sri
Zaki bin Tun Azmi said.
"We are focusing more attention on becoming a leading player in the
ASEAN markets that have a total population of 600 million," he said in the
company's annual report for 2000.
He said the group is currently studying all aspects of manufacturing
products such as inhalers, soft gel capsules, biotech technology products,
and herbal and traditional preparations.
"Our focus will still remain on the healthcare industry, but prudent
diversification based on our synergistic strengths will allow for new
growth as well as create new opportunities," he said.
The company's exports were worth more than RM10 million (US$2.6
million) in 2000, but Pharmaniaga plans to further boost exports with the
appointment of agents and distributors, and joint ventures with local
healthcare companies.
Zaki said group turnover rose 20 per cent to RM427.6 million in 2000
from RM356.4 million in 1999.
Group profit before tax soared 46 per cent from RM26.5 million in 1999
to RM38.7 million in 2000.
The core business of Pharmaniaga, which was listed on the Kuala Lumpur
Stock Exchange in October 1998, is generic pharmaceuticals manufacture and
supply.
Through the flagship company, Raza Manufacturing Bhd, the group also
produces over-the-counter (OTC) products and undertakes contract
manufacturing for MNCs such as Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb.
The main distribution arm, Remedi Pharmaceuticals (M) Sdn Bhd, has
branched into pharmacy management services for hospitals, pharmacy
automated systems laboratory testing services, and providing consultancy
and supply of medical equipment to new hospital projects.
====
Republic of Tea: From the Soul of South Africa Comes Red Tea
NOVATO, Calif., Jun. 18 -- The Republic of Tea has introduced an exciting
new line of Red Tea. From the remote mountains of the Cedarberg area near
Cape Town South Africa, comes Red Tea which researchers have found provides
even more of the health promoting properties that have popularized green
tea. Red Tea is deeper than its color. Scientific studies have discovered
that Red Tea, an indigenous wonder herb of South Africa called rooibos
(ROY-boss), is full of polyphenols and flavonoids which helps reduce
cellular damage caused by free radicals that weaken natural defenses and
eventually lead to aging and the onset of disease. Red Tea is completely
caffeine-free so you can enjoy unlimited cups, multiplying the benefits from
all its healthful properties without overdoing the caffeine-perfect for
today's healthy lifestyles.
Red Tea is wonderful hot or on ice and the five unique flavors are packaged
in tins of 36-ct. unbleached round tea bags. Each signature airtight tin
boasts a colorful label depicting African textile motifs.
Botswana Blossom blends rooibos with citrus, blossoms and nuts.
Capetown Harvest pairs rooibos with the sunny tropical flavors of passion
fruit and mango.
Cedarberg Mountain Organic yields a rich amber brew and is smooth, mellow,
well-balanced and delicious.
Good Hope Vanilla is a blend of rooibos and sweet vanilla beans.
Safari Sunset offers flavors of cinnamon, orange and cloves with a hint of
lemon.
Founded in 1992, The Republic of Tea is a progressive and socially conscious
business recognized for being the leading purveyor of exquisite teas and
herbs. The company sells more than 75 varieties of its teas, herbs, Healthy
Chai Tea Latte's, Bottled Iced Teas, Tea Jams, Tea Cookies and
nature-inspired teaware, in over 20,000 specialty food locations,
restaurants and cafes throughout the United States.
====
Rocky Mountain Ginseng: Shareholders Approve Reserve Stock Split
VANCOUVER, B.C., Jun. 14, Business Wire -- The Board of Directors
of Rocky Mountain Ginseng, Inc. wish to announce that all three
resolutions, as outlined in the Notice of Annual Shareholders
Meeting package, have been passed at the Company's Annual
Shareholders Meeting on June 8, 2001.
Brian Hodge, president of RMGG, announced that the large
majority of the shareholders supported a motion for the Company to
proceed with a reverse-share split of 5 to 1. Procedures are
underway to work with NASDAQ to implement this change.
Mr. Hodge further stated that this split would result in the
company treasury having sufficient shares to raise operating and
expansion capital in future. "The Company has just completed a
comprehensive business plan to use in discussions with prospective
investors. Discussions are continuing with private investors to
seek private placement of funds for working capital required to
enable the Company to initiate its franchising program," Mr. Hodge
said.
Brian Hodge, Paul Winstanley and Doug Bullock return as
directors, with Mr. Winstanley serving as Corporate Secretary and
Mr. Hodge as President.
Rocky Mountain Ginseng, Inc.'s head office is located in
British Columbia, Canada. The Company exports American ginseng to
China as well as manufactures and processes America ginseng
products in China. Rocky Mountain Ginseng, Inc. holds exclusive
world processing and distribution rights to several innovative
value added ginseng products developed in North America.
Rocky Mountain Ginseng, Inc. purchased Fuzhou Fujian Drug
Company located in China in February 1999. This acquisition
included all necessary drug and hygiene licenses allowing the
Company to import, export, manufacture and distribute ginseng
products in all provinces of China. The Company has completed the
construction of its new office and manufacturing facility in the
city of Fuzhou and is currently producing traditional ginseng
products for the Chinese Market. The Chinese factory employs 42
people in processing, sales, accounting and management. Rocky
Mountain (Fuzhou) Drug Co. Ltd. is the first wholly owned Canadian
Company in the Fujian province.
====
Schiff: Introduces New Green Tea-Based Natural Weight Loss Supplement
SALT LAKE CITY, Jun. 7, PRNewswire -- Schiff, one of America's most trusted
and respected natural supplement brands, is introducing Schiff Green Tea
Diet, a natural, ephedrine-free weight loss supplement that supports the
body's ability to burn fat and calories without feeling jittery.
Schiff Green Tea Diet is one of the first diet products with a formula
that is both ephedrine-free and contains guaranteed levels of high quality
green tea extracts -- including the powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin
gallate (EGCG) -- and caffeine, for a natural way to lose weight.
"We're nearing the summer season when many people think about shedding
extra pounds so they can comfortably fit into their bathing suits. Also,
ongoing consumer concerns about ephedrine and other ingredients are creating
more interest in natural weight loss products. Schiff Green Tea Diet is now
available to meet those needs," said Brian Colin, vice president of
marketing for Schiff.
"What's important when selecting a natural weight loss supplement is to
look for a product that contains not just green tea, but specifically a
formula such as Schiff's that contains guaranteed levels of EGCG -- 270
milligrams per day -- combined with specific amounts of caffeine -- 150
milligrams per day -- with the support of an emerging body of science," said
Luke Bucci, PhD, vice president of research for Schiff. Each
easy-to-swallow Schiff Green Tea Diet tablet contains 225 milligrams of
green tea extract, 90 milligrams of EGCG and 50 milligrams of caffeine.
Consumers should take one tablet three times daily, preferably before meals.
Included in each package of Schiff Green Tea Diet is an easy-to-follow
diet and exercise plan prepared by Schiff's registered dietitian for
consumers to use in combination with the Schiff Green Tea Diet supplement.
A coupon for Schiff vitamin products and new Schiff Soy One(TM) bars is also
included.
Schiff Green Tea Diet will be available to consumers starting this month
at grocery stores, mass retailers and drug stores nationwide. The suggested
retail price for the 90-count bottle is between $12.99 and $14.99.
Schiff, a leader in the natural supplement industry since its beginnings
more than 60 years ago, is one of the most trusted and respected brands due
to its focus on research, innovations, and delivery of high quality dietary
supplements. Schiff continues to emphasize the use of natural ingredients
such as whole food concentrates, herbs and phytochemicals in its complete
line of dietary supplements. The Schiff brand is owned by Salt Lake
City-based Weider Nutrition International, which develops, manufactures,
markets and sells branded and private label vitamins, nutritional
supplements and sports nutrition products in the United States and
throughout the world.
====
Shanghai Xingling, CRO Quintiles: Ginkgo Extracts to Enter U.S. Market
CHINA, Jun. 18, Sohu.com -- Shanghai Xingling Science & Technology
Pharmaceutical Co. and U.S. CRO
Quintiles Transnational Corp. have agreed to apply jointly for market
entry approval for Xingling's ginkgo extracts from the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration, according to the May 22 Chinese Medical News.
Shanghai Xingling's ginkgo flavonoids and terpene lactones and
Xingling granules are Class II new drugs protected for eight years in
China.
Recommended by the Ministry of Science & Technology and the Shanghai
Scientific Committee, they have passed preliminary evaluations for new
drug applications by the U.S. FDA. Their production technology and
clinical application have been granted patents in China and the United
States.
====
Vitamin Shoppe: Names Former Barnes & Noble Executive to President
NORTH BERGEN, N.J., Jun. 21, BW HealthWire -- Vitamin Shoppe Industries
Inc. ("VSI"), a privately held retail and direct marketing company
specializing in the sale of vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements
and other health-related products, today announced the appointment of
Thomas Tolworthy to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer.
"We are very fortunate to have Tom join our management team," commented
Jeffrey Horowitz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of VSI. "With his
impressive track record at Barnes and Noble encompassing operations,
budgeting, merchandise and systems, his retail expertise will be
invaluable as we approach the opening of our 100th store and look beyond
to our future growth."
Prior to joining Vitamin Shoppe Industries, Mr. Tolworthy was
President, Barnes & Noble Bookstores, which operates 600 book superstores
and 400 mall bookstores in 50 states with $3.8 billion in sales. His
responsibilities included all store operations, merchandise, cafe, music,
reporting and budgeting, and systems. During his 11-year tenure with the
company, Mr. Tolworthy held various executive positions including
President, B. Dalton Booksellers, a division of Barnes & Noble Inc. Before
Barnes & Noble, he was Stores Director at Duckwall/Alco Discount Stores, a
180-store chain based in Abilene, KS.
VSI has conducted business as The Vitamin Shoppe since it was
established in 1977 and today is comprised of more than 90 stores in ten
states, a monthly catalog with significant national distribution and an
extensive website with thousands of daily visitors. The Vitamin Shoppe is
one of the nation's most complete resources for name brand vitamins,
nutritional supplements, books, herbs and other health-related products.
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