Monthly Archives: December 2023

Garlic and Male Reproduction

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Garlic is a medicinal plant with a number of beneficial health effects in humans and animals. Garlic is high in sulporous chemicals and these provide some of the health effects. However a number of other phytochemicals also contribute, particularly to … Continue reading →

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Tocotrienols and DNA Damage

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin E describes a group of vitamers that all display the same physiological activity as alpha-tocopherol, the main form of vitamin E in animals. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant because it is lipid soluble and plays a unique role … Continue reading →

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Borage and Evening Primrose Oils

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Borage (Borago officinalis) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) oils both have interesting and similar nutritional compositions and this gives them broadly similar physiological effects. Generally the oil composition of seed oils varies between plants and between growing conditions, but on … Continue reading →

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Borage Oil (Starflower Oil) for Arthritis

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Arachidonic acid is an omega-6 oil that can increase production of the series 2 prostaglandins and the series 4 leukotrienes, both of which have proinflammatory effects. Arachidonic acid is present in high amounts in the typical Western diet which explains … Continue reading →

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Magnesium and Pain

Posted on December 10, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Magnesium is an essential macromineral that has a very wide and diverse number of physiological functions and is therefore highly important in human nutrition. One of the roles of magnesium is in pain relief and this antinociceptive effect is thought … Continue reading →

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The Antimicrobial Effects of Tea Polyphenols

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Black tea with milk has incredible calming properties that make it an ideal drink during periods of stress. Being ill with a microbiological infection is a significant stress on a human body and tea is a drink that is often … Continue reading →

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Acetylcholine and Choline

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Robert Barrington

A number of dietary substances are required for the synthesis of neurotransmitters in humans, and this links the diet to the brain. Choline is a dietary factor that is present in a number of foods including eggs, meat, fish and … Continue reading →

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L-theanine: Psychotropic Effects?

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Robert Barrington

L-Theanine (N-ethyl-L-glutamine) is a non-essential non-proteinaceous amino acid that is found in its free form in tea. Evidence suggests that L-theanine from tea or in supplements is able to cause relaxation by induction of alpha wave states in the brain. … Continue reading →

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Gypenosides from Gynostemma pentaphyllum: Exercise

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Gypenosides are a group of phytochemicals found in the Gynostemma pentaphyllum plant.  Gynostemma pentaphyllum is also commonly referred to as jiaogulan, and it is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine as a general tonic. Gypenosides may have adaptogenic properties and … Continue reading →

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Coleus forskohlii Extract: Metabolic Syndrome

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Coleus forskohlii is an Indian plant that is used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat diseases relating to cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems disorders. Coleus forskohlii contains a siterpene called forskolin that interacts directly with the enzyme adenylate … Continue reading →

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