– by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim: Contributes to bodyweight management. Contributes to lipid degradation. Helps maintain healthy body weight.
For a list of sources, click here.
– af European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim: Contributes to body weight management. Contributes to lipid degradation.
For a list of sources, klick her (english).
– by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim: Contributes to bodyweight management. Contributes to lipid degradation.
For a list of sources, click here.
– af C. Di Lorenzo et al. (2014)
The objective of this review was to collect available data on the following: (i) adverse effects observed in humans from the intake of plant food supplements or botanical preparations; (ii) the misidentification of poisonous plants; and (iii) interactions between plant food supplements/botanicals and conventional drugs or nutrients.
PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase were searched from database inception to June 2014, using the terms ‘adverse effect/s’, ‘poisoning/s’, ‘plant food supplement/s’, ‘misidentification/s’ and ‘interaction/s’ in combination with the relevant plant name. All papers were critically evaluated according to the World Health Organization Guidelines for causality assessment.
Data were obtained for 66 plants that are common ingredients of plant food supplements; of the 492 papers selected, 402 (81.7%) dealt with adverse effects directly associated with the botanical and 89 (18.1%) concerned interactions with conventional drugs. Only one case was associated with misidentification. Adverse effects were reported for 39 of the 66 botanical substances searched. Of the total references, 86.6% were associated with 14 plants, including Glycine max/soybean (19.3%), Glycyrrhiza glabra/liquorice (12.2%), Camellia sinensis/green tea ( 8.7%) and Ginkgo biloba/gingko (8.5%).
Considering the length of time examined and the number of plants included in the review, it is remarkable that: (i) the adverse effects due to botanical ingredients were relatively infrequent, if assessed for causality; and (ii) the number of severe clinical reactions was very limited, but some fatal cases have been described. Data presented in this review were assessed for quality in order to make the results maximally useful for clinicians in identifying or excluding deleterious effects of botanicals.
To read the study in its entirety, click here (english).
– by C. Di Lorenzo et al. (2014)
The objective of this review was to collect available data on the following: (i) adverse effects observed in humans from the intake of plant food supplements or botanical preparations; (ii) the misidentification of poisonous plants; and (iii) interactions between plant food supplements/botanicals and conventional drugs or nutrients.
PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase were searched from database inception to June 2014, using the terms ‘adverse effect/s’, ‘poisoning/s’, ‘plant food supplement/s’, ‘misidentification/s’ and ‘interaction/s’ in combination with the relevant plant name. All papers were critically evaluated according to the World Health Organization Guidelines for causality assessment.
Data were obtained for 66 plants that are common ingredients of plant food supplements; of the 492 papers selected, 402 (81.7%) dealt with adverse effects directly associated with the botanical and 89 (18.1%) concerned interactions with conventional drugs. Only one case was associated with misidentification. Adverse effects were reported for 39 of the 66 botanical substances searched. Of the total references, 86.6% were associated with 14 plants, including Glycine max/soybean (19.3%), Glycyrrhiza glabra/licorice (12.2%), Camellia sinensis/green tea ( 8.7%), and Ginkgo biloba/ginkgo (8.5%).
Considering the length of time examined and the number of plants included in the review, it is remarkable that: (i) the adverse effects due to botanical ingredients were relatively infrequent if assessed for causality; and (ii) the number of severe clinical reactions was very limited, but some fatal cases have been described. Data presented in this review were assessed for quality in order to make the results maximally useful for clinicians in identifying or excluding deleterious effects of botanicals.
For the full study, click here.
– af Gaurav Kumar et al. (2011)
Herbs and plants have been in use as a source of therapeutic compounds in traditional medicinal system since ancient time. Medicines plants play an important role in traditional health care systems as well as in international herbal and pharmaceutical markets. The medicinal value of these plants lies in some chemical substances that produce a definite physiological action on the human body.
The most important of these bioactive constituents of plants are alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Z. officinale (Zingiberaceae) is an important plant with several ethnomedicinal and nutritional values therefore, used extensively worldwide as a spice, flavouring agent and herbal remedy. Traditionally, Z. officinale is used in Ayurveda, Siddha, Chinese, Arabian, Africans, Caribbean and many other medicinal systems to cure a variety of diseases viz, nausea, vomiting, asthma, cough, palpitaion, inflammation, dyspepsia, loss of appetite, constipation, indigestion and pain.
In last few decades, Z. officinale is extensively studied for its medicinal properties by advanced scientific techniques and a variety of bioactive compounds have been isolated from the different parts of the plant and were analysed pharmacologically. The plant is reported for antimicrobial activity, anticancer activity, antioxidant activity, antidiabetic activity, nephroprotective activity, hepatoprotective activity, larvicidal activity, analgesic activity, anti-inflammatory activity and immunomodulatory activities. The present review is focused an overall outline of the morphology, distribution, phytochemistry and medicinal properties of Z. officinale and its future prospects for the further scientific investigation for the development of effective therapeutic compounds.
To read the study in its entirety, click here (english)
– by Gaurav Kumar et al. (2011)
Herbs and plants have been in use as a source of therapeutic compounds in traditional medicinal system since ancient time. Medicines plants play an important role in traditional health care systems as well as in international herbal and pharmaceutical markets. The medicinal value of these plants lies in some chemical substances that produce a definite physiological action on the human body. The most important of these bioactive constituents of plants are alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Z. officinale (Zingiberaceae) is an important plant with several ethnomedicinal and nutritional values therefore, used extensively worldwide as a spice, flavouring agent and herbal remedy. Traditionally, Z. officinale is used in Ayurveda, Siddha, Chinese, Arabian, Africans, Caribbean and many other medicinal systems to cure a variety of diseases viz, nausea, vomiting, asthma, cough, palpitaion, inflammation, dyspepsia, loss of appetite, constipation, indigestion and pain. In last few decades, Z. officinale is extensively studied for its medicinal properties by advanced scientific techniques and a variety of bioactive compounds have been isolated from the different parts of the plant and were analysed pharmacologically. The plant is reported for antimicrobial activity, anticancer activity, antioxidant activity, antidiabetic activity, nephroprotective activity, hepatoprotective activity, larvicidal activity, analgesic activity, anti-inflammatory activity and immunomodulatory activities. The present review is focused an overall outline of the morphology, distribution, phytochemistry and medicinal properties of Z. officinale and its future prospects for the further scientific investigation for the development of effective therapeutic compounds.
For the full study, click here.
– af European Medicines Agency (2012)
Ginger (Zingiberis rhizoma) consists of the whole or cut rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae), with the cork removed, either completely or from the wide, flat surfaces only [European Pharmacopoeia 2011]. Ginger plants have been extremely popular – for cooking as a spice and to treat a host of ailments – throughout Asia, especially in India and China, for over 5000 years. The species Zingiber officinale originates from Southeast Asia. It is not known to occur wild [Teuscher 2006; Langner et al. 1998; Germer et al. 1997]. It is a perennial herb, up to 1.5 metres in height, with asymmetric flowers. Due to the long period of breeding in different continents, different types of species have developed. The herbal substance ginger, which complies with the monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia, originates from the West Indian type (Jamaica-ginger) with the cork removed or from Indian types (Bengal-ginger, Cochin-ginger) peeled on the flattened sides only. Constituents: Volatile oil 1-4 % (minimum 15 ml/kg essential oil (anhydrous drug) according to the Ph. Eur.). More than 100 compounds are identified, most of them terpenoids mainly sesquiterpenoids (α-zingiberene, β-sesquiphellandrene, β-bisabolene, α-farnesene, ar-curcumene (zingiberol) and smaller amounts of monoterpenoids (camphene, β-phellandrene, cineole, geraniol, curcumene, citral, terpineol, borneol). The composition of the oil depends on the origin of the material [Afzal et al 2001; Ahmad et al. 2008; Ali et al. 2008; Chen & Ho 1988; Connell 1970; Erler et al. 1988; Lawrence 1984]. The pungent principles, the gingerols (4-7.5%) are a homologous series of phenols. The principal one of these is 6-gingerol. Gingerols with other chain lengths, e.g., 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol, are present in smaller amounts. During drying and storage, gingerols are partly dehydrated to the corresponding shogaols which may undergo further reduction to form paradols, also present in stored ginger [Afzal et al. 2001; Bradley 1992; Connell 1970; Farthing & O’Neill 1990; Jolad et al. 2005; Kim et al. 2008; Steinegger & Stucki 1982]. Other constituents are starch, up to 50%, lipids 6-8%, proteins, and inorganic compounds [Awang 1992; ESCOP 2009]. The requirements of the US Pharmacopoeia for ginger are: gingerols and gingerdiones not less than 0.8%, volatile oil not less than 1.8 ml per 100 g, starch not less than 42% and shogaols not more than 0.18% [Bradley 1992; USP 2009].
For at læse hele studiet, klik her (engelsk).
– by European Medicines Agency (2012)
Ginger (Zingiberis rhizoma) consists of the whole or cut rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae), with the cork removed, either completely or from the wide, flat surfaces only [European Pharmacopoeia 2011]. Ginger plants have been extremely popular – for cooking as spice and to treat a host of ailments – throughout Asia, especially in India and China, for over 5000 years. The species Zingiber officinale originates from Southeast Asia. It is not known to occur wild [Teuscher 2006; Langner et al. 1998; Germer et al. 1997]. It is a perennial herb, up to 1.5 metre in height, with asymmetric flowers. Due to the long period of breeding in different continents, different types of the species have developed. The herbal substance ginger, that complies with the monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia, originates from the West Indian type (Jamaica-ginger) with the cork removed or from Indian types (Bengal-ginger, Cochin-ginger) peeled on the flattened sides only. Constituents: Volatile oil 1-4 % (minimum 15 ml/kg essential oil (anhydrous drug) according to the Ph. Eur.). More than 100 compounds are identified, most of them terpenoids mainly sesquiterpenoids (α-zingiberene, β-sesquiphellandrene, β-bisabolene, α-farnesene, ar-curcumene (zingiberol) and smaller amounts of monoterpenoids (camphene, β-phellandrene, cineole, geraniol, curcumene, citral, terpineol, borneol). The composition of the oil depends on the origin of the material [Afzal et al 2001; Ahmad et al. 2008; Ali et al. 2008; Chen & Ho 1988; Connell 1970; Erler et al. 1988; Lawrence 1984]. The pungent principles, the gingerols (4-7.5%) are a homologous series of phenols. The principal one of these is 6-gingerol. Gingerols with other chain-lengths, e.g., 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol, are present in smaller amounts. During drying and storage, gingerols are partly dehydrated to the corresponding shogaols which may undergo further reduction to form paradols, also present in stored ginger [Afzal et al. 2001; Bradley 1992; Connell 1970; Farthing & O’Neill 1990; Jolad et al. 2005; Kim et al. 2008; Steinegger & Stucki 1982]. Other constituents are starch, up to 50%, lipids 6-8%, proteins, and inorganic compounds [Awang 1992; ESCOP 2009]. The requirements of the US Pharmacopoeia for ginger are: gingerols and gingerdiones not less than 0.8%, volatile oil not less than 1.8 ml per 100 g, starch not less than 42% and shogaols not more than 0.18% [Bradley 1992; USP 2009].
For the full study, click here.
– af European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (2014)
Following an application from InQpharm Europe Ltd, submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of the United Kingdom, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to a standardised aqueous extract from white kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and reduction of body weight. The Panel considers that the food is sufficiently characterised. A reduction in body weight is a beneficial physiological effect for overweight individuals. The applicant identified a total of four human intervention studies which investigated the effects of the aqueous extract from white kidney bean on body weight as being pertinent to the claim. No conclusions could be drawn from two of these four studies. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that one human intervention study showed an effect of the standardised aqueous extract from white kidney bean in reducing body weight when consumed for 12 weeks, that the reduction in body weight was mostly through a reduction in body fat and that the effect of the standardised aqueous extract from white kidney bean on body weight was supported by a second study of shorter duration. However, the Panel also took into account that the first study was at risk of bias, that the supportive study suffered from methodological limitations and that no evidence was provided for a mechanism by which the standardised aqueous extract from white kidney bean could exert the claimed effect. The Panel concludes that the evidence provided is insufficient to establish a cause and effect relationship between the consumption of the standardised aqueous extract from white kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and reduction of body weight.
For at læse hele studiet, klik her (engelsk).
