Botanicals

BioCeuticals backs immunity magic of medicinal mushrooms with new supplement range

23-Jan-2018 By Cheryl Tay

BioCeuticals, the Blackmores-owned practitioner-only supplement firm, has launched a full suite of immunity-boosting medicinal mushroom supplements, produced using a novel growing system and backed by a DNA-testing process.

Faster authentication process pioneered in Hong Kong for TCM and herbal products

16-Jan-2018 By Cheryl Tay

A new method of analysis promises to speed up the authentication process for Chinese herbal medicines in move that could boost industry transparency and reduce fraud.

Aussie firm targets functional beverage and supplement growth after receiving EU novel foods status for fucoidan extracts

11-Jan-2018 By Cheryl Tay

Australian biotechnology firm Marinova has achieved novel foods status in the EU for its Maritech® fucoidan extracts, and the firm is now targeting growth in the region's functional beverage and supplement sectors.

Canadian firm Hempco plans move into CBD extraction as it absorbs losses from S. Korea market retreat

03-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

Canadian manufacturer Hempco says it will capitalize on new cannabis laws coming into force to move beyond foods based on hemp seeds into the market for CBD ingredients. The strategic play will help offset losses from a debacle in South Korea, where low...

Indian manufacturer Kapiva targets growth through 'modernised' ayurveda

13-Dec-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Kolkata-based healthcare start-up Kapiva Ayurveda is looking to expand across Asia and North America, with Hong Kong and Canada next on its list after its success in Singapore and the US.

What supplements are Australians taking? Study findings revealed

05-Dec-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Australians tend to favour multi-vitamins and multi-minerals when it comes to dietary supplements, a Curtin University study has found.

Chinese manufacturer Rong Yu wants to be first ASX-listed TCM company

30-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

China-based TCM manufacturer Rong Yu Pharmaceuticals is aiming to be the first TCM company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

Chlorella supplementation may raise oxygen uptake and fight micronutrient deficiency: Japan study

23-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Supplementation with Chlorella, a unicellular green alga, can increase maximal oxygen uptake and nutrient levels in micronutrient-deficient individuals, say researchers in Japan.

Mushrooms may improve health via gut microbiota activation: Review

23-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Edible mushrooms could promote health benefits by activating gut microbiota, according to a recent review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Indian plant extract's antimicrobial properties superior to that of standard drug

15-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

The ethyl acetate extract from the plant Ulmus wallichiana Planch has been shown to possess significant antimicrobial properties, say researchers in India.

Fatigue-fighting fungi: Chinese researchers call for clinical trials

10-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Mushrooms may be useful in fighting fatigue through a number of mechanisms, according to researchers in Hong Kong and China.

Grasping the nettle: Iranian plants have anti-diabetes potential, say researchers

08-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Several species of medicinal plants can be used in developing anti-diabetes drugs with limited side effects, according to Iranian researchers.

Goatweed extract may be effective against prostate enlargement: Australian study

08-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

A Tropical American herb extract may be able to safely treat men suffering from benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), or prostate enlargement, say Australian researchers.

Japanese river alga Sujiaonori boasts anti-allergy, skincare benefits: Japanese study

31-Oct-2017 By Cheryl Tay

The river alga Sujiaonori possesses anti-allergy and skincare benefits, according to a Japanese study.

Revealed: How bioactive seaweed offers new hope to brain injury patients

23-Oct-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Australian researchers have developed a seaweed-based treatment for damaged brain tissue, which has been shown to support the wound, prevent scarring, and improve healing.

Traditional herbal extract may be able to combat type 2 diabetes: Thai study

05-Oct-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Aqueous extract from Mathurameha, a traditional Thai herbal formula, has been found to have hypoglycaemic properties, according to Thai researchers.

Undeclared anabolic steroids discovered in sports supplements sold in NZ and Australia

27-Sep-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Anabolic steroids have been found in six sports supplements sold in Australia and New Zealand, according to researchers from the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Otago.

Article trashing TCM based on faulty notions of the sacrosanct nature of Western medicine, expert asserts

26-Sep-2017 By Hank Schultz

A recent article in The Economist magazine bashing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as “state sponsored quackery” is an example of the arrogance of the Western point of view on science and medicine, a view which denies the roots of all medical knowledge,...

Q-markers required to affirm effects of TCM, say Chinese researchers

22-Sep-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) needs quality markers to affirm its safety and efficacy in maintaining the health of its consumers, say researchers in China.

Young Living fined for using illegally sourced essential oils, highlighting issue of supply chain transparency

20-Sep-2017 By Hank Schultz

Young Living, a multilevel marketing company that sells products based on essential oils, has entered into a plea agreement for illegally trading in oils from endangered species. The company will pay fines totaling $760,000, the Justice Department announced...

TCM herbal extract mixture helps lower diabetes risk: Chinese mouse study

20-Sep-2017 By Cheryl Tay

A combination of refined herbal extracts can help to lower the risk of diabetes, according to a Chinese study.

FI Asia 2017

Black gold? Rhizome extract said to have anti-ageing and anti-diabetic effects

15-Sep-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Black ginger extract could have important implications for healthy ageing and diabetes, as well as athletic performance.

FI Asia 2017

The four key health concerns driving Chinese consumers to spend more on functional foods

14-Sep-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Demand for functional food and drink has shot up in APAC, particularly in China, where 80% of the population claims to want to make their diets more healthy. And four key health concerns are driving sales.

Plant power: Chinese firm files patent for Cistanche tubulosa against muscle loss

14-Sep-2017 By Kacey Culliney

A Chinese pharmaceutical firm has filed a patent for use of a rare, native desert plant to delay muscle loss and age-associated damage.

Vitafoods Asia 2017

Indulgence and affluence: Nutrition firms urged to appeal to consumers' emotions for APAC sales success

08-Sep-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Supplement and functional food firms must appeal to consumers’ emotions if they want new products to sell well in Asia's more developed nations, according to Frost & Sullivan’s Asia-Pacific director Natasha Telles D’Costa.

Vitafoods Asia 2017

APAC's fastest growing functional and fortified food markets revealed

07-Sep-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia are tipped to be among the fastest growing functional food and fortified product markets in APAC to 2021, while Japan is witnessing a wave of product innovation on the back of its new Food with Function...

Blackmores' full-year profits slump by 42%, but firm bullish over China recovery

29-Aug-2017 By Gary Scattergood and Cheryl Tay

Blackmores' net profits fell by 42% to A$58m for the last financial year and sales slipped by 3% to A$693m, amid a significant decline in sales to Chinese consumers through Australian retailers.

Evergreen oak bark extract aids kidney stone treatment: South Korean study

24-Aug-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Extract from the bark of an evergreen oak species that grows in certain Asian countries could be used to treat inflammation, as well as kidney and bladder stones, a South Korean study has found.

Blackmores announces appointment of Richard Henfrey as new CEO

17-Aug-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Blackmores chairman Stephen Chapman announced today the appointment of Richard Henfrey as the company’s new CEO, following the resignation of former CEO Christine Holgate.

Bayir Group announces $2.45 million investment via Rabobank

14-Aug-2017 By Hank Schultz

Ingredient supplier Bayir Group has announced $2.45 million in funding which will be used for a manufacturing expansion primarily aimed at pharmaceutical applications.

Healthier wine? Fortification with white rose petal extract increases polyphenol content

10-Aug-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Wine fortified with white rose petal extract (WRE) can provide added health benefits due to its higher antioxidant and polyphenol content, a Korean study has found.

Botanicals and diabetes: Which products show the most promise to help ease Asia's epidemic?

08-Aug-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Fenugreek, ivy gourd, Russian tarragon, psyllium and ginger have been identified as some of the most promising botanicals meriting further investigation for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Traditional Korean herb combination can counter prostate inflammation

07-Aug-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Ojayeonjonghwan (OJ), a traditional Korean combination of herbs and botanicals, has a positive effect on prostatitis due to its anti-inflammatory properties, according to a recent South Korean study.

Blue California stakes claim to market for natural ferulic acid

24-Jul-2017 By Hank Schultz

Increasing demand for natural sources of ferulic acid has led Blue California to boost its production capacity of the antioxidant ingredient.

Herbal supplements all too often ignore underlying principles, experts say

14-Jul-2017 By Hank Schultz

Fitting ingredients that come out of traditional medical systems into the modern marketplace can be a fraught exercise, experts say.

Cuban sugarcane ingredient gaining traction in Korea for weight, heart and anti-ageing benefits

11-Jul-2017 By Cheryl Tay

A series of Korean studies have discovered the potential of a Cuban ingredient in helping to minimise the risk of a range of health concerns, including heart problems.

Blackmores CEO Christine Holgate quits to run Australia Post

27-Jun-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Blackmores CEO and MD Christine Holgate is leaving the supplements giant after nine years at the helm to take the top job at state-owned Australia Post.

Blackmores Asia MD appointed first international member of China Association for Quality Inspection

21-Jun-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Blackmores’ standing in China has received a boost after its Asia MD, Peter Osborne, was appointed vice chairman of the China Association for Quality Inspection’s (CAQI) advisory committee.

Cinnamon’s potential anti-obesity benefits underlined by new study

20-Jun-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Cinnamon polyphenol can help tackle obesity and manage hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia, a new study on rats which were fed a high-fat diet reveals.

Stevia toxicity: New tests support high dose functional food and supplement use beyond sweetness

20-Jun-2017 By Gary Scattergood

The ethanolic extract from stevia rebaudiana bertoni has been claimed to be safe for human consumption at 300 times the recommended daily dose, opening up considerable functional food and nutraceutical opportunities beyond its traditional sweetening role,...

Chinese red dates: Ultrasonic power and microwave extraction boosts functionality

13-Jun-2017 By Staff Reporter

Polysaccharides from Chinese red dates can provide a host of functional benefits, but certain extraction methods can boost their yields, a review reveals.

Arjuna to triple BCM-95 turmeric extract production capacity with new plant

06-Jun-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Indian botanical supplier Arjuna Natural Extracts Ltd has announced the completion of a new facility in Coimbatore, India, to produce its BCM-95 turmeric extract.

Special edition: Botanicals

Vertical integration provides bulwark against adulteration, proponents say

05-Jun-2017 By Hank Schultz

In an age where the dietary supplement industry is wrestling with adulteration issues in an increasingly open way, vertical integration can be a key component of a botanical ingredient supplier’s value proposition, experts say.

Seeds from evergreens packed with enough amino acids to meet WHO standards

31-May-2017 By Staff Reporter

Seeds from two variants of Chinese evergreen trees have been found to contain enough amino acids to meet the daily nutritional requirements of infants and adults, according to a recent study which recommends their use in the food industry.

Asian wild medicinal herb reduces inflammation markers, Korean research reveals

24-May-2017 By Placeholder User

Root extract from Allium Hookeri (AHE) has been found to possess anti-inflammatory properties, according to a new Korean study.

Ingredient Identity helps Indian firm expand in North and South America

19-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

Consulting firm Ingredient Identity is working with Bio-gen Extracts, an Indian ingredients supplier, to aid that company’s expansion into the United States and other global markets.

Celsius rapidly expands fitness drink sales aided by capital from Hong Kong

16-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

Sports nutrition brand Celsius Holdings, backed by a major investment from a Hong Kong businessman, has recorded strong growth for its nascent line of ‘fitness drinks.’v

Green tea supplements: Good for weight loss, but lacking in anti-inflammation action against PCOS

16-May-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Consumption of green tea supplements leads to weight loss in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but it is still uncertain if supplementation provides a direct anti-inflammatory effect against the condition.

Daily chocolate fix reduces heart disease risk in postmenopausal women

15-May-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Daily consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa reduced arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women – therefore lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study revealed.

Sage advice: Epigenetics-based cognitive health supplement set for APAC launch

11-May-2017 By Cheryl Tay

A botanical cognitive health product designed by a spin-off from the University of Oxford will launch across Asia Pacific with the backing of an innovation development company.