Artichoke Extract
NEWS: This superfood is now available in a convenient whole-food powder so you can more easily enjoy it in smoothies & recipes.
Our Artichoke Leaf Extract Powder is a 5% extract (10:1 ratio) meaning each serving contains a 5% concentration of the Cynarine.
The globe artichoke is a variety of a species of the thistle family cultivated as a food. The edible portion of the plant consists of the flower buds before the flowers come into bloom.
Artichoke leaf is an herbal medicine known for thousands of years and provides antioxidant benefits. The leaf extracts have demonstrated significant antimicrobial activities against seven bacteria species, four yeasts, and four molds.
In vitro studies have isolated a variety of antioxidant compounds from the globe artichoke; and significant antioxidant activity has been noted in multiple preclinical studies.
Artichoke extract may offer an additional degree of cardiovascular protection via its overall positive effect on endothelial function. It also possesses choleretic effects (stimulation of bile secretion); and it has been suggested that reduction of intrahepatic cholesterol concentration is responsible for globe artichoke extract’s ability to reduce dyspepsia (upset stomach).
As to cholesterol-lowering effects, in vitro and animal studies report that cynarin and artichoke extracts may reduce serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and anti-hepatotoxic and other hepatoprotective properties against a variety of toxins affecting the liver.
Researchers have also observed an increase in the presence of probiotic strains in inoculated volunteers, suggesting that not only do artichokes serve as an effective vehicle for delivery of probiotics but also contain substances such as inulin, which favor growth of probiotic strains. Most importantly, artichokes were shown to protect probiotic bacterial strains during simulated gastric and intestinal digestion.
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Sound Promising?
Want to Try Adding a Convenient and Pure Powdered Form of This Whole Food to Your Smoothies and Recipes?
Why Try Artichoke Extract?
- Eases upset stomach (dyspepsaia) digestive tract
- Relieves flatulence
- Alleviates symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Alleviates nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, and vomiting
- Supports poor or sluggish liver function and increases bile production
- Increases urination as a diuretic
- Assists gallbladder function
- Supports beneficial bacteria and flora in the intestinal tract
- Raises the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol, thereby diminishing the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease
References
1. Ceccarelli N., Curadi M., Picciarelli P., Martelloni L., Sbrana C., Giovannetti M. “Globe artichoke as a functional food” Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism 2010 3:3 (197-201)
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5. Metwally, N. S.; Kholeif, T. E.; Ghanem, K. Z.; Farrag, A. R.; Ammar, N. M.; Abdel-Hamid, A. H. (2011). “The protective effects of fish oil and artichoke on hepatocellular carcinoma in rats”. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences 15 (12): 1429–1444. PMID 22288304.
6. http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq.html
7. Juzyszyn, Z.; Czerny, B.; Myśliwiec, Z.; Pawlik, A.; Droździk, M. (2010). “The effect of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) extract on respiratory chain system activity in rat liver mitochondria”. Phytotherapy Research 24: S123–S128. doi:10.1002/ptr.2995. PMID 20091747.
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9. Kirchhoff, R.; Beckers, C. H.; Kirchhoff, G. M.; Trinczek-Gärtner, H.; Petrowicz, O.; Reimann, H. J. (1994). “Increase in choleresis by means of artichoke extract”. Phytomedicine 1 (2): 107–115. doi:10.1016/S0944-7113(11)80027-9. PMID 23195882.
10. http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/nov2011_the-amazing-artichoke_01.htm
11. Qiang, Z.; Lee, S. O.; Ye, Z.; Wu, X.; Hendrich, S. (2012). “Artichoke Extract Lowered Plasma Cholesterol and Increased Fecal Bile Acids in Golden Syrian Hamsters”. Phytotherapy Research 26 (7): 1048–1052.doi:10.1002/ptr.3698. PMID 22183827.
12. http://www.cactusbotanics.com/Products/Artichoke.htm
13. Englisch, W; Beckers, C; Unkauf, M; Ruepp, M; Zinserling, V (2000). “Efficacy of Artichoke dry extract in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia”. Arzneimittel-Forschung 50 (3): 260–5. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1300196.PMID 10758778.
14. http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CYSC2
15. Inhibition of Cholesterol Biosynthesis in Primary Cultured Rat Hepatocytes by Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) Extracts
16. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0200570
17. Cesar G. Fraga. “Plant Phenolics and Human Health– Biochemistry, Nutrition and Pharmacology” . Wiley. p.9
18. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0490192
19. Costabile A, Kolida S, Klinder A, Gietl E, Bäuerlein M, Frohberg C, Landschütze V, Gibson GR “A double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study to establish the ‘bifidogenic’ effect of a very-long-chain inulin extracted from globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) in healthy human subjects.” Br J Nutr. 2010 Oct;104(7):1007-17
21. Holtmann G., Adam B., Haag S., Collet W., Grünewald E., Windeck T.,”Efficacy of artichoke leaf extract in the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia: A six-week placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicentre trial.”
22. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artichoke
23. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2003 18:11-12 (1099-1105)
24. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/herbal-healers-artichoke-extract-pt-1
25. Bundy R., Walker A.F., Middleton R.W., Marakis G., Booth J.C.L. “Artichoke leaf extract reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and improves quality of life in otherwise healthy volunteers suffering from concomitant dyspepsia: A subset analysis” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2004 10:4 (667-669)
26. http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/nov2011_The-Amazing-Artichoke_01.htm
27. Walker A.F., Middleton R.W., Petrowicz O. “Artichoke leaf extract reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in a post-marketing surveillance study” Phytotherapy Research 2001 15:1 (58-61)
28. Available at: http://www.oceanmist.com/health/antioxidant.aspx. Accessed June 20, 2011.
29. Available at: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-06/aas-lus061504.php. Accessed June 21, 2011.
30. Grotto D. 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. New York: Bantam Bell; 2008.
31. Heckers H, Dittmar K, Schmahl FW, Huth K. Inefficiency of cynarin as therapeutic regimen in familial type II hyperlipoproteinaemia. Atherosclerosis. 1977 Feb;26(2):249-53.
32. Bundy R, Walker AF, Middleton RW, Wallis C, Simpson HC. Artichoke leaf extract (Cynara scolymus) reduces plasma cholesterol in otherwise healthy hypercholesterolemic adults: a randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2008 Sep;15(9):668-75.
33. Englisch W, Beckers C, Unkauf M, Ruepp M, Zinserling V. Efficacy of Artichoke dry extract in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia. Arzneimittelforschung. 2000 Mar;50(3):260-5.
34. Bundy R, Walker AF, Middleton RW, Marakis G, Booth JC. Artichoke leaf extract reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and improves quality of life in otherwise healthy volunteers suffering from concomitant dyspepsia. J Alter Complement Med. 2004 Aug;10(4):667-9.
35. Available at: http://www.foodforyourhealing.com/foods-for-liver-health/. Accessed June 19, 2011.
36. Nadova S, Miadokova E, Mucaji P, Grancai D, Cipak L. Growth inhibitory effect of ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of Cynara cardunculus L. in leukemia cells involves cell areest, cytochrome c release and activiation of caspases. Phytother Res. 2008 Feb;22(2):165-8.
37. Available at: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6014908/four_must_eat_foods_to_fight_cancer.html?cat=5. Accessed June 19, 2011.
