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- Mon-Fri 10:00am - 8:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Sunday Closed
Wellness Services
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Research
Our Research Department has continuous phyto-studies on herbs we use in our products. One of our main studies is on structure elucidation, which means the active chemical compounds in herbs. Findings influence how a herb is used in medicines and its use in traditional procedure-based therapies. Chemical compounds are extracted for their health benefits. Active compounds include genomic, proteomic and specific chemical data which depend on efficient separation methods and spectrometric methods for identification.
The aim of standardization of herb growing practices is to produce uniform compound extractions from raw plant material to make optimal herbal remedies and nutritional supplements. For example, using DNA microarrays is a good platform for research and development of remedies and medicines made from plants. Applications include pharmacognosy for identification of specific proper raw plant species for establishing standardization and quality control of chemical constituents, the effects of those constituents in the human body and the action of those constituents on diseases.
Doctors want to ensure the worthiness and rationale for using any herbal remedies and nutritional supplements. Many are now more educated on action, indications and warnings for single herbs and nutrients. Salicylic glucosides and lactonic sesquiterpenes are examples of many chemical compounds in certain individual medicinal plants that cause concern for allergic reactions. Other herbal compounds such as safrole, bergapten and pyrrolizidines alkaloids may be carcinogenic. Standardized herbs make better medicinal formulations for more favorable health outcomes.
Patients want natural remedies to be the best and most cost-effective options for maintaining personal functioning in daily life. However, public perception is that herbs and nutrients are safe compared to manufactured pharmaceutical drugs. These beliefs do not consider that plants and isolated nutrients are substances with their own actions and indications for help or harm on the body just like drugs. People feel that cultural and fashion/fad uses over time, that had not previously reported harm on the body means that the substance is therefore safe for anyone to use. Once a herb or nutrient is ingested, gut absorption, blood distribution, effect on metabolism and overall health efficacy are unknown. What works for many people may harm some or have no effect. Patients must determine whether a popular herbal or nutritional product really is necessary for them and would provide an intended benefit. Routine blood testing provides a personal health status; incompatibilities or allergies to plants and foods will rule out which herb or nutrient a patient must avoid in their treatment plan or diet. These decisions are a good start on a wellness journey.
Herbs are botanical products of nature. The chemical composition of a plant varies depending on several factors such as: time of harvest in a geographical area of a certain species, the anatomical part of the plant used (seed, flower, root, leaf, etc.) chemotype, light source (sun or lamps), soil or water environment. Content and concentrations of chemical constituents vary from harvest to harvest and at the time of processing for human consumption, medicines will vary from batch to batch. This variability presents significant differences in pharmacological activity when a raw plant is ingested as a food or medicine. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic are expected but generally unknown unless laboratory tests are conducted.
Our system for selection and evaluating herbs includes traditional systems from around the world. We primarily use the traditional Chinese medicine system of syndrome differentiation, actions and indications of herbs and complex combining of remedies and compounds. We prefer complex combinations of compatible herbs that harmonize with each other and then have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. The herbs and nutrients we prefer are based on individual chemical compositions that affect mechanisms throughout all body systems and have a reasonable safety and efficacy.