The
New York attorney general’s (AG’s) actions against herbal supplement
manufacturers largely dominated community and industry news in 2015. These
proceedings, which began in early February, set off a chain of events that
would make headlines for the rest of the year. Media coverage initially focused
on the AG’s assertions that some house-brand herbal supplements sold by four
major retailers were adulterated, per controversial DNA barcoding tests he commissioned.
Eventually, based in part on a press release from the American Botanical
Council (ABC), media coverage included the limitations of DNA barcoding
technology for the identification of herbal products. As the AG continued his
campaign against herbal dietary supplements, federal regulatory agencies got
involved and questions were raised from both inside and outside the natural
products industry (including in academic and research circles) about supply
chain integrity and existing regulations.
HerbalEGram
coverage reflected these ongoing actions, and, fittingly, our most popular
article of 2015 — as determined by the total number of link clicks — was on the
AG’s misuse of DNA testing for herbal extracts. Two other New York AG-related
articles made our top-10 articles list.
However,
HerbalEGram readers were clearly interested in reading about some of the more
positive aspects of well-known botanicals and plant-based foods. Articles in
our new “Food as Medicine” series from HerbalGram
assistant editor Hannah Bauman claimed four of the 10 top stories of the year.
The series, which stems from presentations by ABC interns from two local
university dietetic graduate programs, explores the history, traditional uses,
and modern research of common fruits and vegetables. Readers were particularly
interested in Bauman’s articles on okra, butternut squash, pumpkin, and
watermelon in 2015.
More
about HerbalEGram’s 10 most-clicked stories of the year is available below:
- ABC Says New York Attorney
General Misused DNA Testing for Herbal Supplements, Should Also Have Used Other
Methods
By ABC Staff, February 2015
On Tuesday, February
3, New York Attorney General (AG) Eric Schneiderman announced that
cease-and-desist letters had been sent to four major US retail chains after a
DNA barcoding study performed on behalf of his office revealed that certain
store-brand herbal supplements contained little or, in some cases, none of the
listed botanical ingredient. In this press release, ABC Founder and Executive
Director Mark Blumenthal and Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, discuss
the known limitations of botanical DNA testing and call into question the
validity and reliability of the AG’s study.
- A Review of the New York
Attorney General's Recent Actions against Herbal Dietary Supplements
By Tyler Smith, March 2015
This extensive review
focuses on Schneiderman’s unprecedented actions against manufacturers of herbal
dietary supplements in February. Natural products analytical experts, industry
trade organizations, and others quickly responded to the news, criticizing the
appropriateness of DNA barcoding for herbal extracts, creating white papers on
DNA analysis and new educational “microsites” and social media campaigns, and
initiating independent analyses of the supplements. In the following weeks,
Schneiderman took additional actions against the retail giants and other supplement
manufacturers, leaving consumers confused and the natural products community
wondering what might come next.
- The Biochemical System
Controlling the Effects of Cannabis: An Introduction
By Jahan Marcu, PhD, Guest Contributor, June 2015
Human and animal
studies have shown that stimulating the endocannabinoid system in the human
body can have positive effects on cerebral and physiological functions. In this
article, guest contributor Jahan Marcu, PhD, the senior scientist at Americans
for Safe Access, reviews clinical studies and anecdotal evidence to
describe how medical cannabis works, its history of use, and its possible use
to treat neurodegenerative and other diseases.
- Food as Medicine: Okra (Abelmoschus
esculentus, Malvaceae)
By Hannah Bauman, August 2015
Although it is often found on menus in
deep-fried form, okra is an excellent source of vitamins C and K, and contains
beneficial phytochemicals including flavonoids, tannins, and sterols. Used for
digestive complaints since ancient times, modern research is beginning to
confirm some of okra’s historical medicinal uses.
- Food as Medicine: Butternut
Squash (Cucurbita moschata)
By Hannah Bauman, February 2015
The third installment
of HerbalEGram's Food as Medicine series highlights the historical background
and modern scientific research on butternut squash. Also known as winter or
pumpkin squash, this member of the Cucurbitaceae family is an excellent source
of vitamins A and C as well as fiber and potassium. Modern studies have focused
on a component of the squash known as cucurmosin, which has shown promising
anti-cancer properties in animal and cell experiments.
- Food as Medicine: Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbitaceae)
By Hannah Bauman, October 2015
Some
consider pumpkin spice lattes to be fall’s iconic drink, but the majority of
commercial mixes contain no actual pumpkin. Read on to find out what these
latte lovers might be missing: In addition to being an excellent source of
vitamins A and C, and potassium, pumpkin has been used as a “functional food”
and medicine in traditional medical practices from Central America to Eastern
Europe. Currently, modern research has shown promising results for the use of
pumpkin seed oil for a variety of different conditions.
- New York Attorney General's
Investigation on Devil's Claw Ignores Expert Evaluations and Provides No
Benefit to the Public
By ABC Staff, September 2015
On September 9, the
New York attorney general’s (AG’s) office sent cease-and-desist letters to 13
natural products companies, claiming that their devil’s claw-containing
supplements did not match the labeled herbal material. However, per
internationally recognized pharmacopeias and other authorities, the allegedly
“mislabeled” herb actually is one of the two species of devil’s claw (Harpagophytum
procumbens and H. zeyheri, Pedaliaceae) that are used
interchangeably.
- California Agency Intends to
List “Aloe vera Whole Leaf Extract” and “Goldenseal Root Powder” as
Agents Known to Cause Cancer under Proposition 65
By Stefan Gafner, PhD, ABC Chief Science Officer,
May 2015
The California
Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard
Assessment has proposed listing two botanical products — “Aloe vera
[Xanthorrhoeaceae] whole leaf extract” and “goldenseal [Hydrastis canadensis,
Ranunculaceae] root powder” — as substances “known to cause cancer” in
accordance with Proposition 65. The possible carcinogenic activity of both
botanicals is based on animal, not human, studies; in both cases, the animals
were given higher-than-recommended doses. (In addition, the aloe preparation
used in the studies was not the same type of aloe found in the US market.)
Though both aloe and goldenseal are classified as safe to use by the American
Herbal Product Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook, this ruling may
cause confusion among consumers and loss of confidence in the relative safety
of botanicals.
- HerbalEGram’s Top 10 Most
Popular Articles of 2014
By ABC Staff, January 2015
HerbalEGram, the
American Botanical Council's monthly e-magazine, presents its second annual
list of the “Top 10 Most Popular Articles” of the year. In 2014, editorial
staff members and expert guest authors contributed dozens of stories, covering
topics ranging from a German court’s reversal of the country’s kava ban to a
review of Dr. Mehmet Oz’s testimony in a US Senate hearing on weight-loss
products.
- Food as Medicine: Watermelon (Citrullus
lanatus, Cucurbitaceae)
By Hannah Bauman, July 2015
Summer staple
watermelon hides more than just seeds — which themselves have benefits beyond
spitting. Watermelon contains an abundance of two vital bioactive compounds,
citrulline and lycopene, which play important roles in the health of the
cardiovascular and reproductive systems and in healthy aging.
—ABC Staff
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