By ABC Staff
Each
January, the editorial staff of the American Botanical Council (ABC) compiles a
list of the 10 most popular HerbalEGram articles from the previous year. The
list reflects the topics that interested the organization’s diverse audience of
researchers, educators, health care professionals, industry members, media, and
members of the public.
The
top 10 HerbalEGram articles of 2019, as determined by the number of individual
link clicks, include a report on the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s)
public hearing on cannabis products; facts and misconceptions about the use and
sustainability of frankincense (Boswellia
spp., Burseraceae); the story behind controversial suspensions at Miami
University following the discovery of an iboga (Tabernanthe iboga, Apocynaceae) tree in the school’s conservatory;
and several articles from ABC’s ongoing Food as Medicine series, a
collaboration between ABC Education Coordinator Jenny Perez and HerbalGram
Associate Editor Hannah Bauman to present research on health-promoting foods
that consumers commonly find in their local grocery stores.
The
most-clicked HerbalEGram article of 2019 was a report by ABC Chief Science
Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, about his main takeaways from the FDA’s
standing-room-only public hearing in May 2019 on the safety, manufacturing, product quality,
marketing, labeling, and sales of products that contain cannabis (Cannabis spp., Cannabaceae) or
cannabis-derived ingredients. Balancing the needs of consumers, industry,
academia, health professionals, and other interested parties continues to complicate
regulatory efforts to provide safe and effective cannabis-derived products,
including supplements that contain the non-intoxicating compound cannabidiol
(CBD).
The
second most-clicked story, by HerbalEGram guest contributors Anjanette DeCarlo,
PhD, Stephen Johnson, and Denzil Phillips, addresses the surge in popularity
that frankincense has seen in recent years. Used as a source of incense,
medicine, cosmetics, and essential oil, the resin is in danger of being
overharvested, and the growing demand is causing concern among stakeholders.
Readers are invited to test their knowledge of this ancient substance with this
list of 10 fast facts.
Below is the full list of HerbalEGram’s 10 most
popular stories of the year.
Key Takeaways from the FDA’s Public Hearing on Products Containing
Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Compounds By
Stefan Gafner, PhD (June 2019)
As
cannabis and cannabis-derived ingredients experience a boom in popularity in
the food, beverage, cosmetic, and supplement industries, the FDA faces the
issue of regulating this new market. To hear insights about safety, quality,
and marketing claims, the FDA held a public hearing on May 31, 2019. Gafner attended
this hearing and has reported the main concerns held by the agency and those
who gave expert testimony. Ten Fast Facts About Frankincense By Anjanette DeCarlo, PhD, Stephen Johnson,
and Denzil Phillips (August 2019)
The
authors, who are natural products and aromatic plant experts, examine 10 common
misconceptions about frankincense, an aromatic resin from Boswellia species. In light of a report
from July 2019 that warned of an impending collapse in Boswellia populations,
understanding this plant, which has thousands of years of ceremonial and
medicinal use, is more vital than ever. Conservatory Controversy: Iboga Confiscation and Professor
Suspensions at Ohio’s Miami University By Karen Raterman (December
2019)
In
November 2018, two professors, a staff member, and a student at Miami
University in Hamilton, Ohio, were suspended or asked to resign after the
discovery of an iboga plant in the school’s conservatory over concerns with its
potential illicit use. The situation, which is ongoing, has drawn criticism
from various quarters and raises questions about the legal status of certain
plants, academic freedom, and the pursuit of knowledge deemed “criminal.” American Herbal Pharmacopoeia Publishes
Oshá Monograph and Therapeutic Compendium By Hannah Bauman (January
2019)
In
December 2018, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) published a monograph
and therapeutic compendium for oshá root. According to AHP, this monograph
includes the first published pharmacopeial standards for this relatively
unknown North American botanical. Though oshá has yet to gain widespread market
appeal, Native American tribes have used the root extensively in various ways,
most notably for upper respiratory infections. Food as Medicine Update: Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus, Cucurbitaceae) By Jenny
Perez, Hannah Bauman, and Becky Nichols
(July 2019)
Watermelon
is summery, sweet, and bursting with bioactive compounds. All parts of this
versatile fruit, including the flesh, seeds, and rind, have been consumed for
thousands of years on the African continent, and many of its traditional
medicinal uses, including as an ergogenic aid, glycemic control, and
cardiovascular support, are beginning to be confirmed by modern research. Food as Medicine: Celery (Apium graveolens, Apiaceae) By Jenny
Perez and Hannah Bauman (June
2019)
The
humble celery plant, often relegated to a vehicle for peanut butter, offers
much more than meets the eye. Used for thousands of years in the traditional
practices of their native Mediterranean area, the stalk and seed contain
aromatic compounds that are being investigated for their benefits in cancer
prevention, gout and arthritis, lowering blood pressure, and more. Food as Medicine: Rhubarb (Rheum spp., Polygonaceae) By
Hannah Bauman and Jennifer Wible (April
2019)
Synonymous
with spring, the bright stalks of garden rhubarb hint at the beneficial
phytochemicals within. Before the stalks were popular in pies and jams,
however, the root of Rheum
species was used for more than 5,000 years in the traditional medicine systems
of northern Asia. Is the Saw Palmetto Supply Sustainable? By
Steven Foster (February 2019)
In
this article for the Sustainable Herbs Program, author, herbalist, and
photographer Steven Foster relates the history of saw palmetto fruit’s use as
food and medicine from the beginning of European contact in the Americas to
modern times. Saw palmetto’s past informs its future with regard to its
continued, sustainable harvest. Food as Medicine: Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa, Rosaceae) By Jenny Perez and Hannah Bauman (September
2019)
This
berry, native to North America, is a rich source of anthocyanins and an
important part of health and wellness for Native American tribes. Though
forbiddingly tart and astringent on their own, black chokeberry juice and
extract are increasing in popularity for their antioxidant, cardioprotective,
and antidiabetic effects. Food as Medicine: Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa, Lecythidaceae)
By Hannah Bauman and Jamie
Moser (July 2019)
Common
in nut mixes, the Brazil nut has an interesting history as a food, medicine,
and article of commerce in its native Amazonian rainforest areas. The high selenium
content in Brazil nut — the highest known in any conventional food — has
potential benefits for a variety of populations, particularly the elderly, and
is the focus of much of the clinical research on this nut.
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