Introduction

Many herbs possess anti-inflammatory effects – some of them with very strong effects.  We talked of the enhanced curcumin nutrients, Theracurmin and Meriva in another article.

Now, we will add a little more detailed information about the “best of the rest” ingredients in Infla-Mazing that help make it the best defense against chronic inflammation (in alphabetical order).

Boswellia   (65% boswellic acid),   180 mg

Boswellia (known as frankincense in the Bible) is a natural anti-inflammatory that comes from the bark of Boswellia serrata tree that grows in India.  Its anti-inflammatory properties come from the bark’s gummy resin, called salai guggal.  It is widely used to reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis.(1)

Practitioners of India’s ayurvedic medicine have long used boswellia to treat arthritis. It has anti-inflammatory chemicals known as boswellic acids.  These COX-2 inhibitors are also effective against digestive disorders like Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative colitis – without gastric upset.  It helps joint problems like rheumatoid arthritis and respiratory conditions like bronchial asthma and fibromyalgia.

Several studies support the efficacy of boswellia for inflammatory conditions. In “DNA and Cell Biology”, a study showed that boswellia changes the expression of a type of cytokine involved in chronic inflammation. The research indicates that boswellic acids inhibit the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme in white blood cells.(2)

N. Kimmatkar and colleagues published a study in 2003 in which patients with osteoarthritis were treated with either boswellia or a placebo.  Those receiving boswellia experienced less pain and swelling and increased movement.  In 2005, M.R. Chevrier A.E. Ryan D.Y. Lee, showed that boswellia works on two fronts. They were able to demonstrate that it aids in reducing cells that promote inflammation while simultaneously increasing cells that suppress inflammation.

As with other herbs, a lower dose is effective when combined with our other natural anti-inflammatory agents. Boswellia also appears to have no important side-effects or drug-nutrient interactions of concern.(3)

Bromelain   (2400 GDU/G),   170 mg

Bromelain is an extract of pineapples and consists of proteolytic enzymes found in the stems and juice of the fruit.  Bromelain aids digestion of protein and is considered a natural anti-inflammatory agent for arthritis. It is also useful for gas, bloating and irritable bowel syndrome.(4)

Studies have shown it to reduce bruising, swelling and inflammation as well as pain after a surgery or injury.  It has been approved as a complementary treatment for sinus and nasal inflammation and swelling after ear, nose and throat surgery.  Bromelain also shows evidence of benefiting people with arthritis and conditions marked by musculoskeletal tension (such as TMJ syndrome) as well as those suffering trauma-related inflammation. What’s more, the enzyme may promote healing in muscles and connective tissues.(5)

Bromelain appears to inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, induce production of anti-inflammatory Series 1 prostaglandins, and reduce capillary permeability.  Bromelain is quite useful postoperatively as an agent to speed healing and reduce postsurgical pain and swelling, sinus and nasal inflammation rheumatoid arthritis.

Bromelain has the proven ability to suppress the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, sports injuries, and other joint inflammatory conditions.  It does this by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase enzyme, inhibiting the synthesis of PG-2.  Bromelain also helps to break down fibrin (fibrinolytic), thereby minimizing local swelling.(6)

(Though disputed, some recommend it should not be used with anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin and coumadin.)

Celery Seed 3-n-B   (butylphthalide 85%), 110 mg

News is spreading fast about this remarkable new discovery for taming inflammation. Celery Seed is one of the lesser-known herbs in the US but it’s been used in China for thousands of years to help reduce inflammation.  It is an essential part of an herbal blend to give the best inflammation relief!

How does it do it?  Well, celery seed is an abundant source of a compound called 3-n-butylphthalide (3-n-B).  It’s the ingredient that gives celery its characteristic flavor and odor.  Research shows that 3-n-B can quickly reduce the destructive action of COX-1, COX-2, and the elusive 5-LOX enzyme.  These are the three biggest contributors to inflammatory responses in your body.

It also can even help:

• Support healthier circulation …
• Improve blood flow to the brain …
• Protect your stomach and liver from the damage caused by over-the-counter NSAIDS and other remedies.

As a result, it helps manage healthy inflammatory responses in your entire body, too.  Best of all, this nutrient is safe, fast-acting & inexpensive!  It seems to increase the results for just about everyone who tries our Inflammation blend, no matter what their age.

Why is 3-n-B Such a Powerful Inflammation Fighter?

1. It lowers the levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. Too much uric acid tends to crystallize in the joints. That’s when you begin to feel stiffness in fingers, toes, elbows and other joints.
2. Studies show that 3-n-B is extremely effective when it comes to calming down the action of the COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX pain triggers.  In one Australian study of patients with long-term joint discomfort, celery seed helped reduce tenderness and improve flexibility in a remarkable 68% of patients.
3. Researchers at the University Of Chicago Medical Center were shocked to find that 3-n-B can also help lower blood pressure and improve overall circulation. This is very important since inflammation overrun can impede blood flow throughout the body.
4. Another study said that 3-n-B from celery seed can reduce inflammatory responses and improve oxygen flow in the brain. As a result, it can boost memory function, too.(7)

The COX-1 and COX-2 Triggers. 

Perhaps we can say a little more about these triggers.  Unhealthy inflammatory responses are usually caused by the overproduction of certain “trigger enzymes” in the body.  You’ve probably heard about COX-1 and COX-2.  When these enzymes build up, they cause swelling and discomfort, especially in the joints. There are plenty of over-the-counter remedies as well as natural solutions that claim to block both these compounds.

While COX inhibitors provide some relief against inflammation, many people find there is little or no relief at all. Why? Because there is a third inflammatory enzyme in the body that is completely unaffected by COX-inhibiting remedies. It’s called 5-lipoxygenase, or 5-LOX for short.

Studies show when 5-LOX runs wild, it floods your body with inflammatory chemicals called leukotrienes — chemicals that can be up to 100 times worse than the COX enzymes!  5-LOX is such a sensitive enzyme, in fact, that even just a tiny bit can cause discomfort somewhere in your body. Those flare-ups in your back, neck, hips, or muscles? 5-LOX could be the culprit.(8)

The good news is there is a handful of cooling herbs and nutrients that block the action of all these chemicals — especially the elusive 5-LOX enzyme. By taking them in the right forms and right amounts, you can create a protective shield against inflammation overrun.

That is why we have created a new, state-of-the-art, formula that combines celery seed with our other super nutrients known to tame inflammation.

Ginger Extract   (20% gingerol),  100 mg

Zingiber officinale (Ginger) is commonly used in the diet, especially in India. Ginger root is a plant originally cultivated in Southeast Asia.  It is also used in culinary and for medicinal applications. Traditional medicine utilizes the beneficial effects of the ginger root to reduce inflammation.

Research discovered zingibain as the substance responsible for the anti-inflammatory and pain reduction characteristics of ginger root.  Ginger root extract is beneficial for pain and inflammation caused by arthritis, muscle aches, and rheumatism.  Ginger root is available in many forms – including tea.

In case of cough, cold and congestion, ginger tea may prove to be a very effective home remedy. In case of arthritis, it helps reduce the prostaglandin levels to lessen the symptoms. It is proven be more effective than the typical NSAIDS such as aspirin. It is even claimed to have anti-aging benefits.  While sipping ginger tea can help relieve cold-related congestion, supplementing with this warming herb may deliver long-lasting health effects.

It is claimed to be effective against a number of ailments, including:

irritable bowel, colic,        nausea,                             dyspepsia,
motion sickness,              toothache,                         dysmenorrhea,
indigestion,                     headache,                          fever,
hypertension,                  high cholesterol                  clotting disorders
expelling cold                  relieve motion sickness       vomiting.

Research indicates that ginger may calm arthritis pain, possibly by lowering your prostaglandin levels. One 2005 study even suggests that ginger could reduce pain and inflammation more effectively than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.  A 1992 study conducted at Odense University in Denmark found that patients with inflammatory illnesses experienced relief of pain and related symptoms with ginger supplementation. A full 75 percent of the participants stated that they experienced “substantial relief” after supplementation. A 2005 paper published in the“Journal of Medicinal Food” presents the specific pharmacological properties of ginger that cause it to inhibit several genes that regulate inflammatory response.(9)

Ginger Root Extract contains oleo-resins that have shown clinical benefit in the management of various arthritic and muscle inflammation problems, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and myalgia’s. The active constituents in this regard are gingerols (oleo-resins), which inhibit the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes.  The specific ingredients in ginger that have an anti-inflammatory effect as well as anti-tumor and anti-proliferative pro perties against tumor cells are 6-gingerol and 6-paradol, which are found in the oleoresin fraction in ginger.(10)

Other constituents of ginger, 8-paradol and 8-shogaol, demonstrate a significant inhibitory effect on the COX-2 enzyme system.  Three important features of the molecules are necessary for this inhibition:

1. the degree of lipophilicity of the alkyl side chain,
2. hydroxy and carbonyl groups substitution pattern on the side chain, and
3. the methoxy and hydroxy groups substitution arrangement on the aromatic moiety.

Ginger oil obtained from the plant’s roots was found to have a profound anti-inflammatory effect.  The German Commission E recommends a dose of 2 to 4 g of cut rhizome or dried extract daily or its equivalent.  (Again, our extract, with the other herbs require less.)  Because ginger can enhance bile secretion, it is contraindicated in patients with gallstones.

Side-effects are rare but can include heartburn and digestive upset at large dosages.  It should not be given to patients with gallstones. It may also induce a mild anticoagulant effect (by inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzyme in platelets), therefore it should not be taken concurrently with warfarin of coumadin.  However, there are no reports of bleeding disorders with ginger supplementation and no adverse drug/nutrient interactions have been reported in the scientific literature to date.

References

1. Etzel R. Special extract of boswellia serrata (H15) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Phytomed 1996;3:91-94.
2. Schweizer S, et al. Workup-dependent formation of 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory boswellic acids analogues. J Nat Prod Aug 2000;63(8):1058-1061.
3. Arora RB, et al. Anti-inflammatory studies on curcuma longa (turmeric). Ind J Med Res 1971;50:1289-95.
4. Seligman B. Bromelain: An anti-inflammatory agent. Angiology 1962;13:508-510.
5. Klein G, et al. Short-term treatment of painful osteoarthritis of the knee with oral enzymes. Clin Drug Invest 2000;19(1):15-23.
6. Cohen A, et al. Bromelain therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Pennsyl Med J June 1964;67:627-30.
7. Soundararajan S and Daunter B: Ajvine: Pilot biomedical study for pain relief in rheumatic pain. School of Medicine,The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 1991-
92.
8. Venkat S, Soundararajan S, Daunter B and Madhusudhan S. Use of Ayurvedic medicine in the treatment of rheumatic illness. Department of Orthopaedics, Kovai Medical Center and
Hospitals, Coimbatore, India, 1995
9. Srivastava KC, et al. Ginger in rheumatism and musculoskeletal disorders. Medical Hypotheses 1992;39:342-8.
10. Bliddal H, et al. A randomized placebo – controlled, crossover study of ginger extracts and ibuprofen in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage Jan 2000; 8(1):9-12.