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Pueraria Mirifica
''Pueraria mirifica'', also known as กวาวเครือ Kwao Krua (among other names), is a plant found in northern and north eastern Thailand and Myanmar. In Thailand, the plant is known as “Kwao Krua Kao”, the 'Kao' meaning white which distinguishes ''Pueraria mirifica'' from other plants with tuberous roots also sharing the 'Kwao Krua' designation such as '' Butea superba'', commonly called Kwao Krua Deng (Red) and the 'black' and 'dull grey' Kwao Krua plants. The species was definitively identified as ''Pueraria mirifica'' in 1952. Dried and powdered, the tuberous root of ''Pueraria mirifica'' has a history of domestic consumption in Thailand in traditional folk medicine as a rejuvenating herb to promote youthfulness in both women and men and is used widely within the now government-regulated practice of traditional Thai medicine. History Evidence of the use of ''Pueraria mirifica'' can be definitively identified as early as the 13th Century AD. The ancient ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herbert Kenneth Airy Shaw
Herbert Kenneth Airy Shaw (7 April 1902 – 1985) was a notable English botanist and classicist. Airy Shaw was born at The Mount, Grange Road, Woodbridge, Suffolk to a father serving as Second Master at the Woodbridge Grammar School and a mother descended from George Biddell Airy, Astronomer Royal (1835–1881). In 1921 he entered Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, to read classics, but he switched to natural sciences, taking his degree in 1924 and finishing in 1925, then taking a position at Kew Gardens. He became an expert on tropical Asian botany and on entomology Entomology () is the science, scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such .... Selected works * ''The Euphorbiaceae of Borneo'', Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1975. . * ''The Euphorbiaceae of New Guinea'', Her Majesty's Station ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Genistein
Genistein (C15H10O5) is a naturally occurring compound that structurally belongs to a class of compounds known as isoflavones. It is described as an angiogenesis inhibitor and a phytoestrogen. It was first isolated in 1899 from the dyer's broom, ''Genista tinctoria''; hence, the chemical name. The compound structure was established in 1926, when it was found to be identical with that of prunetol. It was chemically synthesized in 1928. It has been shown to be the primary secondary metabolite of the ''Trifolium'' species and ''Glycine max L''. Natural occurrences Isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein are found in a number of plants including lupin, fava beans, soybeans, kudzu, and psoralea being the primary food source, also in the medicinal plants, '' Flemingia vestita'' and '' F. macrophylla'', and coffee. It can also be found in ''Maackia amurensis'' cell cultures. Biological effects Besides functioning as an antioxidant and anthelmintic, many isoflavones have been sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cytotoxicity
Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are an immune cell or some types of venom, e.g. from the puff adder (''Bitis arietans'') or brown recluse spider (''Loxosceles reclusa''). Cell physiology Treating cells with the cytotoxic compound can result in a variety of cell fates. The cells may undergo necrosis, in which they lose membrane integrity and die rapidly as a result of cell lysis. The cells can stop actively growing and dividing (a decrease in cell viability), or the cells can activate a genetic program of controlled cell death (apoptosis). Cells undergoing necrosis typically exhibit rapid swelling, lose membrane integrity, shut down metabolism, and release their contents into the environment. Cells that undergo rapid necrosis in vitro do not have sufficient time or energy to activate apoptotic machinery and will not express apoptotic markers. Apoptosis is characterized by well defined cytological and molecular events including a change i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miroestrol
Miroestrol is a phytoestrogen, a plant-derived chemical that mimics the biological activity of the hormone estrogen. Miroestrol was first reportedly isolated from the Thai herb ''Pueraria mirifica'' in 1960 and thought to be responsible for the supposed rejuvenating properties of the plant. However, more recent studies have suggested that the active ingredient may actually be the closely related chemical compound deoxymiroestrol (shown below), and the reported presence of miroestrol may only have been an artifact of the isolation procedure. When deoxymiroestrol is exposed to the oxygen in air, it is converted to miroestrol. A comparative study of the estrogenic properties of phytoestrogens found that both deoxymiroestrol and miroestrol were comparable in activity ''in vitro'' to other known phytoestrogens such as coumestrol as 17β-oestradiol agonists. Because of their estrogenic activities, miroestrol, deoxymiroestrol, and other related compounds have been the targets of s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Campesterol
Campesterol is a phytosterol whose chemical structure is similar to that of cholesterol, and is one of the ingredients for E number E499. Natural occurrences Many vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds contain campesterol, but in low concentrations. Banana, pomegranate, pepper, coffee, grapefruit, cucumber, onion, oat, potato, and lemon grass (citronella) are few examples of common sources containing campesterol at roughly 1–7 mg/100 g of the edible portion. In contrast, canola and corn oils contain as much as 16–100 mg/100 g. Levels are variable and are influenced by geography and growing environment. In addition, different strains have different levels of plant sterols. A number of new genetic strains are currently being engineered with the goal of producing varieties high in campesterol and other plant sterols. It is also found in dandelion coffee. It is so named because it was first isolated from the rapeseed (''Brassica campestris''). It is thought to have a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stigmasterol
Stigmasterol – a plant sterol (''phytosterol'') – is among the most abundant of plant sterols, having a major function to maintain the structure and physiology of cell membranes. In the European Union, it is a food additive listed with E number E499, and may be used in food manufacturing to increase the phytosterol content, potentially lowering the levels of LDL cholesterol. Discovery Once called ''Wulzen factor'' in the mid-20th century, stigmasterol was discovered by the University of California physiologist Rosalind Wulzen (born 1886). Natural occurrences Stigmasterol is an unsaturated phytosterol occurring in the plant fats or oils of numerous plants, such as soybean, calabar bean, and rape seed, and in herbs used in herbalism practices, including the Chinese herbs ''Ophiopogon japonicus'' (Mai men dong), in ''Mirabilis jalapa''. Stigmasterol is a constituent of various vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and unpasteurized milk. Pasteurization will inactivate stig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beta-Sitosterol
β-sitosterol (beta-sitosterol) is one of several phytosterols (plant sterols) with chemical structures similar to that of cholesterol. It is a white, waxy powder with a characteristic odor, and is one of the components of the food additive E499. Phytosterols are hydrophobic and soluble in alcohols. Natural occurrences and food β-sitosterol is widely distributed in the plant kingdom. It is found in vegetable oil, nuts, avocados, and derived prepared foods such as salad dressings. Human research β-sitosterol is being studied for its potential to reduce benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and blood cholesterol levels. Genetic disorder While plant sterols are usually beneficial, there is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder phytosterolemia which causes over-absorption of phytosterols. Precursor of anabolic steroid boldenone Being a steroid, β-sitosterol is a precursor of anabolic steroid boldenone. Boldenone undecylenate is commonly used in veterinary medicine to indu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coumestrol
Coumestrol is a natural organic compound in the class of phytochemicals known as coumestans. Coumestrol was first identified as a compound with estrogenic properties by E. M. Bickoff in ladino clover and alfalfa in 1957. It has garnered research interest because of its estrogenic activity and prevalence in some foods, including soybeans, brussels sprouts, spinach and a variety of legumes. The highest concentrations of coumestrol are found in clover, Kala Chana (a type of chick pea), and Alfalfa sprouts. Coumestrol is a phytoestrogen, mimicking the biological activity of estrogens. Phytoestrogens are able to pass through cell membranes due to their low molecular weight and stable structure, and they are able to interact with the enzymes and receptors of cells. Coumestrol binds to the ERα and ERβ with similar affinity to that of estradiol (94% and 185% of the relative binding affinity of estradiol at the ERα and ERβ, respectively), although the estrogenic activity of coume ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Genistin
Genistin is an isoflavone found in a number of dietary plants like soy and kudzu. It was first isolated in 1931 from the 90% methanol extract of a soybean meal, when it was found that hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid produced 1 mole each of genistein and glucose. Chemically it is the 7-O-beta-D-glucoside form of genistein and is the predominant form of the isoflavone naturally occurring in plants. In fact, studies in the 1970s revealed that 99% of the isoflavonoid compounds in soy are present as their glucosides. The glucosides are converted by digestive enzymes in the digestive system to exert their biological effects. Genistin is also converted to a more familiar genistein, thus, the biological activities including antiatherosclerotic, estrogenic and anticancer effects are analogous. Metabolism When ingested along the diet, genistin is readily converted to its aglycone form, genistein. It is hydrolyzed by removing the covalently bound glucose to form genistein and that genis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
