Natural Standard Blog

Natural Standard Training Sessions

Natural Standard subscribers are invited to attend online training sessions to learn more about the resources available to them.

The summer training sessions are designed to help clients understand Natural Standard's mission, methodology and Evidence-based Validated Grading Rationale™. These guided tours will also demonstrate how to navigate the various databases and cross reference medical conditions and therapies.

The manufacturing/regulatory training sessions are specifically tailored for branded ingredient manufacturers, brand owners, pharmaceutical companies and law firms. Natural Standard provides custom research reports, white papers, clinical trial protocol design and grant writing services. Featured topics will include: GRAS certification, cGMP compliance initiatives, product compliance and submission, litigation, advertising claims, efficacy claims, health maintenance and structure function claims, functional ingredient claims, FDA/FTC warning letters and ingredient identification supporting health maintenance claims.

To sign up for a complimentary session, please click the links below.

Natural Standard Summer Training Sessions:

• Tue, Aug 17, 2010 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Aug 19, 2010 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM EDT
• Tue, Aug 24, 2010 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Aug 26, 2010 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM EDT
• Tue, Aug 31, 2010 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM EDT

Manufacturing/Regulatory Training Sessions:

• Thu, Aug 19, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Aug 26, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Sept 2, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Sept 9, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Sept 16, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Sept 23, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Sept 30, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Oct 7, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Oct 14, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Oct 21, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT
• Thu, Oct 28, 2010 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM EDT

For more information, please e-mail questions@naturalstandard.com.

Journal of Dietary Supplements: Call for Papers

Natural Standard, an international research collaboration that aggregates and synthesizes data on complementary and alternative therapies, invites researchers to submit articles to Journal of Dietary Supplements (JDS) - an international peer-reviewed forum for original research and review articles that focus on vitamins, minerals, herbs and other substances that make up the multibillion-dollar dietary supplement industry. The journal addresses important issues that meet a broad range of interests, not only in integrative healthcare, but also in academic, regulatory and industrial sectors.

The journal has an online submission system available at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/wjds. Full instructions for uploading submissions will appear online.

Natural Standard subscribers are eligible to receive a 60 percent discount on a one-year subscription to the journal. Subscribers will receive four issues for $100. Natural Standard also invites JDS authors to present their findings in webinars, which will be posted on the Natural Standard Web site (www.naturalstandard.com/webinars).

For more information, please e-mail jds@naturalstandard.com.

Catherine Ulbricht, PharmD: Chief Editor, Journal of Dietary Supplements, Co-Founder, Natural Standard Research Collaboration (ulbricht@naturalstandard.com).

Wendy Chao, PhD: Associate Editor, Journal of Dietary Supplements, Science Editor, Natural Standard Research Collaboration (wchao@naturalstandard.com).

Daniel Falatko: Managing Editor, Informa Medicine Journals (Daniel.Falatko@informausa.com).

David DeLuca: Electronic Production Manager, Informa Business Information (David.DeLuca@informausa.com).

The distinguished editorial board includes the following internationally known scientists:

• Brent A Bauer, MD, FACP: Director, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
• William Benda, MD: Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
• Mark Blumenthal: Founder & Executive Director, American Botanical Council, Austin, TX.
• William Benda, MD: University of California, San Francisco, Board of Trustees, American Holistic Medical Association.
• Edzard Ernst, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCP (Edin.): Professor of Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, UK.
• Bradly Jacobs, MD, MPH: Founder and Director, Institute of Healthy Living, Sausalito, CA.
• Karta Purkh S. Khalsa, CD-N, RH: Botanical Medicine, Bastyr University, Eugene, OR.

2010 Publication Schedule

Cover month	Online Publication	Print Publication
Volume 7, Issue 1 (March)	1/29	2/26
Volume 7, Issue 2 (June)	5/1	5/28
Volume 7, Issue 3 (September)	8/1	8/27
Volume 7, Issue 4 (December)	11/3	11/26

Natural Standard Book Earns Rave Review

Patrick Morrison, an Honorary Professor of human genetics at the universities of Queens Belfast, Nottingham Trent and the University of Ulster, recently reviewed Natural Standard Herbal Pharmacotherapy: An Evidence-Based Approach in the Ulster Medical Society Journal, and called it “an excellent guide to herbal pharmacotherapies.”

The reference tool provides practical guidance on the use of herbal therapies for medical conditions. It is designed to be an essential part of herbal pharmacy core curricula for healthcare disciplines.

Chapters are organized by medical condition and present supportive evidence, including potential mechanisms of action and dosing, for selected herbal therapies. The chapters also include integrative therapy plans to help clinicians quickly assess patient needs and create cohesive treatment plans.

“This is an excellent book which fills the large gap in evidence that existed in this area,” Dr. Morrison states.

Several resources, including animations, Appendix C, Appendix D, Chapter 31, Grades A-F Tables and References, are available on the Evolve Web site. To order a copy of the book, please click here.

Webinar Forum: Introduction to Clinical Aromatherapy for Healthcare Environments

Natural Standard is offering a series of upcoming complimentary webinars on integrative medicine. Natural Standard offers these impartial webinars as an informational public service. All webinars are recorded and archived at www.naturalstandard.com/webinars.

This month, Pam Conrad, RN, BSN, PGd, CCAP, discusses the application of aromatherapy techniques in clinical healthcare settings. In addition to conducting local, national and international lectures on aromatherapy, Conrad also teaches clinical aromatherapy and complementary therapy studies as a faculty at Purdue University.

To listen to the webinar, please click here. Complimentary access to the webinar is available March 1-31, 2010.

Natural Standard Makes Headlines

The top story on the Boston Healing Blog highlights Natural Standard as a premier resource for evidence-based information about integrative medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) continues to gain popularity in the United States. In 2007, Americans spent nearly $34 billion out of pocket on CAM, according to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). However, without reliable sources of information, individuals may find it difficult to determine which therapies are safe and effective. Natural Standard Research Collaboration rigorously reviews scientific data to provide objective information about therapies, thereby helping people make more informed and safer therapeutic decisions.

The Boston Healing Blog is sponsored by Massage Therapy Works and features the latest articles about natural living and complementary medicine in Greater Boston.

Massage Therapy Works, Inc., is located in the heart of Davis Square in Somerville, Mass. The practice is open seven days a week and includes 16 licensed professional therapists who treat a variety of medical conditions, including chronic pain and stress.

Massage Therapy Works also offers acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, Ayurvedic medicine, shiatsu, Chinese bodywork, structural integration, rehab myotherapy and more.

For more information about Massage Therapy Works, please visit www.massagetherapyworks.com.

Stem Cells for Heart Attack Survivors

New evidence suggests that adult stem cells may help repair heart tissue that has been damaged by a heart attack.

In the phase I study, researchers collected adult mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow of healthy donors. Then the drug manufacturer Osiris Therapeutics purified the stem cells into a formula (Prochymal™) that could be injected into patients. Unlike many other biological therapies, the donor mesenchymal stem cells do not need to match the blood type of the recipient.

The study included 53 adults who had heart attacks in the previous 10 days. The participants were randomly assigned to receive an infusion of either Prochymal™ or placebo.

During the two-year follow-up period, echocardiograms and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed to evaluate heart function. Pulmonary function tests were performed to evaluate lung function.

According to the authors, patients in the stem cell group were four times more likely to have improved overall heart function compared to the control group. Their hearts pumped more efficiently and had 25 perfect fewer irregular heartbeats than the control group. Lung function also improved in the stem cell group. There were no reports of toxicity or other serious side effects.

The authors suspect that the stem cells may facilitate the growth of new blood vessels, which bring blood to the heart.

Although promising, additional research is warranted in this area. The researchers are now recruiting patients for the second phase of the study.

For more information about different types of stem cells, please visit Natural Standard's Genomics & Proteomics database.

Natural Standard Social Networks

Join Natural Standard's social networks on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to receive live updates on product launches, new publications, job openings, upcoming events, news feeds and more.

These social media channels foster discussions about integrative medicine and present networking opportunities for students and professionals. Natural Standard's community encompasses health professionals, medical researchers and individuals who are interested in health and wellness topics.

Members are also encouraged to offer feedback about students programs, webinars and new products.

Hairspray may be Linked to Common Birth Defect

New research suggests that pregnant mothers who are exposed to hairspray at work may be more likely to have boys with a common genital defect called hypospadias. This condition occurs when the opening of the urethra is on the underside of the urethra instead of at the tip.

Researchers from Imperial College London, University College Cork and the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona interviewed mothers of 471 boys with hypospadias. They also interviewed the mothers of 490 randomly selected control infants. Participating mothers were asked various lifestyle questions about vegetarianism, folate supplements, smoking, parental age, education and household income. They were also asked about their jobs and whether they were exposed to substances such as hairspray, disinfectants, pesticides or plastic fumes.

The results, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, show that prenatal exposure to hairsprays more than doubled the risk of hypospadias. The authors suggest that this risk may be attributed to chemicals in hairspray called phthalates. Earlier studies suggest that phthalates may affect hormone levels and reproductive development.

In contrast, folate supplementation may have protective effects against hypospadias. The study showed that mothers who took folate supplements during the first trimester of pregnancy were 36 percent less likely to have boys with hypospadias than mothers who did not take these supplements.

Professor Paul Elliott, the corresponding author of the research from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Imperial College London, said "Hypospadias is a condition that, if left untreated, can cause problems in later life. Although surgery to correct it is usually successful, any surgery will be traumatic for the child and his parents. It is encouraging that our study showed that taking folic acid supplements in pregnancy may reduce the risk of a child being born with the condition. Further research is needed to understand better why women exposed to hairspray at work in the first three months of pregnancy may have increased risk of giving birth to a boy with hypospadias."

For more information about chemical pollutants please visit Natural Standard's Environmental Resources database.

Webinar Forum: Natural Standard Database Overview

Today’s webinar, presented by Natural Standard Chief Editor Catherine Ulbricht, PharmD, provided an in-depth look at Natural Standard’s database.

The research collaboration provides evidence-based, consensus-based and peer-reviewed monographs on a wide-range of health and wellness topics, including herbs, supplements and integrative modalities. With more than seven databases, information can easily be cross referenced, enabling clinicians, patients and healthcare institutions to make more informed and safer therapeutic decisions. A recording of this webinar is available at www.naturalstandard.com.

Ulbricht's webinar is one of many upcoming complimentary webinars on integrative medicine. The next webinar, An Innovative Program in Applied Natural Products, will be presented by Lana Dvorkin-Camiel, PharmD. Dvorkin-Camiel is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Natural Products Division Coordinator at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. To participate in her lecture, which will take place on December 2, 2008, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., please click here and call (616) 883-8055, access code 458-016-977. 

Natural Standard values the opinions and views of its readers and welcomes feedback and questions about the latest webinar event. Also, if you have any suggestions for future webinar topics, please leave a comment below or send an e-mail to questions@naturalstandard.com.

Purple Tomatoes Increased Lifespan of Cancer-Prone Mice

A new study suggests that tomatoes genetically altered to be rich in antioxidants may increase the life span in mice that are predisposed to cancer. 

Using genes from the snapdragon flower, researchers in Europe modified tomatoes so they would contain high amounts of anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants commonly found in dark berries like blackberries and blueberries. The new genes also caused the tomatoes to become purple in the process.

Anthocyanins have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and age-related degenerative diseases. However, many of the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables may not contain enough anthocyanins to gain health benefits. 

Mice genetically altered to be prone to cancer ate diets rich in the purple tomatoes or a standard diet with or without normal tomatoes. Those that ate the purple tomatoes lived significantly longer (182 days on average) than mice that ate standard diets (142 days on average). 

Although the findings, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, are promising, more studies are needed to confirm these results. 

Tomatoes naturally contain high levels of other antioxidants called lycopene and flavonoids. Lycopene is most abundant in highly processed tomatoes. Also, cooking tomatoes in oil helps the fruit release more lycopene. Flavonoids can be water soluble and fat soluble, so eating foods with water or fat is thought to increase the beneficial effects of these antioxidants. 

For more information about tomatoes and their antioxidants, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Foods, Herbs & Supplements database. For more information about genetically modified foods, please visit Natural Standard's Genomics & Proteomics database.