Product Overview
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ƒ?› Synergistic herbal combination ƒ?› Contains bromelain and papain, which act as digestive enzymes ƒ?› Includes peppermint, marshmallow, star anise and clove ƒ?› Ideal for vegans ƒ?› Convenient vegetable capsule format Herbal GI provides a combination of synergistic herbs which includes peppermint, marshmallow, star anise and clove. ƒ?› The capsules are 100% pure vegetable-sourced. Product ideal for vegans.
Additional product info: Peppermint leaf at 1.2-12 grams per day is traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to aid digestion and to help relieve flatulent dyspepsia (1).
Bromelain is the name given to the crude aqueous extract obtained from the stem and fruit of the pineapple plant (Ananas comosus Merr.). Its main active components include a number of enzymes showing proteolytic activity, which were first shown to be anti-inflammatory by Uhlig (1981). Bromelainƒ??s mode of action as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent is thought to be multifaceted. There is experimental evidence to suggest that its effects on blood coagulation (through increasing serum fibrinolytic activity) and prostaglandin levels (by decreasing levels of PGE2 and thromboxane A2) may be important in reducing inflammation. Its action as an analgesic is thought to be both as a secondary effect of reducing pain-inducing factors, such as oedema, debris and immune complexes, and through a direct influence on pain mediators such as bradykinin. A study investigated the effects of bromelain on mild acute knee pain of less than 3 months duration in otherwise healthy adults. Two validated questionnaires (WOMAC knee health Index and the Psychological Well-Being Index) were completed at baseline and after one monthƒ??s intervention with bromelain, randomly allocated to volunteers as either 200 mg or 400 mg per day. In both treatment groups, all WOMAC symptom dimension scores were significantly reduced compared with baseline, with reductions in the final battery (total symptom score) of 41 and 59% in the low and high dose groups respectively. In addition, improvements in total symptom score and the stiffness and physical function dimensions were significantly greater in the high-dose (400 mg per day) compared with the low-dose group. Compared to baseline, overall psychological well-being was significantly improved in both groups after treatment, and again, a significant dose-response relationship was observed. This open study has shown a significant effect of bromelain on reducing symptoms of knee pain and improving well-being in otherwise healthy adults. In addition, improvements were significantly higher in a number of physical and well-being dimensions in the group receiving the higher dose (2).
Another study determined the effectiveness of protease supplementation in attenuating eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage and inflammation. Subjects were randomly assigned to consume 5.83 g daily of either a cellulose placebo (N = 15) or a proteolytic supplement containing fungal proteases, bromelain, and papain for a period of 21 d. Significant group differences and another strong trend were observed for flexion indicating higher force production in the protease group. Significant group ?? time interactions were observed, including elevations in circulating eosinophils and basophils in the protease group coinciding with lower levels of serum cyclooxygenase 2, interleukin 6, and interleukin 12 in this group. Protease supplementation seems to attenuate muscle strength losses after eccentric exercise by regulating leukocyte activity and inflammation (3).
References: 1 NHPD Monograph on Peppermint. February 2008. 2 Walker AF, Bundy R, Hicks SM, Middleton RW. Bromelain reduces mild acute knee pain and improves well-being in a dose-dependent fashion in an open study of otherwise healthy adults. Phytomedicine. 2002 Dec;9(8):681-6. Yellow highlights 3 Buford TW, Cooke MB, Redd LL, Hudson GM, Shelmadine BD, Willoughby DS. Protease supplementation improves muscle function after eccentric exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Oct;41(10):1908-14. Abstract
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