Introduction Sambucus nigra, or European elder, is a tall tree-like shrub, native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and naturalized in the United States. Various parts of the elder have long been used in traditional medicine as a diaphoretic, diuretic, astringent, laxative, and emetic. The berries were used traditionally as a food to make elderberry wine and pies, and as a flavoring or dye. Cu...

Introduction Ginger, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, is one of the most widely used species of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) and is a common condiment for various foods and beverages. Ginger has a long history of medicinal use dating back 2,500 years in China and India for conditions such as headaches, nausea, rheumatism, and colds. Characterized in traditional Chinese medicine as spicy...

Introduction Lutein and zeaxanthin belong to the xanthophyll family of carotenoids and are the two major components of the macular pigment of the retina. The macula lutea or “yellow spot” in the retina is responsible for central vision and visual acuity. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids found in both the macula and lens of the human eye, and have dual functions in both tissues – t...

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a B-cell leukemia mainly affecting older adults. Historically, CLL has been regarded as an incurable disease, and treatment has been confined to cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens. However, prognosis for patients treated with these agents remained poor, prompting the development of new, targeted agents. The introduction of rituximab, a CD20-targeted monoclonal...

Drug plasma monitoring has emerged as an important tool to obtain optimal levels of a particular drug among individual patients. Plasma monitoring of imatinib levels would appear to be practical in cases where there is lack of response, heightened toxicity, or evidence of poor adherence to therapy. However, the potential role of monitoring plasma drug concentrations in guiding treatment decisio...

Introduction A trimethylated amino acid, roughly similar in structure to choline, L-carnitine is a cofactor required for transformation of free long-chain fatty acids into acylcarnitines, and for their subsequent transport into the mitochondrial matrix, where they undergo beta-oxidation for cellular energy production. Conditions that appear to benefit from exogenous supplementation of L-carniti...

Introduction Reduced glutathione, most commonly called glutathione or GSH, is a relatively small molecule ubiquitous in living systems. Occurring naturally in all human cells, GSH is a water-phase orthomolecule. Its intracellular depletion ultimately results in cell death and its clinical relevance has been researched for decades. GSH is the smallest intracellular thiol (–SH) molecule. Its high...

Introduction Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) is an ester of the trimethylated amino acid, L-carnitine, and is synthesized in the human brain, liver, and kidney by the enzyme ALC-transferase. Acetyl-L-carnitine facilitates the uptake of acetyl CoA into the mitochondria during fatty acid oxidation, enhances acetylcholine production, and stimulates protein and membrane phospholipid synthesis. ALC, simila...

This monograph deals with all 95 names described in the Cucurbitaceae genus Coccinia and recognizes 25 species. Taxonomic novelties are Cocciniaadoensisvar.aurantiaca (C.Jeffrey) Holstein, stat. nov., Cocciniasessilifoliavar.variifolia (A.Meeuse) Holstein, stat. nov., and Cocciniaadoensisvar.jeffreyana Holstein, var. nov. For the 25 species 3157 collections were examined, of which 2024 were geo...

Alternative Medicine Review ◆ Volume 6, Number 2 ◆ 2001 Page 203 Plant Sterols and Sterolins Introduction Sterols and sterolins, also known as phytosterols, are fats present in all plants, including fruits and vegetables. Although they are chemically similar to the animal fat, cholesterol, they have been shown to exert significant unique biochemical effects in both animals and humans. Because t...