Modern cosmetic industry is approaching medicinal plants with ethnobotanical tradition and pre-va... more Modern cosmetic industry is approaching medicinal plants with ethnobotanical tradition and pre-validated use (1). We studied the Italian chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill., Fagaceae) from Monte Amiata's forests, Tuscany (2), focusing on its byproducts, such as leaves. In different Italian regions, fresh leaves of chestnut have a long history of use by local people for dermatologic and cosmetic applications: e.g. as external poultice against sores in Tuscany (3), to make washes for skin diseases and inflammations in Sardinia and Calabria (4, 5), as infusion against dandruff in Liguria (6) and in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (7). In addition, the inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus of refined European chestnut leaf extracts has been reported, with possible applications for treatment of skin and soft tissue infections (8). Driven by recent studies reported in literature, suggesting a scavenger and antioxidant activity of chestnut leaf extracts (9), our exp...
The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by ... more The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by the use of these products in several marketing categories, ranging from medicine to nutrition and cosmetics. Market and legislation in Italy are at the same time cause and consequence of this peculiar situation. In fact, the legislation on botanical food supplements in Italy is very permissive and at the same time the market shows an overall satisfaction of users and strong feedback in terms of consumption, which brings a widening use of medicinal plants, formerly the prerogative of pharmaceuticals, to other fields such as nutrition. This review summarizes the market and normative panorama of herbal products in Italy, highlighting the blurred boundaries of health indications, marketing authorizations and quality controls between herbal medicines and non pharmaceutical products, such as food supplements, cosmetics and other herbal-based “parapharmaceuticals”.
Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicin... more Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes has been done over the years. Several medicinal plants and their preparations demonstrated to act in key points of glucidic metabolism. The most common mechanisms of action found include the inhibition of α-glucosidase and of AGE formation, the increase of GLUT-4 and PPARs expression and the antioxidant activity. Despite the large amount of literature available, the actual clinical effectiveness of medicinal plants in controlling diabetes related symptoms is still controversial and there is a crucial need for stronger evidence-based data. In this review, an overview of the medicinal plants, which use in the management of diabetes is supported by authoritative monograph, is provided. References to some species which are currently under growing clinical investigation are also reported.
Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicin... more Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes has been done over the years. Several medicinal plants and their preparations demonstrated to act in key points of glucidic metabolism. The most common mechanisms of action found include the inhibition of α-glucosidase and of AGE formation, the increase of GLUT-4 and PPARs expression and the antioxidant activity. Despite the large amount of literature available, the actual clinical effectiveness of medicinal plants in controlling diabetes related symptoms is still controversial and there is a crucial need for stronger evidence-based data. In this review, an overview of the medicinal plants, which use in the management of diabetes is supported by authoritative monograph, is provided. References to some species which are currently under growing clinical investigation are also reported.
The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by ... more The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by the use of these products in several marketing categories, ranging from medicine to nutrition and cosmetics. Market and legislation in Italy are at the same time cause and consequence of this peculiar situation. In fact, the legislation on botanical food supplements in Italy is very permissive and at the same time the market shows an overall satisfaction of users and strong feedback in terms of consumption, which brings a widening use of medicinal plants, formerly the prerogative of pharmaceuticals, to other fields such as nutrition. This review summarizes the market and normative panorama of herbal products in Italy, highlighting the blurred boundaries of health indications, marketing authorizations and quality controls between herbal medicines and non pharmaceutical products, such as food supplements, cosmetics and other herbal-based " parapharmaceuticals " .
Modern cosmetic industry is approaching medicinal plants with ethnobotanical tradition and pre-va... more Modern cosmetic industry is approaching medicinal plants with ethnobotanical tradition and pre-validated use (1). We studied the Italian chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill., Fagaceae) from Monte Amiata's forests, Tuscany (2), focusing on its byproducts, such as leaves. In different Italian regions, fresh leaves of chestnut have a long history of use by local people for dermatologic and cosmetic applications: e.g. as external poultice against sores in Tuscany (3), to make washes for skin diseases and inflammations in Sardinia and Calabria (4, 5), as infusion against dandruff in Liguria (6) and in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (7). In addition, the inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus of refined European chestnut leaf extracts has been reported, with possible applications for treatment of skin and soft tissue infections (8). Driven by recent studies reported in literature, suggesting a scavenger and antioxidant activity of chestnut leaf extracts (9), our exp...
The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by ... more The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by the use of these products in several marketing categories, ranging from medicine to nutrition and cosmetics. Market and legislation in Italy are at the same time cause and consequence of this peculiar situation. In fact, the legislation on botanical food supplements in Italy is very permissive and at the same time the market shows an overall satisfaction of users and strong feedback in terms of consumption, which brings a widening use of medicinal plants, formerly the prerogative of pharmaceuticals, to other fields such as nutrition. This review summarizes the market and normative panorama of herbal products in Italy, highlighting the blurred boundaries of health indications, marketing authorizations and quality controls between herbal medicines and non pharmaceutical products, such as food supplements, cosmetics and other herbal-based “parapharmaceuticals”.
Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicin... more Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes has been done over the years. Several medicinal plants and their preparations demonstrated to act in key points of glucidic metabolism. The most common mechanisms of action found include the inhibition of α-glucosidase and of AGE formation, the increase of GLUT-4 and PPARs expression and the antioxidant activity. Despite the large amount of literature available, the actual clinical effectiveness of medicinal plants in controlling diabetes related symptoms is still controversial and there is a crucial need for stronger evidence-based data. In this review, an overview of the medicinal plants, which use in the management of diabetes is supported by authoritative monograph, is provided. References to some species which are currently under growing clinical investigation are also reported.
Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicin... more Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and many attempts to use herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes has been done over the years. Several medicinal plants and their preparations demonstrated to act in key points of glucidic metabolism. The most common mechanisms of action found include the inhibition of α-glucosidase and of AGE formation, the increase of GLUT-4 and PPARs expression and the antioxidant activity. Despite the large amount of literature available, the actual clinical effectiveness of medicinal plants in controlling diabetes related symptoms is still controversial and there is a crucial need for stronger evidence-based data. In this review, an overview of the medicinal plants, which use in the management of diabetes is supported by authoritative monograph, is provided. References to some species which are currently under growing clinical investigation are also reported.
The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by ... more The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by the use of these products in several marketing categories, ranging from medicine to nutrition and cosmetics. Market and legislation in Italy are at the same time cause and consequence of this peculiar situation. In fact, the legislation on botanical food supplements in Italy is very permissive and at the same time the market shows an overall satisfaction of users and strong feedback in terms of consumption, which brings a widening use of medicinal plants, formerly the prerogative of pharmaceuticals, to other fields such as nutrition. This review summarizes the market and normative panorama of herbal products in Italy, highlighting the blurred boundaries of health indications, marketing authorizations and quality controls between herbal medicines and non pharmaceutical products, such as food supplements, cosmetics and other herbal-based " parapharmaceuticals " .
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