Since 1966, some 200 peer-reviewed scientific reports on the beneficial mechanisms of Epilobium have been published, with nearly half focusing on willow herb (Epilobium angustifolium) (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=epilobium+angustifolium&sort=date ). These numbers may seem modest but more than 25% of these articles went to press in the last 3 years!
Research on the benefits of willow herb focuses on several aspects:
- Its polyphenols and their overall effect on health (reference 2)
- Its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties (references 3-9)
- Its anti-infectious properties (reference 10-11)
- Its cancer-preventing properties (reference 12-16)
The benefits of olives have been researched much more extensively, with more than 30000 peer-reviewed articles published. Of particular interest is tyrosol and its derivatives, as they appear to be responsible for the well-known benefits of olive oil and the Mediterranean diet (reference 17). This class of polyphenols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, they promote a healthy cardiovascular system, prevent cancer, and exert neuroprotective and endocrine effects.
From a scientific point of view, the addition of olive extracts in the manufacture of Sibérthé Métabolisme +++ is thus fully justified. But there is no need to read scientific articles to become convinced: just experience yourself the boost of energy it provides!
References
Polyphenols and mitochodrial health
1. Teixeira, José et al. “Dietary Polyphenols and Mitochondrial Function: Role in Health and Disease.” Current medicinal chemistry vol. 26,19 (2019): 3376-3406. https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867324666170529101810
2. Schepetkin, Igor A et al. “Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenols from Epilobium Angustifolium (Fireweed).” Phytotherapy research : PTR vol. 30,8 (2016): 1287-97. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002%2Fptr.5648
Antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects
3. Olennikov, Daniil N et al. “Water-Soluble Melanoidin Pigment as a New Antioxidant Component of Fermented Willowherb Leaves (Epilobium angustifolium).” Antioxidants (2021) vol. 10,8 1300. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10081300
4. Popov, Sergey et al. “Isolation, Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Pectic Polysaccharides of Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L.).” Molecules vol. 26,23 (2021): 7290. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26237290
5. Ramstead, Andrew G et al. “Aging influences the response of T cells to stimulation by the ellagitannin, oenothein B.” International immunopharmacology vol. 26,2 (2015): 367-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2015.04.008
6. Kiss, Anna K et al. “Oenothein B’s contribution to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of Epilobium sp.” Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology vol. 18,7 (2011): 557-60 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2010.10.016
7. Ramstead, Andrew G et al. “Oenothein B, a cyclic dimeric ellagitannin isolated from Epilobium angustifolium, enhances IFNγ production by lymphocytes.” PloS one vol. 7,11 (2012): e50546. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0050546
8. Schepetkin, Igor A et al. “Immunomodulatory activity of oenothein B isolated from Epilobium angustifolium.” Journal of immunology (2009) vol. 183,10: 6754-66. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.0901827
9. Stajner, D et al. “Evaluation of willow herb’s (Epilobium angustofolium L.) antioxidant and radical scavenging capacities.” Phytotherapy research : PTR vol. 21,12 (2007): 1242-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2244
Anti-infective effects
10. Smirnova, G et al. “Influence of plant polyphenols and medicinal plant extracts on antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli.” Journal of applied microbiology vol. 113,1 (2012): 192-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2012.05322.x
11. Bartfay, Wally J et al. “Gram-negative and gram-positive antibacterial properties of the whole plant extract of willow herb (Epilobium angustifolium).” Biological research for nursing vol. 14,1 (2012): 85-9
Anti-cancer effects
12. Stolarczyk, Magdalena et al. “Extracts from Epilobium sp. herbs induce apoptosis in human hormone-dependent prostate cancer cells by activating the mitochondrial pathway.” The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology vol. 65,7 (2013): 1044-54. https://doi.org/10.1111/jphp.12063
13. Esposito, Cristina et al. “Epilobium angustifolium L. extract with high content in oenothein B on benign prostatic hyperplasia: A monocentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.” Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie vol. 138 (2021): 111414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111414
14. Deng, Liqing et al. “Evaluation of the therapeutic effect against benign prostatic hyperplasia and the active constituents from Epilobium angustifolium L.” Journal of ethnopharmacology vol. 232 (2019): 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2018.11.045
15. Piwowarski, Jakub P et al. “Evaluation of the Effect of Epilobium angustifolium Aqueous Extract on LNCaP Cell Proliferation in In Vitro and In Vivo Models.” Planta medica vol. 83,14-15 (2017): 1159-1168 https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-109372
16. Stolarczyk, Magdalena et al. “Extracts from Epilobium sp. herbs, their components and gut microbiota metabolites of Epilobium ellagitannins, urolithins, inhibit hormone-dependent prostate cancer cells-(LNCaP) proliferation and PSA secretion.” Phytotherapy research : PTR vol. 27,12 (2013): 1842-8. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.4941
Extracts from olives
17. Karković Marković, A. et al. “Hydroxytyrosol, Tyrosol and Derivatives and Their Potential Effects on Human Health“. Molecules 24 (2019): 2001. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fmolecules24102001