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Overview Olive leaf extract (OLE) is derived from the leaves of Olea europaea and is highly concentrated in oleuropein—a bitter secoiridoid glycoside—along with hydroxytyrosol, verbascoside, and other biophenols. Oleuropein is hydrolyzed in the gut to hydroxytyrosol (the most bioavailable…
13 May 2026
Overview Pycnogenol is a patented, standardized extract from the bark of the French maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), manufactured by Horphag Research. It is a complex mixture of procyanidins (oligomeric proanthocyanidins), catechins, phenolic acids (ferulic acid, caffeic acid), and taxifolin.
13 May 2026
Overview Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis) is a Mediterranean aromatic herb whose extract is rich in polyphenolic diterpenes—primarily carnosic acid and carnosol—as well as rosmarinic acid (a caffeic acid derivative), ursolic acid, and flavonoids. Rosemary extract…
13 May 2026
Overview Cinnamon refers primarily to two distinct species sold commercially: Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, "true cinnamon") and Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum / cassia, the dominant variety in North America and China). Both contain cinnamaldehyde (the primary aromatic compound)…
13 May 2026
Overview Boswellia (Boswellia serrata, Indian frankincense; also B. sacra, B. carterii) is a tree whose resin gum—commonly known as frankincense—has been used in Ayurvedic and traditional Middle Eastern medicine for thousands of years. Its primary bioactive compounds are boswellic acids…
13 May 2026
Overview Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual leguminous herb native to the Mediterranean, Middle East, and South Asia, used both as a culinary spice and medicinal plant. Its seeds are rich in soluble fiber (galactomannans), steroidal saponins (diosgenin, yamogenin, tigogenin)…
13 May 2026
Overview Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus), commonly marketed as Siberian ginseng, is a woody shrub native to northeastern Asia and Siberia. It is one of the most extensively studied adaptogens in the Soviet and Russian pharmacological tradition—investigated heavily from the 1950s–1980s…
13 May 2026
Overview Gymnema sylvestre (Gurmar, "sugar destroyer" in Hindi) is a woody climbing herb from India and tropical Africa whose leaves contain gymnemic acids—a family of triterpenoid glycosides structurally related to oleanolic acid. Its most famous property is the suppression of sweet taste…
13 May 2026
Overview Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is a slender, creeping herb native to tropical Asia and Africa, used in both Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Its bioactive triterpene compounds—asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid (collectively called…
13 May 2026
Overview Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum, also known as Ocimum sanctum or Tulsi) is one of the most revered medicinal plants in Ayurveda—considered the "Queen of Herbs" and a sacred plant in Hinduism. Its bioactive compounds include eugenol, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, orientin, vicenin, and…
13 May 2026
Overview Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna, C. laevigata, C. oxyacantha) is one of the most important cardiovascular botanicals in European herbal medicine, with documented use for heart health dating to the 10th century. Its berries, leaves, and flowers contain oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs)…
13 May 2026
Overview Maca (Lepidium meyenii, Peruvian ginseng) is a cruciferous root vegetable native to the Andean plateau (3,500–4,500m elevation), where it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years for food and medicine. Its bioactive compounds include macamides (unique benzylated fatty acid amides)…
13 May 2026
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