THE VANGUARD BLOG
Physician-curated deep dives into the science of men's health optimization.
Monograph
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
Monograph
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
Monograph
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
Monograph
Overview Schisandra chinensis (Wu Wei Zi, "five-flavor berry") is a woody vine whose berries are prized in traditional Chinese medicine for containing all five elemental flavors—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent—reflecting a diverse phytochemical profile. Its primary bioactives are…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a perennial flowering plant whose leaves, root, and seeds each have distinct pharmacological properties and evidence bases. Nettle leaf is used primarily for allergic rhinitis and anti-inflammatory applications; nettle root is studied for benign…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide (15 amino acids; sequence: GEPPPGKPADDAGLV) derived from a naturally occurring partial sequence found
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Tribulus terrestris (puncture vine, gokshura) is a flowering plant found worldwide in arid climates, used in both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine as an aphrodisiac, libido tonic, and general vitality herb. Its primary bioactive compounds are steroidal saponins—predominantly…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) — the hypothalamic peptide that stimulates somatotroph cells
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview GHK-Cu (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper(II)) is a naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide first isolated from human plasma albumin by Loren Pickart in 1973. GHK is present in human plasma (200 ng/mL at age 20, declining to 80 ng/mL by age 60), saliva, and urine, and is…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly; 4 amino acids) originally developed by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, Russian Academy of Sciences, beginning in the 1980s. It is a synthetic analog of…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview GHRP-6 (His-D-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) is a synthetic hexapeptide and the first-generation agonist of the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a), developed by Cyril Bowers and colleagues at Tulane University in the 1980s. It was the peptide whose study ultimately led to the discovery of the…
13 May 2026
Monograph
Overview GHRP-2 (D-Ala-D-β-Nal-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) is a synthetic hexapeptide and potent agonist of the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a). It was developed by Cyril Bowers and colleagues at Tulane University in the early 1990s as part of the research effort that defined the ghrelin receptor family…
13 May 2026
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