Product/Market Information
22
2023
Sep
Food News Magazine 309: A Gift from Above─ Crassocephalum Rabens The Guardian of the Liver in Nature
A Gift from Above─ Crassocephalum Rabens
The Guardian of the Liver in Nature
Do you often work late into the night? Have irregular eating habits and engage in social drinking? Do your liver enzyme levels frequently show up as abnormal in health check reports? Beware, you might be in a high-risk group for liver disease!
The liver is the body's first line of defense against external toxins, yet it's also the most silent organ. Due to dietary and lifestyle habits, drinking culture, and work-related stress, the high prevalence of "liver disease" has become a "national disease" for the people of Taiwan. There are over 10,000 deaths annually due to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer (1), with liver cancer ranking as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, making it a formidable disease. In recent years, there has been a rise in health awareness among the Taiwanese population. According to research (2), "liver protection" ranks in the top five among the functional demands for health supplements, indicating an increasingly emphasized concern for liver health.
Herbal tea has been a long-standing liver-protecting beverage in Taiwan, serving as a populist gospel for liver health. It is made by brewing a mixture of various plants from the aster family, with Crassocephalum rabens being one of the main components. Related studies have also found it to be an extremely promising liver-protecting material (3).
Through modern scientific research techniques, it has been discovered that Crassocephalum rabens contains a rich natural component—galactolipids (4). These exhibit anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anti-cancer effects. Domestic manufacturers have collaborated with national research institutions to delve into the functions and safety of Crassocephalum rabens, as detailed below:
Lowering Liver Enzymes and Anti-inflammation
Modern people, due to work pressure, insufficient sleep, or poor lifestyle habits, often experience excessive liver burden, liver inflammation, or elevated liver enzymes. Neglecting these issues for a long time can lead to acute and chronic hepatitis or even cancer.
Animal experiments analyzing the anti-inflammatory effect showed that Hsien Wu Chai significantly reduces the expression of inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF-α, comparable to the anti-inflammatory drug Simvastatin. Further investigation into its impact on liver enzymes revealed that Crassocephalum rabens can significantly reduce GOT by 57% and GPT by 55% (see Figure 1), effectively preventing fulminant hepatitis caused by acute inflammation.
Enhancing Liver Antioxidant Enzyme Activity
Medical and biological experts agree that increasing the body's antioxidants to reduce free radicals is crucial for maintaining health and preventing aging. Free radicals are substances produced in the body through metabolism, and they are highly reactive. They can easily react with other substances, causing damage to body tissues and organs, accelerating aging, and leading to the development of diseases.
Glutathione (GSH) is an important component of the body's antioxidant enzymes, and it is abundant in the liver and kidneys. It provides the body with antioxidant, hepatoprotective, detoxifying, and disease-reducing effects.
In animal experiments, it was found that under conditions of liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride, Crassocephalum rabens significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione (GSH), catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver (see Figure 2). This confirms that the hepatoprotective effect of Crassocephalum rabens is primarily achieved by enhancing the antioxidant mechanism in the liver.
Enhancing Alcohol Metabolizing Enzyme Activity
Taiwan's drinking culture has a long history, and enjoying a drink after work is a common way for many office workers to unwind and relax. However, not paying attention and having one too many drinks can lead to discomfort from hangovers. Animal experiments have shown that Crassocephalum rabens can effectively increase the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) after alcohol intake (see Figure 3). Its effectiveness surpasses that of the Western medicine Silymarin, making it a natural and new choice for the drinking population to reduce the burden caused by alcohol consumption.
Safe and Natural Substance
In recent years, there has been a rising awareness of food safety among the Taiwanese population. The application of natural products in health and wellness has gained attention worldwide and even become a trend. However, not all natural substances are suitable for direct human consumption, and they still require safety assessments. The experimental materials used in the research were extracted using patented technology and comply with OECD GLP test standards. Through animal experiments, it has been confirmed that the consumption of Crassocephalum rabens is safe for the human body (5). Due to its various beneficial effects, it is a high-potential raw material suitable for the development of health products.
The gift from above—Crassocephalum rabens, has been scientifically validated for its safety. Through patented technology, functional components such as galactolipid have been extracted and purified. Multiple animal experiments have confirmed its ability to lower GOT and GPT levels, preventing acute hepatitis. Additionally, it effectively enhances liver antioxidant enzyme activity and assists in alcohol metabolism, achieving a comprehensive liver-protective effect. The increased awareness of liver health in today's society has elevated the importance of liver-protective health supplements. However, due to the complexity of the ingredients and the difficulty in analysis, the development process for liver-protective raw materials is often prolonged. As a result, there have been few new additions to the market for natural liver-protective materials. The author believes that Crassocephalum rabens can serve as a novel raw material, bringing a breath of fresh air to the liver-protective market.
The Guardian of the Liver in Nature
Author:Weixiu Zhuang
Introduction
Do you often work late into the night? Have irregular eating habits and engage in social drinking? Do your liver enzyme levels frequently show up as abnormal in health check reports? Beware, you might be in a high-risk group for liver disease!
The liver is the body's first line of defense against external toxins, yet it's also the most silent organ. Due to dietary and lifestyle habits, drinking culture, and work-related stress, the high prevalence of "liver disease" has become a "national disease" for the people of Taiwan. There are over 10,000 deaths annually due to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer (1), with liver cancer ranking as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, making it a formidable disease. In recent years, there has been a rise in health awareness among the Taiwanese population. According to research (2), "liver protection" ranks in the top five among the functional demands for health supplements, indicating an increasingly emphasized concern for liver health.
Herbal tea has been a long-standing liver-protecting beverage in Taiwan, serving as a populist gospel for liver health. It is made by brewing a mixture of various plants from the aster family, with Crassocephalum rabens being one of the main components. Related studies have also found it to be an extremely promising liver-protecting material (3).
A Gift from Above—Crassocephalum Rabens
Crassocephalum rabens S. Moore is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is said that during World War II, Japanese planes scattered its seeds over Taiwan. Due to its strong adaptability, it is now widely distributed across Taiwan. Traditional Chinese medicinal literature records that Crassocephalum rabens has the effects of invigorating the spleen, reducing swelling, clearing heat, and detoxifying, as if it were a gift from heaven.Through modern scientific research techniques, it has been discovered that Crassocephalum rabens contains a rich natural component—galactolipids (4). These exhibit anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anti-cancer effects. Domestic manufacturers have collaborated with national research institutions to delve into the functions and safety of Crassocephalum rabens, as detailed below:
Lowering Liver Enzymes and Anti-inflammation
Modern people, due to work pressure, insufficient sleep, or poor lifestyle habits, often experience excessive liver burden, liver inflammation, or elevated liver enzymes. Neglecting these issues for a long time can lead to acute and chronic hepatitis or even cancer.
Animal experiments analyzing the anti-inflammatory effect showed that Hsien Wu Chai significantly reduces the expression of inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF-α, comparable to the anti-inflammatory drug Simvastatin. Further investigation into its impact on liver enzymes revealed that Crassocephalum rabens can significantly reduce GOT by 57% and GPT by 55% (see Figure 1), effectively preventing fulminant hepatitis caused by acute inflammation.
Enhancing Liver Antioxidant Enzyme Activity
Medical and biological experts agree that increasing the body's antioxidants to reduce free radicals is crucial for maintaining health and preventing aging. Free radicals are substances produced in the body through metabolism, and they are highly reactive. They can easily react with other substances, causing damage to body tissues and organs, accelerating aging, and leading to the development of diseases.
Glutathione (GSH) is an important component of the body's antioxidant enzymes, and it is abundant in the liver and kidneys. It provides the body with antioxidant, hepatoprotective, detoxifying, and disease-reducing effects.
In animal experiments, it was found that under conditions of liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride, Crassocephalum rabens significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione (GSH), catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver (see Figure 2). This confirms that the hepatoprotective effect of Crassocephalum rabens is primarily achieved by enhancing the antioxidant mechanism in the liver.
Enhancing Alcohol Metabolizing Enzyme Activity
Taiwan's drinking culture has a long history, and enjoying a drink after work is a common way for many office workers to unwind and relax. However, not paying attention and having one too many drinks can lead to discomfort from hangovers. Animal experiments have shown that Crassocephalum rabens can effectively increase the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) after alcohol intake (see Figure 3). Its effectiveness surpasses that of the Western medicine Silymarin, making it a natural and new choice for the drinking population to reduce the burden caused by alcohol consumption.
Safe and Natural Substance
In recent years, there has been a rising awareness of food safety among the Taiwanese population. The application of natural products in health and wellness has gained attention worldwide and even become a trend. However, not all natural substances are suitable for direct human consumption, and they still require safety assessments. The experimental materials used in the research were extracted using patented technology and comply with OECD GLP test standards. Through animal experiments, it has been confirmed that the consumption of Crassocephalum rabens is safe for the human body (5). Due to its various beneficial effects, it is a high-potential raw material suitable for the development of health products.
Conclusion
The gift from above—Crassocephalum rabens, has been scientifically validated for its safety. Through patented technology, functional components such as galactolipid have been extracted and purified. Multiple animal experiments have confirmed its ability to lower GOT and GPT levels, preventing acute hepatitis. Additionally, it effectively enhances liver antioxidant enzyme activity and assists in alcohol metabolism, achieving a comprehensive liver-protective effect. The increased awareness of liver health in today's society has elevated the importance of liver-protective health supplements. However, due to the complexity of the ingredients and the difficulty in analysis, the development process for liver-protective raw materials is often prolonged. As a result, there have been few new additions to the market for natural liver-protective materials. The author believes that Crassocephalum rabens can serve as a novel raw material, bringing a breath of fresh air to the liver-protective market.
Reference
衛生福利部國民健康署。(2020)。癌症防治專區。
台灣經濟研究員生物科技產業研究中心。2021。2020台灣消費者對於食品安全認知與態度調查分析
. Hsan, Kyaw Minn, et al. Cancers (2010) 2.2:397-419.
. Hsan, Kyaw Minn, et al. Cancers (2010) 2.2:397-419.
Hou, Chia-Chung, et al. Cancer research (2007) 67.14: 6907-6915.
. Hsu, Pang-Kuei, et al. Toxicology reports (2022) 9: 58-63.
