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GNC Laboratories
Artichoke
Historical or
traditional use
The artichoke is one of
the world’s oldest medicinal plants. The ancient Egyptians placed great
value on the plant.
It is clearly seen in drawings involving fertility and
sacrifice. Moreover, this plant was used by the ancient Greeks
and Romans as
a digestive aid. In 16th century
Europe, the artichoke was favored as a food by royalty.
Active constituents
Artichoke
leaves contain
a wide number of active constituents, including cynarin, dicaffeoylquinic
acid, caffeoylquinic acid, and scolymoside. The choleretic (bile stimulating)
action of the plant has been well documented in a controlled trial involving
a small sample of healthy volunteers. After the administration of 1.92 grams
of standardized artichoke extract directly into the duodenum, liver bile
flow increased significantly. This choleretic effect has led to the popular
use of artichoke extract in
Europe for the treatment of mild indigestion, particularly
following a meal high in fat. In an uncontrolled clinical trial with 600
people suffering from non-specific digestive disorders (including
indigestion), 300–600 mg of a standardized artichoke extract taken three
times per day was found to reduce nausea, abdominal pain, constipation,
and
flatulence in over 80% of the study participants.
The standardized extract
has also been used to treat high cholesterol and triglycerides. In one
preliminary trial and one controlled trial, use of a standardized artichoke
extract was found to lower cholesterol and triglycerides significantly when
taken in amounts ranging from 900 to 2,000 mg per day. One preliminary trial
failed to find any effect.
While
scientists are not certain how artichoke leaves lower cholesterol, test tube
studies have suggested that the action may be due to an inhibition of
cholesterol synthesis and/or the increased elimination of cholesterol
because of the plant’s choleretic action. In test tube studies, the
falconoid from the artichoke (e.g., luteolin) have been shown to prevent LDL-cholesterol
oxidation, an effect that may reduce risk of atherosclerosis.
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