Efficacy of Panax ginseng supplementation on blood lipid profile. A meta-analysis and systematic review of clinical randomized trials.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ginseng is a widely used ingredient in several traditional Chinese medicine formulation, mainly as a prophylactic and restorative agent. Ginseng's Chinese traditional formulations have shown protective effects against atherosclerosis, suggesting that ginseng may be useful for the treatment of metabolic disorders. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate whether the supplementation with Panax ginseng (PG) has an effect on blood lipid profile in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A meta-analysis and a systematic review were conducted to evaluate the effects of PG on blood lipid profile. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria, from which 10 studies were performed in volunteers with at least one component of metabolic syndrome, 3 in postmenopausal women, 2 in healthy volunteers and 3 with other types of inclusion criteria. The doses employed ranged from 0.2 to 20 g/day (median 3 g/day, 95% CI 1.7, 5.8), while the treatment time ranged from 2 to 12 weeks (median 8 weeks, 95% CI 6, 9). Few studies reported the composition of the PG extract employed. The main ginsenosides reported were Rb1 and Rg1 (content ranging from Rb1 0.023-6.44 mg/g and Rg1 0.028-3.21 mg/g). Significant modification in blood profile was described in 7 studies, in which 5 studies observed a reduction in total cholesterol, 4 in LDL-cholesterol, and 2 in triacylglycerides. The meta-analysis of 10 studies in volunteers with parameters related with metabolic syndrome describes that PG may induce a mean difference compared to a placebo of -2.30 (95% CI -3.79,-0.80) and -1.47 (95% CI -1.90,-1.05) mg/dL per g/day of PG in the levels of total and LDL-cholesterol, with no significant effects in HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerides. CONCLUSIONS: PG extract may induce an improvement in blood lipid profile mainly by a reduction in total and LDL-cholesterol levels.

Biofortification of crops with nutrients: factors affecting utilization and storage.

Biofortification is an effective and economical method to improve the micronutrient content of crops, particularly staples that sustain human populations in developing countries. Whereas conventional fortification requires artificial additives, biofortification involves the synthesis or accumulation of nutrients by plants at source. Little is known about the relative merits of biofortification and artificial fortification in terms of nutrient bioaccessibility and bioavailability, and much depends on the biochemical nature of the nutrient, which can promote or delay uptake, and determine how efficiently different nutrients are transported through the blood, stored, and utilized. Data from the first plants biofortified with minerals and vitamins provide evidence that the way in which nutrients are presented can affect how they are processed and utilized in the human body. The latest studies on the effects of the food matrix, processing and storage on nutrient transfer from biofortified crops are reviewed, as well as current knowledge about nutrient absorption and utilization.