“[Our] adoption ofSophora japonicais important because at the core of Layn Natural Ingredients’ vision is innovating natural botanical ingredients that benefit people, pets, and the planet,” said Layn’s Vice President of Global Marketing Collette Kakuk. “Sophora japonicahas a rich history in Chinese medicine, and ourSophora japonicaextracts deliver a range of constituents, especially flavonoids, such as quercetin and rutin, which serve as important metabolic antioxidants for health functions. With decades of experience in vertically integrated botanical ingredient innovation and manufacturing at a global scale, Layn Natural Ingredients controls a significant portion of the global market share ofSophora japonica, and we are committed to ensuring a sustainable, secure, and quality supply of this ingredient so its benefits can be realized.”
The adoption supports ABC’s HerbMedPro database, ensuring that the educational resource remains up-to-date for researchers, health professionals, industry members, students, consumers, and other interested parties. HerbMedPro is a comprehensive, interactive online database that provides access to scientific and clinical research data on the uses and health effects of more than 265 herbs, spices, medicinal plants, and fungi.
Jim Roza, Layn’s Chief Scientific Officer, says that the company is committed to driving research and exploring the potential of polyphenols from natural, renewable sources. “Part of Layn’s mission statement is to be at the vanguard of bringing innovation and science to the nutraceutical industry,” Roza said. “We are pleased to have strong science and support for SophorOx, our premiumSophora japonicaextract. We recently worked with researchers to conduct in vivo and in vitro studies on this extract. [These studies] concluded it was highly effective in lowering levels of compounds that contribute to oxidative stress.”
Sophora japonicais a deciduous tree native to eastern Asia and a member of the Fabaceae family. It can grow 50-75 feet tall and produces white, fragrant flowers. It was used in Traditional Chinese Medicine: The flower buds, roots, and branches are considered vein remedies; the roots and flowers have been used to treat intestinal hemorrhages; and the flowers often appear in formulas to regulate blood flow and tone the livers and kidneys. Modern research focuses on the plant’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, due to the high amount of rutin and quercetin in the flowers, which inhibit pro-inflammatory molecules.
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ABC Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, Ph.D., said: “ABC is grateful to Layn Natural Ingredients for adoptingSophora japonica, and thus enabling access to the latest data on this important medicinal plant through the HerbMedPro database, making it even more informative for the dietary supplement and herbal medicine community. The flower is one of the richest sources of rutin, which is known to help strengthen and increase the flexibility of blood vessels, thus lending support to some of the benefits ofSophora japonicain the traditional Chinese medicine system.”
