Under Chief Scientist Dr. Xiping Wang, Gaia Herbs and collaborating research institutions Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Arizona State University and University of Arizona have received NIH approval to extend Gaia Herb's Phase II SBIR research in Echinacea for an additional year to August 2006. The original $2.1 million multi-year research grant from NIH/NCCAM was originally planned to finish in August 2005. Compelling new discoveries into the anti-inflammatory nature of alkamides in E. purpurea and E. angustifolia extracts have driven the decision for the extension of this important research.
Over the next year, Dr. Wang and his collaborators will conduct a pharmacokinetic trial of a group of alkamides derived from Echinacea root extracts in order to validate how these alkamides are metabolized in human blood plasma. This research represents another important step in validating the efficacy of Gaia Herb's existing line of whole plant standardized products containing Echinacea Supreme, as well as future products containing the novel alkamide preparation formulated by Dr. Wang. While recent media attention has been spent on the apparent ineffectiveness of a low-dose Echinacea alkamide preparation, Gaia Herb's NIH-funded Echinacea research is yielding promising new insights into the pharmacodynamics supporting Echinacea's historical popularity. This research, in turn, will enable Gaia to pursue new pre-clinical trials using the same scientific rigor as the recently published New England Journal of Medicine study, but using clinically meaningful, scientifically-backed Echinacea preparations as study materials and doses and frequency of application more consistent with naturopathic successful clinical use of Echinacea.
Founded in 1987, Gaia Herbs is the nation's leading liquid herbal extract manufacturer, offering certified organic and ecologically harvested botanical nutrition solutions for consumers and health care practitioners backed by rigorous scientific validation of purity, strength, and safety. Gaia Herbs offers over 200 whole plant and certified organic botanical products of unsurpassed quality in convenient, rapid absorption liquid delivery systems including our patented Liquid Phyto-Cap line.
About Gaia Herbs
Gaia Herbs is a certified organic, vertically-integrated grower & manufacturer of premium quality botanical wellness solutions based in western North Carolina. We cultivate 250 acres of medicinal herbs which, along with all operations at our 45,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, are certified organic each year by Oregon Tilth. Gaia Herbs’ extensive line of all-natural herbal products is carried by national and regional natural products stores, independent health food retailers, naturopathic doctors, herbalists, and other health professionals nationwide.
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