Natreon builds science behind its Indian gooseberry

The firm’s Capros branded ingredient is an extract of Phyllanthus emblica, ​popularly known as amla. The ​antioxidant is said to help prevent oxidative stress and degradation of skin proteins, and to enhance the firmness of the skin.

According to a new animal study, conducted by Natreon at its R&D centre in Kolkata, India, the firm’s branded extract was found to produce a more effective reduction of oxidative stress in the body than four other extracts tested.

The company did not reveal which other extracts were tested, and NutraIngredients.com has not seen the full study.

Consistency​

Natreon said yesterday that its rat study compared the protective activity of the different amla extracts, and found the protective activity of Capros was “very consistent”​ compared with the other amla samples.

Each of the extracts tested were found to contain “widely variable”​ amounts of gallo-tannoids and gallic acid, it said.

Gallic acid is thought to have strong antioxidant properties but it becomes pro-oxidative in the body leading to cytotoxicity. In addition, gallic acid absorption is relatively poor in the intestine, explained the company.

The harmful effects of gallic acid can be minimized when ingested in conjugated forms such as gallo-tannoids or alkylesters, it said.

According to Natreon, the extracts tested contained molecular hydrolysable tannins that varied from 8 to 65 per cent, while Capros had 75 per cent. In addition, it said the gallic acid levels ranged from 6 to 15 percent, while Capros was “well controlled”​ at 0.3 per cent.

“The study reinforced that the optimum beneficial effects of amla extract can only be obtained when the gallo-tannoid content remains high and gallic acid content remains low.”​

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The study found that some of the amla samples “showed positive effects in a few antioxidant parameters but failed to show positive effects in all antioxidant assays and other parameters” ​tested, whereas Capros was said to show “​distinct improvement in all the antioxidant assays” ​and in “most”​ of the parameters in the study.

Capros was also found to be more effective in increasing body weight of the stressed animals, said the firm. Rats given the branded ingredient were also founf to have better catalase (CAT) activity of RBC lysate and liver homogenate, as well as consistently low MDA (a byproduct of lipid peroxidation) levels in liver homogenate and RBC lysate.

Natreon said the advantages seen in its branded extract compared to other extracts tested are largely a result of its specialized processing of the amla fruit.

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“The Indian gooseberries used in the production of Capros undergo a rigorous selection and quality control process to ensure that the essential bioactive components are standardized and delivered at optimal levels. This results in the highly efficacious, cascading antioxidant effects of Capros,”​ said Lucien Hernandez, president of Natreon.

Amla​

Amla has long been known in its native India for having protective antioxidant qualities, and has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic complimentary medicine as a rejuvenator and detoxifier.

As well as helping to prevent oxidative stress, the branded Capros is said to inhibit enzymes that break down proteins dermal that are produced when the skin is exposed to the sun.

The extract is also said to be have a 'cascading' antioxidant effect, which means that its antioxidant activity is prolonged over a long period of time. This compares to other antioxidant molecules, that may lose their function shortly after initiating antioxidant activity, said Natreon.