Georgy Kharchenko

Glucosamine is an amino polysaccharide (a combination of an amino acid glutamine and sugar glucose). Glucosamine is concentrated in joint cartilage where it is incorporated into longer chains known as glycosaminoglycans and finally into very large structures known as proteoglycans. The proteoglycans function to attract water into the joint space...

This herb's name definitely stimulates the imagination, but imagination may not be far from reality: devil's claw produces a hard fruit with large claw like appendages that lie waiting for a passerby on which to grip and hitch a ride for dispersal, only to eventually work its way into or...

Chickweed Chickweed is an herb high in vitamin C, and various parts of the plant are used in herbal preparations. Chickweed gets its reputation as a slimming agent from folk medicine; there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. The herb has diuretic properties, however, and may produce a temporary loss...

St. John's wort seems best used temporarily to improve mood, and thus prevent depression-related overeating. The usual dosage is two capsules daily (200 mg to 300 mg) of a capsulized product standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin. Teas and tincture usually don't deliver reliable doses. It takes about 2 to 4 weeks...

I housands of herbs are available worldwide for a dizzying array of diseases and disorders. And consumers are sold on them: A recent survey found that one in three people spends an average of $54 a year on herbal remedies. Without question, herbs do work wonders in treating many illnesses and...

Alfalfa Alfalfa is a nourishing legume used worldwide to feed animals. Many people eat alfalfa sprouts on salads or in sandwiches. Nutritionally, alfalfa is rich in protein; vitamins A, B, D, and K; and several minerals, including iron and copper. As a food supplement, alfalfa is sold by health food stores in...

Buckthorn The bark of the thorny buckthorn shrub is used to make various herbal preparations, including tea. Its berries go into the manufacturing of dyes and syrups. Like aloe, this herb contains powerful laxative chemicals called anthraquinones which is why herbalists sometimes recommend it for chronic constipation. Buckthorn is not a gentle laxative!...

Inosine is part of a chemical family called purine nucleotides and acts as a precursor to adenosine, an important molecule for cellular energy. Inosine can be found in brewer's yeast and organ meats, such as liver and kidney, and is available as a supplement in its purified form. Dietary supplements containing...

NADH is the abbreviation for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, with the H indicating the reduced form that has an extra hydrogen atom. NADM functions as a coenzyme, meaning that it is a required cpfactor for a metabolic process. In the case of NADH, coenzyme functions include roles in energy generation and...

Rhodiola comprises more than 200 related species of plants in the Crassulacea family and is generally found in the arctic mountain regions of Siberia (Kelly, 2001). Of the many species of rhodiola, only two have been studied at any appreciable level in humans: Rhodiola rosea and Rhodiola crenulalci ("Rhodiola rosea,"...