Sea buckthorn
Hippophae rhamnoides
Efficacy
- Indications with possible efficacy:
Vitamin C intake - Indications with possible, but poorly documented efficacy:
Cardiovascular protection - fruit - Other indications with no proof of efficacy:
Antioxidant - seeds or oil extracted from the fruit
Arthritis - leaves and flowers
Asthma - seeds or oil extracted from the fruit
Burns
Cancer - seeds or oil extracted from the fruit
Expectorant - seeds or oil extracted from the fruit
Gastrointestinal ulcer - leaves and flowers
Gout - leaves and flowers
Hypercholesterolemia - seeds or oil extracted from the fruit
Infection - fruit
Reduce blood clot formation - oil extracted from the fruit
Reduce the signs of aging - fruit
Wounds or other skin disorders - oil extracted from the fruit applied on the skin
Safety
- Risk of Drug Interactions: Low
- Adverse Effects: Low
Description
Parts of the plant used: leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds
The sea buckthorn is a thorny, average size shrub native to Asia and Europe. It produces small berries (1 cm) that are very acidic and rich in vitamin C. Its leaves and flowers also contain flavonoids, lycopenes and fatty acids.
It was traditionally used to treat various diseases of the skin and mucous membrane.
Directions for use
Vitamin C intake
100 grams of fruit provides 400 mg of vitamin C.- Cardiovascular protection
Doses used: 10 mg of flavonoid extract 3 times a day
Precautions
- Adverse effects
No adverse effect reported when used at the usual dose. - Contraindications
Sea buckthorn has an antiplatelet effect. It is therefore recommended that you stop taking it 2 weeks before any elective surgery. - Interactions
Sea buckthorn is not recommended for those taking oral anticoagulants, antiplatelets or anti-inflammatories. Before using sea buckthorn, speak to your pharmacist to see whether it is compatible with the drugs you are presently taking. - Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Sea buckthorn is not advised since there is no reliable information about its safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding
Warning
In 2004, Canada adopted new regulations that control the manufacturing, packaging, labeling and importing of natural health products. The new regulations also include an adverse reaction reporting system. Products that conform to the regulation's criteria are identified with a natural product number (NPN) and can be legally sold in Canada. This number indicates that the product meets specific criteria for safety and purity, not that it is effective for any indication.
Medicinal plant contents vary naturally from plant to plant - just as fruits from the same package may vary in taste and texture. There is no standard to measure the active content of each plant. Thus, efficacy of natural products should be expected to vary from brand to brand as well as from bottle to bottle of the same brand.
For more information about the Natural Health Products Regulations, or to check if a product has been assessed, visit the Health Canada website at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodnatur/index-eng.php.
References
- Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Therapeutic Research Faculty, 2010
- The Review of Natural Products, 6th Edition, 2010
- Passeportsanté.net. Argousier. www.passeportsante.net
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