NICS Cardiovascular Protection

Garden Ladybug (Nigella sativa) is a species of plant in the genus Ladybug (Nigella) of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is native to western Asia and North Africa, and is also cultivated in some places in central Europe. It is a very old cultivated plant, its seeds having been used as a spice since ancient times. Its active ingredients are fatty oil, composed of linoleic acid and oleic acid glycerides, and essential oil. It is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. It has been used in Asia, the Middle East and Africa for centuries.

Henbane (Stellaria media) is a small, round-leaved, ground-dwelling weed. The whole above-ground part is suitable for cooking, raw as a salad, as a main dish or in soups, where it has a slightly bitter taste. A great advantage is that several generations of the plant can be greened in a year, so you can find tender plants even in early winter.

When the Romans invaded the Germanic regions, they were introduced to veronica, the herb most appreciated by the local population. They called it "the good remedy for all ills", and it is still called "the medicine of the world". It is also known by several names, such as glory-grass, sickle-grass and wood sage. The plant prefers dry, lime-free soil and flowers from May to August. The inflorescences are collected. Specimens that grow on forest edges and under oaks are the most effective.

The artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is a vegetable and medicinal plant with nesting inflorescences native to North Africa. It has been a popular vegetable since the ancient Greeks. In Europe, it is mainly cultivated in the Mediterranean, mainly in Spain, but is also consumed in preserved form in northern areas. In Hungary it was long considered an ornamental plant. It is a tall, perennial plant.

Internal constituents

Cinarine, alkaloids, flavonoids, (scolimozide), inulin, flavourings, bitter substances.

The hawthorn, a thorny-branched, extremely long-lived shrub, has been called the "saviour of the heart" since antiquity. Its beneficial effects were confirmed in the 19th and 20th centuries. It belongs to the rose family, some species of which are native to the Carpathian Basin. It has been used in folk medicine for centuries. Its active ingredients are extracted from the leaves, flowers or tea brewed from the fruit of the plant. Hawthorn contains flavonoids (vitexin, hyperoside, rutin), amine derivatives (phenylethylamine, tyramine), proanthocyanides and triterpenes.

Native to sub- and South Asia; it is appreciated throughout the world for its special flavour-enhancing properties. Some ancient peoples attributed magical powers to it, and in Egypt it was revered as a sacred plant. In the Middle Ages it was also believed to have healing and purifying powers, and its cloves were worn as amulets around the neck. Its powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties were described by Louis Pasteur in 1858. Later, in 1920, the compounds of the antibacterial active ingredient, alliin and its derivative allicin, were isolated in Switzerland. Garlic also contains carbohydrates, protein, important minerals and several vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E), which give it a powerful antioxidant effect. Allicin (an organic sulphur compound) protects garlic against pests.

A native plant of the Mediterranean region of Western Asia. It has been cultivated since ancient times (mainly in India and Morocco) and is widespread. Its specific action is mainly attributed to steroidal saponins (diosgenin, yamogenin, tigogenin, neotigogenin) and mucilaginous fibres. The plant is considered outstanding in Indian, Egyptian (Arabic), Greek, Chinese folk and scientific circles; it is commonly consumed in these countries.

Omega-3 fatty acids have always been present in the human diet, but their role in the body has only been recognised in recent decades. Omega-3 is one of the two most important essential fatty acids, i.e. it cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from an external source in the diet.

Known and used in traditional Asian folk medicine for thousands of years, Japanese chaga (Sophora japonica) is also a valuable herb for modern phytotherapy. Almost all parts of the tree (flower, bud, leaf, bark, seed), which grows up to 15-25 m tall and belongs to the buttercup family, are used in traditional medicine. The bud and flower of the plant are official in both the Chinese and European Pharmacopoeias.

The characteristic constituents of Japanese chaga include flavonoids, isoflavonoids, terpenoids and alkaloids. Secondary metabolites of the flavonoid (e.g. rutin, kempferol, quercetin, apigenin) and isoflavonoid (e.g. genistein, genistin, soforicoside, orobol) types are responsible for most of the plant's effects. Flavonoids are mainly accumulated in the flower and bud, whereas isoflavonoid glycosides are found in the fruit and seeds in the highest amounts. Rutin is extracted from the buds of the Japanese knotweed.

An aromatic herbaceous perennial with large leaves grown in India and Indonesia. The root is tubular, orange inside, with a pulpy texture. In temperate climates, turmeric cannot be grown in the garden. In the 1870s, chemists noticed that the orange-coloured turmeric root changed colour to red when exposed to alkaline compounds. This discovery led to the development of "turmeric paper", which was then widely used in chemical laboratories in the late 19th century to control alkaline chemistry. Its role was later taken over by litmus paper.

Turmeric is a relatively recent addition to European and American cuisine, but it has a rich history in its native India, where it has been known and consumed for thousands of years. The emergence of turmeric has enriched not only the culinary arts but also herbal medicine. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India, turmeric has a prominent place: as a symbol of well-being, it was believed to purify the whole body. Traditional Chinese medicine also uses turmeric. Turmeric has been revered in India for thousands of years for its beneficial effects, so it is not surprising that they have done most of the research, discovering the main active ingredient in the plant - curcumin. Turmeric has a pleasant taste and smell, but in large quantities it tastes bitter.

The rosehip has been the queen of flowers since ancient times, but the noble herb only becomes interesting when the magnificent petals have fallen and the fruit, a small cherry blossom the size of a cherry blossom, has ripened. The rosehips are harvested when they are bright red but still flexible, before the first frosts. The most valuable active ingredient in rosehips is ascorbic acid. The rosehip is used as a medicinal and food plant because of its favourable composition and pleasant taste. Its beneficial, physiological effects are also enjoyed as a tea or jam. It is an ideal dietary supplement.

Live flora is made up of beneficial, living microorganisms that help maintain a healthy balance of gut flora by surviving the acidic environment in the digestive tract. Our products contain high germ counts of several live flora and Inulin, which promotes their reproduction.

The term Probiotic, also known as Living Flora, is of Greek origin, meaning for life. In its modern sense, the term probiotic was first used by R. B. Parker in 1974 to describe the organisms and substances responsible for the microbial balance of the intestinal tract. The characteristics of probiotics are that they are of human origin, non-pathogenic, resistant to the action of gastric acid, bile and digestive enzymes in saliva, pancreas and intestinal fluids. They retain their resistance during the shelf life of foodstuffs and during technological processes. In addition, probiotics are able to adhere to mucosal cells, exerting an antimicrobial effect against potential pathogens and reducing the adherence of pathogenic microbes to the mucosal surface. Probiotics are mostly lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria. The majority of the best known probiotic strains of lactic acid bacteria belong to the genus Lactobacillus, with a minority belonging to the genus Streptococcus.

Prebiotics are the natural nutrients that are typically the exclusive nutrients of probiotics and therefore promote their proliferation and predominance. In the oral cavity or gastrointestinal tract, digestive enzymes do not break down prebiotics, so they can pass undigested into the large intestine. Prebiotics are dietary fibres, but they are water soluble, making them the most excellent of all dietary fibres. In addition to their dietary fibre function, their real utility lies in the fact that they are the sole food source of probiotics. As the large intestine is already low in digestible food, i.e. relatively malnourished, ingested prebiotics offer the opportunity for the proliferation of human-friendly gut bacteria.

In their natural state, they are found in many foods, e.g. Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root, onions, garlic, leeks, artichokes, wholegrain cereals, wheat, bananas, flax, spinach, spinach, cabbage, Swiss chard, mustard, berries, pulses, milk and most mature cheeses.

One type of prebiotic is Inulin, basically a dietary fibre that enters the colon undigested, enhancing the proliferation and overgrowth of probiotics.

Their role: digestion, intestinal flora balance

Our intestinal tract, the largest surface area of our body, is about 7-9 metres long and is the way we communicate with the outside world. It is therefore a potential site of attack for pathogens and toxic substances. The gut normally contains around 200-400 strains of bacteria. During foetal life, beneficial bacteria predominate in 95-98%. A healthy gut flora provides protection against many pathogens, ensures the integrity of the gut lining and helps the body absorb the nutrients it needs. They produce many vitamins essential for the body. If the defence mechanisms of the digestive tract are weakened, this can cause, among other things, a disturbance of absorption processes.

In order for probiotics to be able to have an effect on their environment, high abundance is a prerequisite, which means at least 108 c.f.u. organisms per gram of intestinal fluid.

What does the term c.f.u. mean?

c.f.u.: colony-forming unit per millilitre, the number of viable micro-organisms (germ count). In preparations, the number of bacteria is usually expressed in this unit. However, Inulin is expressed in mg. A minimum of 109 c.f.u. is accepted as an appropriate dose.

What is an effective live-flower preparation?

• Prebiotics promote the growth of probiotics, so the preparation should contain Inulin or fructo-oligosaccharides.
• They are resistant to the action of stomach acid, bile and digestive enzymes, allowing the beneficial bacteria to live and enter the large intestine, where they can multiply and thrive. It is essential that the bacteria retain their viability during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract.
• Good live-flora preparations contain a minimum of 5 to 6 strains, as we want to replenish the diverse multicultural gut bacteria.
• They retain their resistance during their shelf life and during technological processes.
• They contain an adequate number of germs, with a minimum of 108 or 109 colony forming units recommended by experts.