Decoding botanicals: Monteloeder to address chronic pain with digital technology
17 Sep 2021 --- Monteloeder is leading the R&D project Naturelief, a collaboration between private and public entities, to develop botanical-based ingredients to help manage chronic pain.
The development of new functional, plant-based ingredients addresses the “clear need of the current market,” which demands natural products that can be consumed on a regular and prolonged basis.
The project is due to conclude in 2022 and will leverage digital tools to optimize supplement consumption and manage the consumer’s journey. In the future, it may also offer a personalized solution for consumers seeking natural pain relief.
The initiative aims to reduce dependency on pharmacological drugs and provide complementary strategies to conventional treatments.
The project’s budget is over €600,000 (US$706,743) and is supported by the Center for the Development of Industrial Technology with co-financing from the EU’s European Regional Development Fund funds.
Monteloeder will lead Naturelief to find natural botanical solutions to target and prevent chronic pain.Other collaborators on the project include CIBERSAM-University of Cadiz, which is a Spanish consortium to address mental health, the biotech company AntalGenics, IBIDEM, Thaderlab SC and the Valencian Microbiology Institute (IVAMI).
Development and innovation
Naturelief innovation is based on the selection of natural active ingredients from plants that can act on the various pain targets in the human body.
It plans to identify the most effective active compounds and formulate a new ingredient to help prevent chronic pain issues.
In addition, digital technology will be used for a more complete evaluation of the efficacy of the ingredient in clinical studies.
New ingredients developed from Naturelief will seek scientific and clinical evidence to be used in treatment techniques.
Boon for botanicals
Industry is exploring a range of botanical solutions to address pain and inflammation, with turmeric standing out as one star ingredient in the space.
A recent study conducted on Nutriventia’s TurmXTRA 60N found that the turmeric ingredient can improve post-workout joint pain if taken once a day for three months.
Meanwhile, CBD has been spotlighted as a botanical with strong potential for its anti-stress and pain-relieving effects. In May, the CBD market exceeded its 2021 sales predictions as forecasted by the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry and Centre for Medicinal Cannabis.
Edited by Missy Green
