Weekly Roundup: Pharmako Biotechnologies secures US$100k for curcumin research, BioCell Technology’s collagen ingredient tackles aging skin

14 Jun 2019 --- In nutrition news this week, Pharmako Biotechnologies was granted US$100,000 to investigate the efficacy and bioavailability of its curcumin extract, while supplementation with BioCell Technology’s BioCell-Collagen was found to significantly reduce facial wrinkles and increase skin elasticity by 12 percent. Kappa Bioscience added a new high-concentration formulation to its K2VITAL Vitamin K2 product portfolio, while June 27 marks World Microbiome Day with activities taking place around the world in a bid to raise awareness.

In brief: Endorsements and funding
Pharmako Biotechnologies, Gencor’s sister company, has been given a US$100,000 Innovation Connections grant to investigate the efficacy and bioavailability of its curcumin extract known as HydroCurc. Over the next 12 months, researchers at Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute (NICM) in Australia, will independently investigate HydroCurc’s potential in brain health. The researchers will study whether the ingredient crosses the blood-brain barrier and shows anti-inflammatory activity to support brain health and enhance neurodegenerative processes. “Managing chronic inflammation is a promising therapeutic approach in many age-related health conditions. Curcumin, from turmeric, is a well-known natural anti-inflammatory,” says Project investigator and NICM Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr. Mitchell Low. “However, it is not well absorbed into our bodies because it does not fully dissolve in water. Pharmako Biotechnologies developed a curcumin product, HydroCurc, that disperses well in water and is absorbed much better by our bodies than current forms of curcumin,” he notes. 

In brief: Research and study
Supplementation with BioCell Technology’s BioCell-Collagen can significantly reduce facial and crow’s feet wrinkles and increase skin elasticity and cutaneous collagen content by 12 percent. This is according to a new study endorsed by the company which was presented in a poster session at the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Nutrition 2019 last week. The study also found that BioCell-Collagen supplementation improved indicators associated with a more youthful skin appearance based on visual grading and wrinkle width and decreased skin dryness and erythema. The goal of the study was to determine if a correlation existed between the effects of the dietary supplement, BioCell-Collagen, with changes associated with skin aging. The study included 128 women and lasted 12 weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or a placebo. The intervention consisted of twice daily 500mg oral administration of BioCell Collagen, a novel hydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage extract dietary ingredient composed of a naturally-occurring matrix of collagen type-II peptides (≥300 mg), chondroitin sulfate (≥100 mg), and hyaluronic acid (≥50 mg).

In brief: Launches and releases
Kappa Bioscience has added a new 1 percent high-concentration formulation to its K2VITAL Vitamin K2 product portfolio. Coined, K2VITAL DELTA 1 percent, the ingredient is microencapsulated for enhanced stability in mineral and multivitamin formulations. AIDP is the distributor for K2VITAL DELTA 1 percent in the US and will offer the new concentration in addition to other premium ingredients for bone and cardiovascular health. Vitamin K2 is a rapidly growing market that is on pace to replicate the vitamin D3 market within a decade, according to the company. K2VITAL DELTA microencapsulation solves the obstacle of K2+minerals shelf stability, allowing for wider K2 use with innovative co-ingredients, it was also created to deliver advantages in formulation, storage and cost-in-use efficiency. K2VITAL promotes bone and heart health by activating two proteins, which balance calcium in the body. Vitamin K2 provides synergistic benefits to calcium, magnesium, and omega 3 product formulation and is a “perfect pair” complement to vitamin D3. Healthy aging, joint & mobility and sports nutrition are just some of the market categories currently leveraging the bone and heart health benefits of K2. 

In brief: Awards and recognition
Action on Salt Chair and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Queen Mary University of London, Graham MacGregor has been awarded Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the Queen’s birthday honors list for 2019 for services to Cardiovascular Disease. In the early 2000’s, the UK pioneered a salt reduction program led by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Action on Salt with the setting of incremental salt targets, so that the food industry was slowly reducing the huge and unnecessary amounts of salt they add to food. This resulted in a fall in UK population salt intake, a fall in blood pressure and more than 9,000 lives have been saved per year from preventing strokes and heart disease. Eating too much salt increases blood pressure, the major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) which is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. This issue is recognized worldwide, with many countries adopting a salt reduction strategy similar to the UK. “If we were able to achieve the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global target of less than 5g/day, then we would prevent more than 1.6 million cardiovascular disease-related deaths per year, as well as major cost savings to individuals, their families and health services,” says McGregor. “This award is in recognition that our area of research is saving lives and will continue to save lives for as long as the food industry and the government continue to support salt reduction,” he notes.

In brief: Miscellaneous 
World Microbiome Day is set to take place on Thursday, June 27, 2019, with activities taking place around the world and aims to showcase the diverse worlds of microbiomes and to encourage public dialogue on their crucial importance to human, animal and environmental health. The theme for this year’s World Microbiome Day is Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics. World Microbiome Day was initiated by APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre at University College Cork in 2018. An additional aim of World Microbiome Day 2019 is to increase awareness of antibiotic resistance, a global challenge which currently results in more than 700,000 deaths from infections that are resistant to antibiotics. It is estimated that approximately 10 million lives will be lost annually by 2050 if action is not taken. World Microbiome Day is keen to engage everyone from the general public to policy makers, industry, researchers, clinicians, pharmacists and anyone who can make a difference in combating the global challenge of antibiotic resistance.

By Kristiana Lalou