protykin

[stilltrying]

I posted a while back to see if anyone has heard of Protykin. I saw it as a main ing. in a formula I found at Vitamin World, and it said it promoted estrogen activity in studies.

I found an article today at nutritionalaoutlook.com, here is a clip:

Protykin, a root extract of the herb Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), may have both estrogenic and cardioprotective effects, according to Gary Troxel, executive vice president of InterHealth USA Inc. (Benicia, CA), which manufactures the extract.

“Protykin is a high-potency, 200:1 standardized extract that contains 50% phytoestrogens,” Troxel says. “As a phytoestrogen, Protykin helps maintain normal estrogen activity, but it also helps with other issues related to menopause by helping to reduce hot flashes, balance mood swings, and promote healthy bone density.”

Troxel notes that resveratrol, the principal phytoestrogen in Protykin, has been studied for its effects on estrogen metabolism. “Researchers at Northwestern University Medical School have shown that the principal ingredient in Protykin functions as a phytoestrogen,” Troxel says. “In their studies, this ingredient was found to bind to estrogen receptors in cells and resulted in estrogenlike effects, including increased expression of estrogen-related genes and the growth of estrogen-dependent cells.”

“In addition to its phytoestrogen benefits, Protykin is a powerful antioxidant and cardioprotectant,” Troxel says. In December 2003, InterHealth received a $140,000 research grant from the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD) to study the potential cardiovascular benefits of Protykin, and is partnering with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine (Farmington, CT) to conduct the research. Results are expected in 2005.

Any comments on this for BE??

[Melo]

Thanks for posting that interesting info. I have never heard of Protykin until you mentioned it. I looked it up after you mentioned it too. It looks like a concentrated phytoestrogen extract used mainly for menopause hormone replacement therapy. I also wonder if this can be used for natural breast enlargement. It looks like it's also used for cardiovascular health too. Do you remember the name of the Vitamin World formula that contained this ingredient? Was it a natural breast enlargement product?

Cya!
~Melo~

[shakira8]

Wow,this sounds very interesting!We need to make a little research ourselves and see if it would work for BE!

[stilltrying]

I was at Vitamin World looking at the normal BE phytos and then looked at the "women's shelf" area with the commercial be products and the menopause stuff. The product with the protykin is called "Ladies Choice", but its for menopuase, not be. The label says, "...Estrogen rich pomegranate seed and Protykin trans-resveratrol promote healthy estrogen activity. The entire formula has other stuff, like vitex and soy, which aren't good for be, but it lead me to research just the pomegranate and Protykin (Polygonum cuspidatum root extract) and I'm trying to find out more about the Protykin, for useing in BE.

[stilltrying]

If you go to the Protykin website you can find out a little more, also where to buy it. www.interhealthusa.com/faqs/protykin_faqs.aspx

Any help in this research of Protykin for BE would be helpful.

[shakira8]

I surfed the net for a while but no sign of a protycin/BE connection yet.Still searching...

[stilltrying]

Same here, no be connection. PubMed has some interesting facts and it definately is a strong phytoestrogen, but I think its too new and a lot of studies were done, it does effect estrogen receptors but I havent read anything specifically on breast estrogen receptors. So, I am going to email the company, email is on there website, and ask them! Will post back....

[stilltrying]

This is my email answer:

I read all of the information and FAQ's about Protykin on your website, including:



Protykin® contains powerful phytoestrogens that have been shown to bind to the Human Estrogen Receptor and enhance estrogen-like activity in the body....



Could you please tell me if the phytoestrogens in Protykin have been shown to bind to estrogen receptors in the female breast, possibly enhancing estrogen activity there?

[glow=red,2,300]The research on the subject with specifically Protykin is being done at this time. However there is a body of evidence on the effect of resveratrol on human breast cancer cells. Protykin contains greater than 50% Resveratrol.[/glow]



Certain phytoestrogens such as fenugreek, fennel, red clover and others have been proven that they do and are proven to promote breast growth when taken over time, could Protykin do the same?

[glow=red,2,300]I do not have any documentation on the above ingredients[/glow].

[stilltrying]

resveratrol:

Estrogenic and Anti-estrogenic Activities

Endogenous estrogens are steroid hormones synthesized by humans and other mammals that bind to estrogen receptors within cells. The estrogen-receptor complex interacts with unique sequences in DNA to modulate the expression of estrogen-responsive genes (15). A compound that binds to estrogen receptors and elicits similar responses to endogenous estrogens is considered an estrogen agonist, while a compound that binds estrogen receptors but prevents or inhibits the response elicited by endogenous estrogens is considered an estrogen antagonist. The chemical structure of resveratrol is very similar to that of the synthetic estrogen agonist, diethylstilbestrol (see figure 2), suggesting that resveratrol might also function as an estrogen agonist. However, in cell culture experiments resveratrol acts as an estrogen agonist under some conditions, and an estrogen antagonist under other conditions (16, 17). In estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells, resveratrol acted as an estrogen agonist in the absence of the endogenous estrogen, 17-beta-estradiol, but acted as an estrogen antagonist in the presence of 17-beta-estradiol (18, 19). At present, it appears that resveratrol has the potential to act as an estrogen agonist or antagonist depending on such factors as cell type, estrogen receptor isoform (ER alpha or ER beta), and the presence of endogenous estrogens (15).

[kittygurl]

Ahh, 3,4,5-trihydroxystilbene, that wine-flavored Mediterranean heart disease fighter. From what stilltrying posted it seems to be a stronger version of soy in that it can also be an antagonist. That's not really a good idea for BE in younger folks because we have plenty of estrogen around. I wouldn't try Protykin except after menopause.