lukedohner asked about Zyflamend & suddenly, I am briefly at the other end of the alphabet.
First, I need to say something about Dr. Aaron Katz, who has conducted studies using Zyflamend.
Katz used to be at the Columbia University Center for Holistic Urology.
In 2007, he made a video [1] in which he says that "We found that some of our patients were taking Zyflamend." After simplistically blaming fats for inflammation (as though cancer were not already an inflammatory state) the video becomes an infomercial for the product.
In another video [2] he says that based on the experience of one patient, he contacted New Chapter. This infomercial is followed by another for the product.
"Paul and Barbi Schulick started New Chapter in 1982" [3]
"In 1999 Paul invited his college friend, Tom Newmark, to join him at New Chapter."
"they have collaborated on the creation of several patented herbal formulations, including Zyflamend®" [4]
"When their practitioners' line was conceived to answer the ever-increasing demand from holistic practitioners to incorporate New Chapter’s healing paradigm of organic whole-food and whole-herbs into patient care, they decided to call it NewMark"
Look at who is, or was, on the Scientific Advisory Board for NewMark [5]:
"Aaron Katz, M.D., Associate Professor, Director, Center for Holistic Urology, Columbia University, author of Dr. Katz Guide to Prostate Health: From Conventional to Holistic Therapies"
This relationship is not mentioned in the full text (no longer free) of the Zyflamend studies, that I recall. The videos make Katz look like a shill for New Chapter. Presumably nothing untoward, but there is the appearance of such.
Katz Studies:
[6] (2005) "Zyflamend, a unique herbal preparation with nonselective COX inhibitory activity, induces apoptosis of prostate cancer cells that lack COX-2 expression."
[7] (2007) "The role of Zyflamend, an herbal anti-inflammatory, as a potential chemopreventive agent against prostate cancer: a case report."
[8] (2009) "Zyflamend in men with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia: results of a phase I clinical trial."
[9] (2012) "Zyflamend inhibits the expression and function of androgen receptor and acts synergistically with bicalutimide to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth."
Also on NewMark's Scientific Advisory Board:
"Robert Newman, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology; Chairman, Department of Pharmacology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas"
[10] (2007 - Anderson - Newman)
"Zyflamend-mediated inhibition of human prostate cancer PC3 cell proliferation: effects on 12-LOX and Rb protein phosphorylation."
J. Whelan Studies funded by New Chaper:
[11] (2011) "Zyflamend reduces the expression of androgen receptor in a model of castrate-resistant prostate cancer."
[12] (2012) "Zyflamend, a combination of herbal extracts, attenuates tumor growth in murine xenograft models of prostate cancer."
[13] (2014) "Zyflamend, a polyherbal mixture, down regulates class I and class II histone deacetylases and increases p21 levels in castrate-resistant prostate cancer cells."
Other Studies:
[14] (2015 - Anderson) Maintenance Therapy Containing Metformin and/or Zyflamend for Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Case Series" Not really a study.
...
"Supplement Facts
Amount per 2 Capsules% Daily Value
Selenium (as selenium dioxide from culture media)50mcg71%
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) (berry) supercritical extract320mg•
Organic Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) (leaf) extract100mg•
Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) (root) aqueous extract100mg•
Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil (Cucurbita pepo) (seed)90mg•
Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) (rhizome) 43 mg organic supercritical extract and 37 mg hydroethanolic extract80mg•
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) (leaf) 50 mg supercritical extract and 25 mg hydroethanolic extract75mg•
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) (rhizome) 50 mg hydroethanolic extract and 12.5 mg organic supercritical extract62.5mg•
Nettle (Urtica dioica) (root) hydroethanolic extract 10:150mg•
Nettle (Urtica dioica) (root) aqueous extract 5:150mg•
Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) (leaf) hydroethanolic extract50mg•
Hu Zhang (Polygonum cuspidatum) (root and rhizome) hydroethanolic extract40mg•
Chinese Goldthread (Coptis chinensis) (root) aqueous extract20mg•
Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) (root) hydroethanolic extract20mg•
Organic Oregano (Origanum vulgare) (leaf) supercritical extract20mg• " [15]
...
a) I think that the inclusion of selenium is a mistake.
b) Saw palmetto is not likely to do anything for PCa.
c) Green Tea - many PCa studies
d) Scutellaria baicalensis - 13 PubMed PCa hits (some are for PC-SPES - was in that)
e) Pumpkin seed - for BPH
f) Ginger - some ginger phytochemicals might be beneficial against PCa, e.g. Zerumbone.
g) Rosemary - ditto
h) Turmeric - poor bioavailability of curcumin, the active ingredient.
i) Nettle - for BPH.
j) Holy Basil. Nothing significant in the prostate literature.
k) Hu Zhang. Nothing significant in the prostate literature.
l) Chinese Goldthread. Nothing in the prostate literature.
k) Barberry. Nothing in the prostate literature.
l) Oregano. Nothing in the prostate literature.
...
I believe that the original intent of Zyflamend was to target inflammation. It's a wonderful concept & I have been arguing that (a) inflammation in PCa has an impact on mortality & (b) inflammation is not simply a side effect of PCa, but an active participant, & (c) inflammation can be treated.
There is no point in taking an anti-inflammation product for cancer without monitoring markers of inflammation. There can be no one-dose-fits-all. One has to increase the dose until the markers behave.
The Prostate Zyflamend is something of a chimera & not ideal for PCa, IMO. The inclusion of selenium means that the dose should not be scaled up.
If I were to list, say, ten ingredients that could be put in a single product to combat PCa inflammation, it could be done in an hour or so. It would consist only of natural polyphenols for which there is an extensive PCa literature. I'm quite happy to buy the ingredients separately, though, since I feel it best to source each individually, based on bioavailability & quality control.
Seems like a lot of men had tried the old Zyflamend when I tried it 10 or so years back. Naturally, men are looking for an effect on PSA. The suggested dose was probably too weak to achieve that. After a while, Zyflamend stopped being mentioned. Now I see full page ads in the LEF magazine, etc.
-Patrick
[1] youtube.com/watch?v=oms4ZdD...
[2] youtube.com/watch?v=4mjbdr0...
[3] newchapter.com/difference/m...
[4] medicinehunter.com/tom-newmark
[5] spinephysicians.org/aasppag...
[6] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/162...
[7] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/173...
[8] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/194...
[9] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/216...
[10] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/172...
[11] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/219...
[12] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/226...
[13] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
ZYFLAMEND UPDATE, AND REQUEST FOR THOSE MEMBERS HERE TO MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD.
