| Allspice Side Effects and Benefits |
Ground allspice is not, as some people believe, a mixture of spices.
Rather, it is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. Pimenta dioica is
a tree natie to the West Indies, southern Mexico and Central America.
Allspice is also called Jamaica pepper, Kurundu, Myrtle pepper, pimento
and newspice.
Health Benefits of Allspice
Japanese researchers, Osaka City University, discovered three new
galloylglycosides; and the radical-scavenging activity nearly equivalent
to that of gallic acid (4) against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. [3]
Later, different research groups reported that allspice contains
chemicals which have radical-scavenging and anti-cancer cells activities.
[6-8] This particular properties of allspice ingredients contribute the
potential health benefits of allspice.
In 1997, researchers from Universidad de Costa Rica reported the
blood pressure lowering effect of allspice in anestehetized rats with
blood pressure in normal ranges. They also demonstrated the aqueous
extract had a stronger effect on blood pressure lowering in the rats. [1
,4] The same group also reported that intraperitoneal administration of
allspice extracts led to a depression of the central nervous system
(CNS) of the rats. They also noted the analgesic and hypothermic
effects of allspice. [5] However, when the rats were dosed with the
extracts only, the researchers could not observe the changes in the
blood pressure, heart rate and body weight of the rats. [2]
In 2005, researchers from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
demonstrated the anti-hyperlipidemic or fat-lowering effect of aqueous
extract of Pimenta officinalis on experimental rats fed with high fat diet.
[9]
The scientific evidence for these health claims is very limited. In fact,
side effect such as allergic contact dermatitis has been reported. [10]
Do not copy nor transfer the content to other websites, blogs or other
types of publications. All rights reserved 2008. Discuss with your doctor
before taking any supplements or medications. Good Health.
Reference:
[1] Suárez A, Ulate G, Ciccio JF. Cardiovascular effects of ethanolic
and aqueous extracts of Pimenta dioica in Sprague-Dawley rats. J
Ethnopharmacol. 1997 Jan;55(2):107-11. [2] Suárez Urhan A, Ulate Montero G,
Ciccio JF. Effects of acute and subacute administration of Pimenta dioica
(Myrtaceae) extracts on normal and hypertensive albino rats Rev Biol Trop. 1997
Mar;44-45:39-45. [3] Kikuzaki H, Sato A, Mayahara Y, Nakatani N.
Galloylglucosides from berries of Pimenta dioica. J Nat Prod. 2000
Jun;63(6):749-52. [4] Suárez A, Ulate G, Ciccio JF. Hypotensive action of an
aqueous extract of Pimenta dioica (Myrtaceae) in rats. Rev Biol Trop. 2000
Mar;48(1):53-8. [5] Ramos A, Visozo A, Piloto J, García A, Rodríguez CA, Rivero
R. Screening of antimutagenicity via antioxidant activity in Cuban medicinal
plants. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Aug;87(2-3):241-6. [7] Marzouk MS, Moharram
FA, Mohamed MA, Gamal-Eldeen AM, Aboutabl EA. Anticancer and antioxidant
tannins from Pimenta dioica leaves. Z Naturforsch [C]. 2007
Jul-Aug;62(7-8):526-36. [6] Kikuzaki H, Miyajima Y, Nakatani N. Phenolic
glycosides from berries of Pimenta dioica. J Nat Prod. 2008 May;71(5):861-5.
Epub 2008 Mar 4. [8] Miyajima Y, Kikuzaki H, Hisamoto M, Nikatani N.
Antioxidative polyphenols from berries of Pimenta dioica. Biofactors.
2004;21(1-4):301-3. [9] Shyamala MP, Paramundayil JJ, Venukumar MR, Latha
MS. Probing the anti-hyperlipidemic efficacy of the allspice (Pimenta officinalis
Lindl.) in rats fed with high fat diet. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005
Jul-Sep;49(3):363-8. [10] Kanerva L, Estlander T, Jolanki R. Occupational
allergic contact dermatitis from spices. Contact Dermatitis. 1996
Sep;35(3):157-62.
HOME
REFERENCES
[1] The herbalist by David Hoffman, (c)1993 David Hoffman, Hopkins
Technology
[2] Merfort I Arnica: new insights on the molecular mode of action of a
traditional medicinal plant Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd.
2003 Apr;10 Suppl 1:45-8.
[3] Final report on the safety assessment of Arnica montana extract
and Arnica montana. Int J Toxicol. 2001;20 Suppl 2:1-11.
[4] Oberbaum M. The effect of the homeopathic remedies Arnica
montana and Bellis perennis on mild postpartum bleeding--a
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study--preliminary
results. Complement Ther Med. 2005 Jun;13(2):87-90.
Rather, it is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. Pimenta dioica is
a tree natie to the West Indies, southern Mexico and Central America.
Allspice is also called Jamaica pepper, Kurundu, Myrtle pepper, pimento
and newspice.
Health Benefits of Allspice
Japanese researchers, Osaka City University, discovered three new
galloylglycosides; and the radical-scavenging activity nearly equivalent
to that of gallic acid (4) against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. [3]
Later, different research groups reported that allspice contains
chemicals which have radical-scavenging and anti-cancer cells activities.
[6-8] This particular properties of allspice ingredients contribute the
potential health benefits of allspice.
In 1997, researchers from Universidad de Costa Rica reported the
blood pressure lowering effect of allspice in anestehetized rats with
blood pressure in normal ranges. They also demonstrated the aqueous
extract had a stronger effect on blood pressure lowering in the rats. [1
,4] The same group also reported that intraperitoneal administration of
allspice extracts led to a depression of the central nervous system
(CNS) of the rats. They also noted the analgesic and hypothermic
effects of allspice. [5] However, when the rats were dosed with the
extracts only, the researchers could not observe the changes in the
blood pressure, heart rate and body weight of the rats. [2]
In 2005, researchers from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
demonstrated the anti-hyperlipidemic or fat-lowering effect of aqueous
extract of Pimenta officinalis on experimental rats fed with high fat diet.
[9]
The scientific evidence for these health claims is very limited. In fact,
side effect such as allergic contact dermatitis has been reported. [10]
Do not copy nor transfer the content to other websites, blogs or other
types of publications. All rights reserved 2008. Discuss with your doctor
before taking any supplements or medications. Good Health.
Reference:
[1] Suárez A, Ulate G, Ciccio JF. Cardiovascular effects of ethanolic
and aqueous extracts of Pimenta dioica in Sprague-Dawley rats. J
Ethnopharmacol. 1997 Jan;55(2):107-11. [2] Suárez Urhan A, Ulate Montero G,
Ciccio JF. Effects of acute and subacute administration of Pimenta dioica
(Myrtaceae) extracts on normal and hypertensive albino rats Rev Biol Trop. 1997
Mar;44-45:39-45. [3] Kikuzaki H, Sato A, Mayahara Y, Nakatani N.
Galloylglucosides from berries of Pimenta dioica. J Nat Prod. 2000
Jun;63(6):749-52. [4] Suárez A, Ulate G, Ciccio JF. Hypotensive action of an
aqueous extract of Pimenta dioica (Myrtaceae) in rats. Rev Biol Trop. 2000
Mar;48(1):53-8. [5] Ramos A, Visozo A, Piloto J, García A, Rodríguez CA, Rivero
R. Screening of antimutagenicity via antioxidant activity in Cuban medicinal
plants. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Aug;87(2-3):241-6. [7] Marzouk MS, Moharram
FA, Mohamed MA, Gamal-Eldeen AM, Aboutabl EA. Anticancer and antioxidant
tannins from Pimenta dioica leaves. Z Naturforsch [C]. 2007
Jul-Aug;62(7-8):526-36. [6] Kikuzaki H, Miyajima Y, Nakatani N. Phenolic
glycosides from berries of Pimenta dioica. J Nat Prod. 2008 May;71(5):861-5.
Epub 2008 Mar 4. [8] Miyajima Y, Kikuzaki H, Hisamoto M, Nikatani N.
Antioxidative polyphenols from berries of Pimenta dioica. Biofactors.
2004;21(1-4):301-3. [9] Shyamala MP, Paramundayil JJ, Venukumar MR, Latha
MS. Probing the anti-hyperlipidemic efficacy of the allspice (Pimenta officinalis
Lindl.) in rats fed with high fat diet. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005
Jul-Sep;49(3):363-8. [10] Kanerva L, Estlander T, Jolanki R. Occupational
allergic contact dermatitis from spices. Contact Dermatitis. 1996
Sep;35(3):157-62.
HOME
REFERENCES
[1] The herbalist by David Hoffman, (c)1993 David Hoffman, Hopkins
Technology
[2] Merfort I Arnica: new insights on the molecular mode of action of a
traditional medicinal plant Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd.
2003 Apr;10 Suppl 1:45-8.
[3] Final report on the safety assessment of Arnica montana extract
and Arnica montana. Int J Toxicol. 2001;20 Suppl 2:1-11.
[4] Oberbaum M. The effect of the homeopathic remedies Arnica
montana and Bellis perennis on mild postpartum bleeding--a
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study--preliminary
results. Complement Ther Med. 2005 Jun;13(2):87-90.
 |  |  |  |
Discuss with your doctor before taking any alternative medicine. This article is for
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |