Gale Maleskey
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 Many plants have some lignans, but flaxseed has at least 75 times more than almost any other plant.
Lignans are phytoestrogens, meaning that they are similar to but weaker than the estrogen that a woman's body produces naturally. Therefore, they may also help alleviate menopausal discomforts such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. They are also antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral.
Flaxseed also appears to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. |
James A. Howenstine, MD
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 A Finnish study in the 1980's found that women with breast cancer had low levels of lignans in their urine and women who did not have breast cancer had much higher levels of lignans in their urine.
Fiber
Flaxseed (linseed) is an excellent source of dietary fiber. Fiber corrects constipation, softens the stool and helps remove cholesterol.
Amino Acids
Flaxseed contains all the essential amino acids, which the body must obtain from the diet.
Minerals
Flaxseed contains all the major minerals and many of the trace minerals. |
Patrick Holford
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 The main source of lignans is flaxseeds and they are also found in beans, nuts, fruit, and cereals in smaller quantities.
Lutein: This is a powerful antioxidant found in many fruits and vegetables. It is remarkably heat stable and can survive cooking. A recent study by the Florida International University found that people whose eyes contained higher amounts of lutein were up to 80 percent less likely to be suffering from age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), a condition that includes cataracts. |
James A. Howenstine, MD
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| A Finnish study in the 1980's found that women with breast cancer had low levels of lignans in their urine and women who did not have breast cancer had much higher levels of lignans in their urine.
Fiber
Flaxseed (linseed) is an excellent source of dietary fiber. Fiber corrects constipation, softens the stool and helps remove cholesterol.
Amino Acids
Flaxseed contains all the essential amino acids, which the body must obtain from the diet.
Minerals
Flaxseed contains all the major minerals and many of the trace minerals. |
Bradley J. Willcox, M.D., D. Craig Willcox, Ph.D., Makoto Suzuki, M.D.
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 Phytoestrogens (such as isoflavones from soy and lignans from flax) also have a positive effect on cholesterol concentration and blood clots, and they even make the blood vessels less stiff.18 The tofu in Okinawa is lower in water content than Japanese tofu and higher in healthy fat and protein. This not only increases the flavor of the tofu but also increases its isoflavone content, which is very likely one of the reasons for the amazing low rates of cardiovascular disease and breast and prostate cancer in Okinawa. |
| Millet—and, in fact, all whole grains—contains high amounts of fiber and phytochemicals such as lignans, phenolic acids, and phytosterols, which help lower cholesterol, improve sensitivity to insulin, and help prevent colon cancer. Millet is also gluten-free, which makes it a valuable substitute for people with wheat allergies.
How to use it. Millet has a mild flavor that lends itself well as a background to seasonings. It's prepared like rice by boiling in water and is used to make hot cereal and dishes like pilaf. Ground millet is used as flour to make puddings, breads, and cakes. |
Mark Hyman, M.D.
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 We used to think lignans were inert and valueless compounds, but now we see they can be powerful agents of healing and cancer prevention by promoting anticancer hormones.
Further examples of important healthy phytonutrients include catechins and epigallactocatechins (found primarily in green tea), which have anticancer properties and can enhance liver detoxification, lower cholesterol, and help regulate blood sugar. Compounds in soy and red clover known as isoflavones (such as genistein and daidzein) lower cholesterol and activate anticancer enzymes. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 In addition to containing omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed oil is a rich source of lignans, a type of fiber that is changed by "friendly bacteria" in the gut into compounds that fight against cancer. lignans can also modulate hormone levels and relieve some of the symptoms often associated with menopause, such as hot flashes and yeast infections due to vaginal dryness. Flaxseed oil is also a treatment for premenstrual syndrome, which may be caused by a hormonal imbalance. |
Heather Boon, BScPhm, PhD and Michael Smith, BPharm, MRPharmS, ND
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 Roots
ž coumarins: eleutheroside Bl (isofraxidin-7-0-alpha- L-glucoside, also known as beta-caly canthoside), isofraxidin, coumarin X.
ž lignans: eleutheroside B4 ((-)-sesamin), eleutheroside D ((-)-syringarsinoI di-O-beta-D-glucoside), eleutheroside E (different crystal form of D, also known as acanthoside D).
ž phenylpropanoid: eleutheroside B (syringin), caffeic acid and caffeic acid ethyl ester.
ž polysaccharides: eleutheroside C (methyl-alpha-D-galactoside), eleutherans A-G.
ž sterols: eleutheroside A (daucosterol).
ž trherpene: oleanolic acid. |
Judith Wills
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 There are two main types of phytoestrogen, isoflavones and lignans. Isoflavones are found in legumes, particularly soybeans, and several trials have shown a link between low incidence of breast cancer development and high soy intake. The particular isoflavone equol appears to confer the most benefit.
Soy isoflavones also appear to reduce hot flashes and night sweats in menopausal women.
Lignans are found in various plant foods, especially flax seeds, whole grains, and berries. The lignan enterolactone in this case appears to be the most potent form in helping to prevent breast cancer. |
C. P. Khare
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 The lignans phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin exhibited antihepatotoxic activity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.
The drug also showed diuretic and hypotensive effect in humans. (RRL, Jammu.)
Bitterness value of Phyllanthus amarus is 70 times more than Phyllanthus fraternus and Phyllanthus urinaria and 14 times more than Phyllanthus maderaspatensis. The bitterness imparts the therapeutic efficacy to the drug.
Leaves and stem of Phyllanthus urinaria gave the flavonoids quercetin, astragalin, quercitrin, iso-quercitrin and rutin. |
James A. Howenstine, MD
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| If you are using high lignin flax oil, which appears desirable in treating malignancies, the lignans tend to settle in the bottom of the bottle. Bruce Barlean suggests vigorous shaking for 20 seconds before pouring to disperse the lignans. Pure fruit could be added such as strawberries or chopped apples, blueberries and pineapple.
Use only plain yogurt, not flavored and use twice as much yogurt as you would cottage cheese if you substitute yogurt for cottage cheese. Tofu also works in the same dosage as natural yogurt. |
Gale Maleskey
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| Flaxseed oil and lignans have also been credited with reducing inflammation of the kidneys experienced by some people with a condition known as lupus nephritis. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin and other organs.
Flax Facts
Flaxseed oil comes in liquid and gelatin capsules, but you may want to skip the oil and j ust add flaxseed to your diet. The oil contains only trace amounts of the cancer-protective lignans because they are removed during processing, says Diane Morris, R.D., Ph.D., a nutritionist in Winnipeg, Manitoba. |
Andrew Pengelly
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 Cardiovascular activity of naturally occurring lignans', Phytomedicine 4: 151-166. Greinwald, R. and Stobernack, H. 1990, 'Ammi visnaga (Khella)', British
Journal of Phytotherapy 1: 7-10. Harborne, J. and Baxter, H. 1993, Phytochemical Dictionary, Taylor &C
Francis, London.
Hikino, H. 1985, 'Chinese medicinal plants used against hepatitis', in H. M. Chang, H. W. Yeung, W.-W. Tso, A. Koo (eds), Advances in Chinese Medicinal Materials Research, World Scientific Pubs, Singapore.
Huang, K. C. 1993, The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs, CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Johri, J. K, Banerji, R. |
Josef A. Brinckmann and Michael P. Lindenmaier
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 Loike, Lignans: Chemical, biological and clinical properties, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge u. a. 1990, S. 95.
[17] M. Axelson et al., Nature 298, 659-660 (1982).
[18] L.U. Thompson et al., Nutr. Cancer 16, 43-52 (1991).
[19] S.P. Boriello et al., J. Appl. Bacteriol. 58,
37-43 (1985). [20] M. Serraino and L.U. Thompson, Cancer
Lett. 60, 135-142 (1991). [21] M. Serraino and L.U. Thompson, Nutr.
Cancer 17, 153-159 (1992). [22] M. Serraino and L.U. Thompson, Cancer
Lett. 63, 159-165 (1992). [23] G. Willuhn, Z. Phytother. 20, 120-126 (1999). [24] K.I. Griitzner, A. Muller, and H.P. |
J. Robert Hatherill
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 Enterolactone
Produced in the human body from plant chemicals or lignans. Rich sources of lignans include soy and flaxseed.
Enzyme
A protein that speeds up or catalyzes chemical reactions in other substances but remains unchanged in the chemical process.
Epithelia
The purely cellular layer covering all free surfaces that lacks blood vessels, as in mucous membranes or lining the ducts of the breast.
Epstein-Barr virus
A herpes virus that was first described in 1964 by Epstein and Barr. |
C. P. Khare
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| Dried bark and branches contain the lignans sesamin, fargesin, eudesmin and epi-eudesmin; a neutral lactone-pulviatide. Several alkaloids have been obtained from the plant.
The stem has exhibited hypoglycaemic activity.
The essential oil possesses deodorant and antiseptic properties. In a dilution of 1 to 40, 000, the oil killed 50 per cent of ciliates. It showed good knock-down effect against one-day-old nymphs of Locusta migratoria Linn., but gave only 40 per cent mortality after 24 hours.
The freshly distilled essential oil from seeds exhibited strong antibacterial activity against E. |
Andrew Pengelly
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| Resin acids Resinotanninols
Diterpenoid acids Complex alcohols
Myrrh—Commiphora molmol
Asaresinatannols—Ferula assa-foetida
Clycoresins
Sugars, resin acids
Podophyllin—Podophyllum peltatum Jalap—Exogonium purga lignans podophyllotoxin 20%; a and B peltatin 15%—purgative principle; and lignan glycosides (lost during preparation of resins).
Podophyllin powder has a peculiar bitter taste and is highly irritating to mucous membranes, especially of the eyes. Its caustic nature is utilised in the form of topical applications for warts and condylomas. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 Nettle has many active or beneficial constituents including lignans, sterols (including beta sitosterol), polysaccharides, histamine, acetylcholine, potassium, calcium, magnesium, carotenoids, iron, vitamin C, and silicic acid. The plant is also a good source of chlorophyll.
Most of the vitamins and minerals are located in the leaves, which also harbor the compounds that help prevent allergies. lignans and sterols are found in the root. These are the compounds that seem to be so important in relieving the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. |
Mark Blumenthal
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 The influence of flaxseed and lignans on colon carcinogenesis and ^-glucuronidase activity. Carcinogen 1996;17(6):1343-8.
Jenkins D, Kendall C, Vidgen E, et al. Health aspects of partially defatted flaxseed, including effects on serum lipids, oxidative measures, and ex vivo androgen and progestin activity: a controlled crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:395-402.
Kelley D, Branch L, Love J, et al. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid and immunocompe-tence in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1991 ;53(l):40-6.
Kelso KA, Cerrolini S, Speake BK. |
Robyn Landis
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 Flaxseed—Lignans are antioxidant polyphenols, and flaxseed contains lignan precursors. lignans may help prevent some estrogen-related cancers by binding to estrogen receptors in breast tissue and interfering with estrogen's cancer-promoting activity there. Flaxseed is also a good source of healthful omega-3 fatty acids. (The seeds can be used ground up and sprinkled on food, or the oil can be used. |
volker schulz and Rudolf Hansel
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 The hypothesis that phytoestrogens may be beneficial in reducing the incidence of prostate cancer is based largely upon observations that populations having increased concentrations of lignans and isoflavones in their plasma and prostatic fluid have a lower incidence of prostate disease. In a sampling of 50 men from Portugal, 58 from Hong Kong, and 36 from the United Kingdom, much higher concentrations of isoflavones were found in the plasma and prostatic fluid of the participants from Hong Kong than from the other two countries. |
National Women's Health Network
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 Bacteria in our intestines convert plant lignans to mammalian lignans (enterolactone and enterodiol) and convert isoflavone precursors to active isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, and equol).
Other phytoestrogens occur in some medicinal herbs, but these are different from the phytoestrogens in food plants, and, in terms of safety, we should treat them differ-endy (see chapter 8, "Herbs," and chapter 16, "Alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy"). |
volker schulz and Rudolf Hansel
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| The main components of these extracts include phytosterols, triterpene acids, lignans, polysaccharides, and simple phenol compounds.
Numerous experimental pharmacologic studies (survey in Koch, 1995) have shown that nettle root extracts inhibit prostatic aromatase and 5-a-reductase, interact with sex-hormone-binding globulin, and exert multiple inhibitory effects on inflammatory mediators (Hryb et al., 1995; Hartmann et al., 1996). An aqueous extract of nettle root showed weak anti-inflammatory activity when tested in the model of carrageenan-induced rat's paw edema. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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 Vegetarians have high blood and urine levels of lignans, while eating meat suppresses lignans substantially. So if you're accustomed to meat in your diet, you may need an extra supply of lignan to compensate for this suppressant effect.
Some breads contain ground flaxseed; check labels. I've also ground the seed myself and added it to cornbread batter. I suggest you experiment with finding ways to get flaxseed into your diet on a regular basis.
V*. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea). I love peanuts. |
Josef A. Brinckmann and Michael P. Lindenmaier
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| Receptor binding studies have shown various affinities for individual constituents to the applied receptor types including experiments with valerenic acids for their affinity to GABA-, benzodiazepine-, and barbiturate receptors [17] and with lignans for their affinity to 5-HT1A receptors [8] and the GABA-chloride channel receptor com-
Excerpt from the German Commission E monograph
(BAnz no. 90, Published May15, 1985; Revised BAn^ no. 50, Published March 13, 1990)
Uses
Restlessness, nervous sleep disorders.
Contraindications
None known.
Side effects
None known. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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| Vegetarians have high blood and urine levels of lignans, while eating meat suppresses lignans substantially. So if you're accustomed to meat in your diet, you may need an extra supply of lignan to compensate for this suppressant effect.
Some breads contain ground flaxseed; check labels. I've also ground the seed myself and added it to cornbread batter. I suggest you experiment with finding ways to get flaxseed into your diet on a regular basis.
V*. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea). I love peanuts. |
Josef A. Brinckmann and Michael P. Lindenmaier
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| Indeed, numerous pharmacological studies, some of which are mentioned below, have shown indications of activity with defined substances (for components of the volatile oil, for the valepotriates and their decomposition products, for the valerenic acids and the lignans), but there is also evidence that the effectiveness of the total extract differs from that of the individual substances. Therefore, the general opinion in the practice of phytotherapy today is that the efficacy of valerian depends upon an interplay between the constituent groups rather than on individual substances [11]. |
Mark Blumenthal
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| Current research suggests that flax lignans are anti-atherogenic (Prasad, 1997), antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, and anticarcinogenic (Nesbitt and Thompson, 1997). Flax, and some of its derivatives, is being studied for lowering LDL serum cholesterol, prevention of some cancers, and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The largest flax producer is Canada (Haggerty, 1999). Flaxseed is an increasingly common ingredient in conventional foods, and is eaten either raw or in baked goods. |
| Nesbitt P, Thompson L. lignans in homemade and commercial products containing flaxseed. Nutr Cancer 1997;29(3):222-7. Nestel P, Pomeroy S, Sasahara T, et al. Arterial compliance in obese subjects is improved with dietary plant n-3 fatty acid from flaxseed oil despite increased LDL oxidizability. Arterioscler Thromb Vase Biol 1997,T7(6): 1163-70. Nordstrom D, Honkanen V, Nasu Y, et al. Alpha-linolenic acid in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A double-blind, placebo-controlled and randomized study: flaxseed vs. safflower seed. Rheumatol Int 1995;14:231-4. Ph.Eur. |
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