African Product Line: Sceletium Pro™

Big Tree Nutraceutical's Sceletium Pro™ is a vast improvement on their regular Sceletium tortuosum with respect to mood enhancement and stress/anxiety management. The Sceletium Pro formulation contains Sceletium tortuosum, the ayurvedic herb Baccopa monnieri (Brahmi), Trimethylglycine, L-Tyrosine, Folate (Folic Acid) and Vitamin B12.

Sceletium Pro formulation including co-factors

2 Size "0" Vegetarian Capsules (a daily dose) supply:

Sceletium
The active constituents of the plant are alkaloids, including mesembrine, mesembrenone, mesembrenol and tortuosamine. Mesembrine is the major alkaloid present in Sceletium, and has been determined in, as yet, unpublished laboratory studies, to be a very potent and effective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor.

This receptor-specific activity, as well as receptor activities also found on nicotinic, dopamine and norepinephrine sites validate the traditional mood-elevating uses, and suggest additional therapeutic and wellness potential.

Mesembrine alkaloids also appear to have a harmonizing and balancing effect on other neurotransmitters such dopamine and norepinephrine and epinephrine.

L-Tyrosine (free-base)
Tyrosine is the nutrient pre-cursor of dopamine, norepinephrine and epinehrine and is intimately involved with these important mood-affecting brain neuro-transmitters.

Environmental stress is associated with reduced levels of norepinephrine. Tyrosine prevents reduction of norepinephrine levels that are associated with this stress. Many clinical studies, along with a large body of anecdotal evidence, indicate that Tyrosine is a vital substance in alleviating depression, as well as the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

L-Tyrosine is also a direct precursor to Thyroxin (Triiodo Tyrosine), which is a primary Thyroid hormone. Thyroxine deficiency results in a series of conditions including excess weight gain, cold hands and feet and decreased basal metabolism. L-Tyrosine supplementation works to counteract this.

It has also been found that Tyrosine lowers blood pressure by increasing norepinephrine metabolites.

One of L-Tyrosine's primary metabolic pathways is: L-Tyrosine -> L-Dopa -> Dopamine -> Norepinephrine (nor-adrenalin) -> Epinephrine (adrenalin).

Increased levels of L-Dopa are associated with improved mood and greater capacity for pleasure in the body-mind, while norepinephrine controls our level "mental" energy". It is included for these reasons and also to balance the relaxation effect that is induced by the Sceletium.

Nira Brahmi (Bacopa monnieria)
Bacopa monnieria, or Brahmi, is a famous Ayurvedic herbal remedy for mental revitalizing and enhancement. It is effective for all body types. Bacopa is highly recommended in the Asian medical literature and has been prescribed by Oriental physicians as one of the very best mental revitalizing herbs for thousands of years. Contemporary phytochemical research has revealed evidence that Bacopa is an antioxidant. Antioxidants have been linked to improved brain and nervous system function. Another study found that Bacopa use increases the I.Q. scores of students.

Bacopa monnieria is used traditionally for memory, insomnia, epilepsy, insanity and other related conditions, mental acuity, and mental clarity, as a nervine, for learning disabilities, attention span deficiencies, speech impediments, and headache.

In addition, Bacopa contains several glycosides that have demonstrated significant anxiolytic, relaxing and anti-stress effects in pharmacological studies.

Studies revealed that bacosides, which are the major phyto constituents in Bacopa monnieria, help to repair damaged neurons by enhancing proteins involved in the regeneration of neural-cell synapses. [The Bacopa used in our formulation is an 8:1 extract standardized to 16% bacosides.]

Thus Bacopa monnieria can be viewed as nourishment for neural processes that, restores depleted synaptic activity and leads to enhanced memory function, clarity and mental balance.

Trimethylglycine
Trimethylglycine (TMG), which is also called glycine betaine, is a methylation agent (or methyl donor) that lowers homocysteine levels (a contributory factor in heart disease) and, by contributing one of its methyl groups to DNA, potentially reduces DNA aging and errant DNA replication processes.

Methyl donors (like TMG) are directly involved in the formation of numerous brain chemicals, which accounts for their positive cognitive effects.

TMG functions specifically as a biological stable precursor of the very unstable
S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe). SAMe is a critical factor in biochemical reactions and a proven anti-depressant.

SAMe has been used in clinical studies to treat depression, schizophrenia, demyelination diseases, dementia, peripheral neuropthy and other conditions. Several studies have confirmed that SAMe is up to15% more effective in the treatment of depression than traditional pharmaceutical anti-depressants.

Methyl donors are:

• Required for the growth of new cells.
• Essential for the manufacture of DNA bases.
• Able to prevent DNA mutations and strand breaks.
• Able to prevent the expression of disease causing genes.
• Able to reduce the risk of genetically induced cancers.
• Able to protect against alcohol induced liver injury.
• Used to neutralize a wide range of toxins.
• Required to support the function of many antioxidants.
• Able to promote the production of serotonin, melatonin and other neurotransmitters.
• Required to detoxify histamine to relieve allergic symptoms.
• Vital in the final steps of protein manufacture.
• Able to help repair and regenerate vital proteins.
• Able to slow and even reverse aging.

Folate (from Folic acid)
Folate is a B Vitamin that plays many critical roles in the body especially with regard to emotional state and mental acuity. It is crucial for DNA and RNA synthesis and is used by the body to produce S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe), which has been established as having a strong effect on mood. SAMe is also essential for over 100 identified essential methylation reactions, such as the methylation of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), phospholipids (myelin), polysaccharides, and catecholamines, and many other molecules.

The effects of adequate Folic acid supplementation for the treatment of depression, anxiety and other forms of mental / emotional impairment are well documented. Studies have shown that a high proportion of the American population is deficient in folate, and folic acid deficiencies have been linked to depression in clinical studies. Folic acid deficiency also causes serotonin levels in the brain to decrease, which is another cause of depressed mood and impaired mental function.

Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin)
Although the most commonly used form of Vitamin B12 is cyanocobalamin, vitamin B12 is biologically active in only two forms, methylcobalamin (which is used in this formulation) and adenosylcobalamin. While methylcobalamin is active immediately upon absorption, cyanocobalamin must be converted to either methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin by the body before use.

Methylcobalamin is the superior form of Vitamin B12 to use, especially in a formulation that is designed to impact on mood. Methylcobalamin is the only form of vitamin B12 found in the brain and it supports a healthy brain, spinal cord and nervous system, which together are necessary foundation optimum mental and emotional health.

Methylcobalamin is essential for the metabolism of nerve tissue and it stimulates the utilization of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It is important for the synthesis of DNA and RNA, as well as for production of choline and methionine, a key SAMe component.

Methylcobalamin has been used for many other symptoms including fatigue, nervousness and irritability, insomnia, memory problems, depression, and poor balance.

Adequate methylcobalamin supplementation:

• Regulates sleeping patterns and improves daytime alertness
• Treats physical and mental fatigue (both a cause and effect of depression)
• Ensures optimum cognitive functioning
• Balance's mood
• Stimulates neuronal regeneration in the brain
• Relieves depression, nervousness and irritability

Dosage

Sceletium may also be used in conjunction with the Sutherlandia formulation, or taken alone.

The recommended consumption is 2 capsules per day, together or divided, usually taken later in the day. Under a practitioner’s guidance this can be increased to 4 capsules spread throughout the day.

Side Effects

Very few people experience side effects. The reported side effects are considered mild and include rare occurrence of:

• Mild headache
• Slight nausea, no vomiting
• Soft stool or loose stool with no cramping
• Transient increase in anxiety or irritability, which resolves itself after an hour or so.

Contraindications

Although there have been no confirmed reports of drug interactions, because of the neuro-receptor activities of Sceletium there are theoretical interactions with other psychiatric medications and cardiac drugs. People taking any psychiatric drug (including all anti-anxiety drugs, sedatives, hypnotics, anti-depressants and anti-psychotics and so-called designer or recreational drugs) or any cardiac medications, are advised not to take Sceletium-containing products.

As with most supplements and modern drugs, safety in pregnancy has not been established and Sceletium should not be taken without prior consultation with one's physician.

Keep out of reach of children