Topic Title: An LI160 extract standardised on hyperforin??
| |  "An LI160 extract standardised on hyperforin??"
, Tue 14 Jan 18:05
I recently emailed Lichtwer Pharma's Benelux office, who distribute Kira in The Netherlands (where I live), and asked them about the hypericin and hyperforin content of their products. The information leaflet they provide is a little vague about this. Anyway, I received a reply that stated the following:
1. Kira LI164 contains between 135 and 225 mg SJW and is standardised to 300 mcg hypericin and between 1800 and 3000 mcg hyperforin.
2. Kira Forte LI160 (which contains 450 mg of SJW) contains at least 1000 mcg hypericin and 18000 mcg hyperforin.
3. They do standardise their SJW on hypericin AND hyperforin.
By my calculations the LI160 is standardised to 0.22% hypericin and 4% hyperforin, which is good news for me - until I move back to the UK later this year.
There was a post on 11 December with this information, but it struck me as odd when I read it, because I had assumed that the name of the extract would indicate whether it is standardised on hyperforin or not. I had thought that LI160 (Kira) is not whereas WS-5572 (Neuroplant/Perika) is. Perhaps the difference is actually that WS-5572 adds a stabiliser to prevent the hyperforin from degrading too quickly, whereas LI160 doesn't. But as far as I know Lichtwer don't advertise their Kira LI160 extract as 4% hyperforin anywhere else, so that isn't a satisfactory explanation. It would be surprising if an extract with the same name was standardised on hyperforin for the Dutch market but not in other countries. So I wonder whether it is standardised on hyperforin in other countries and they don't make a big deal of it (for some strange reason), or whether the extract in the Dutch Kira Forte is different from the LI160 sold elsewhere (which seems unlikely).
Any comments?
Dan
Posts: 35 | | Registered: Sat 14 Dec 2002 17:8 |
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| |  "Re(1):An LI160 extract standardised on hyperf"
, Fri 21 Feb 16:59:
I don't know if you'll see this reply Daniel, but I think I can answer the question.
LI160, LI164 and WS-5572 are extract names. More correctly, they refer to the patented extraction/preparation methods for transforming raw herb. "LI" refers to Lichtwer Pharma and "WS" refers to Willmar Schwabe.
LI164 is out of favour these days. LI160 set the benchmark and is the most common process used for extraction. WS5572 is similar to LI160, but a hyperforin stabiliser is added. The effectiveness of this stabiliser is supported in independant laboratory tests [1].
In the last few years, hyperforin has superceded hypericin as the "known active principle" in SJW. Manufacturers have been slow to shift to hyperforin as a reference, esp. Lichtwer. Consumer feedback and independant lab testing seems to have eventually convinced them to do it. As far as I can determine, Lichtwer have now specified 4% hyperforin standardisation in their LI160 extract, and this should affect all markets in which LI160 is sold.
As is typical for Lichtwer, their product labelling and packaging won't reflect this shift. Different markets will display different information depending on the inertia of their marketing departments.
So yes, it's likely to be the same stuff everywhere, as long it's LI160 we're talking about. The only confusion lies in markets like UK and NZ, where LI164 is still sold alongside LI160.
Epyx
References: [1] Comparison of German St John's Wort products according to hyperforin and total hypericin content. Wurglics et al, JAPA, July/Aug 2001.
[this message was edited by Epyx on Fri 21 Feb 17:00]
Posts: 446 | | Registered: Mon 3 Dec 2001 22:11 |
| | | "Re(2):An LI160 extract standardised on hyperf" , Sat 22 Feb 14:14
quote:
As far as I can determine, Lichtwer have now specified 4% hyperforin standardisation in their LI160 extract, and this should affect all markets in which LI160 is sold.
...
Thanks for the reply Epyx. Thinking about it, this is by far the most logical explanation.
The situation here in The Netherlands is worse than the UK. There isn't much competition (I've only seen three different brands in the shops) and I haven't seen a single brand of SJW that recommended the correct dose. My Kira Forte LI160 only recommends 1/2 the usual dose, but fortunately I know enough to feel comfortable ignoring that. At least LI160 is cheaper here than in the UK.
Dan
Posts: 85 | | Registered: Sat 14 Dec 2002 17:8 |
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